The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-11-29

gan travelling the country, peddling
medicine.
From constant use, the effects OF
morphine on his system became less
marked, and the amount taken grew
to alarming proportions. Dent was also
an inVererate cigarette fiend, smoking
as many as 120 in a day. His desire
for stimulants almost consumed him,
and he finally became a victim of
strong drink, which relieved the con-
tracted pupil of the eye, and counter
acted the sallOW effect produced by
the morphine.
In his aimless Wanderings Dent
reached Tallahassee last September.
Going to the hotel he engaged room,
and the first thing after reaching its
secrecy was to inject large quantity
of morphine into his system. This not
satisfying his terrible cravings, he re-
sorted to whiskey, and soon became in
toxicated. In the still hours of night,
when everybody was peacefully slum-
bering, the demented man slipped out
and procured a large quantity of
muriate of cocaine, pulVeriZed with an
equal amount of morphine. There was
enough of this compound to have kill
ed fifty men unused to taking the
drugs, but Dent used it all in a few
hours.
His cravings seemed unquenchable.
He injected the hellish stuff, and it is
impossible to picture the effect pro-
duced. A mad, wild joy pervaded his
being. Earth and all it's surroundings
were painted in the most rOseate hues.
He became suddenly possessed of mil
lions and lavished his wealth right
and left, although not owning cent.
His longing for cocaine increased. Slip
ping out of the hotel, he went on a
search for more of the devils de-
light" Finally procuring dollars
worth, he repaired to the room where
his wife and babes were sleeping, and
was soon more strongly under the in
fluence of the deadly stuff.
Day dawned, but sleep had left him.
With pupils dilated, and almost dead to
all moral feelings, nearly speeches.,
and with dumb, enchanted sensations,
Dent awakened wife and children. With
burning, tear-stained eyes he begged,
beseeched and implored for money.
The day wore away, and with aching
heart the devoted wife watched the
effects of the drug that had blasted the
career of the only one to whom she
could look for bread.
The exhiliarating effects Of the drug
began to wear off and his condition was
pitiable to behold. He was in constant
dread that some secret enemy would
take his life. He would start at trif1es,
imploring those present not to let any
one hurt him. At the least noise the
miserable wretch would cover down
and try to hide himself, all the time
laboring under the belief that the
enemy was lurking near, ready to take
his life.
Another twenty-four hours Of torture
worse than death, with an occasional
glimpse of reason, Nature tried hard to
reassert herself, and in one of his ap-
parently sane moments the demented
creature rushed wildly to the Presby-
terian church, and asked for the pas
tor. Failing to see the man of God, he
sent note into the church asking him
| to call at the hotel on a case of life
and death. Procuring more Of the drug,
he dashed madly back to his room.
Just as the sun was hiding his face
behind the western hills, and tinting
the earth with halo of glory, the door
opened and the minister approached.
With the small spark of manhood still
i1in fn1 hn ctr of h
misfortunes, and asked, in the name of
God and of his stricken wife and babes,
that something be done to save him
from the awful fire that was consuming
him body and soul.
After promising to return again and
assist him if possible the minister left.
The covering wretch felt like recall
ing his request, but something caused
him to remain silent. The following
morning county officer the minister
and DR.. Ausley called. They found the
man in a terrible condition. The men
held a consultation, and Dent asked to
be sent to the State Asylum for the
insane at Chattahoochee. This was
readily agreed to, the man remaining
quietly in his room while the necessary
papers were being made out, and until
the time came for him to go to the
madhouse.
The Safe Asylum for the Insane at
Chattahoochee, is under the charge OF
DR.. v. H. Gwinn superintendent, as
sisted by DR.. ]. H. COlson. It is one OF
the finest institution of the kind in the
country, and under the skillful care Of
these able experts many phenomenal
cures have been effected. Dent entered
the sanitarium in September, wreck
of his former self, weighing only 80
pounds. On November 4, two months
later, he was discharged cured.
When the attendant went, after Dent
To take him off the ronr fellnW hesi.