Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-07-14
THIEF Is MADE
HONEST THROUGH
AN OPERATION
Surgeon Lifts Splinter OF Bono From Brain
OF Convict In the Colorado Penitentiary
and Transform Maniac Into an Honest
Man.
SUBJECT WAS THROWN FROM
A HORSE IN HIS YOUTH
Son OF a Texas Planter Is Turned From
a Normal Lad Into a q :minal. and Fin
ally Loses His Reason-Curge0n's Knife
Makes Him Well.

Canon City. Cole. july No. "A splin
Jed Lee. prisoner ia the state pcnitcn
tiary here. has been transformed from
a criminal maniac into an honest man.
Still ia his early twrnticS. the sur
geon'S knife has wrought y miracle that
will send the Young man into the world
a free man ia every sense Of the word
free from the penalty ~ the law. and
free. also from the blight that made him
a thief and an all round petty criminal.
a fall from 4 horse. when h. was only
IL made him a criminal. a vagrant and
finally a maniac. The drft removal ~
pressure on the brain that short circuit
eel the nerve currents and perverted the
lads impulses and acts.
Jeff Lee IL the son of a wealthy Texas
planter. lie was 4 healthy. normal youth.
with a guod record ia his stables. and
with MANY friends.
with many friends. When he was II
some of his friends dared him 10 ride
an %unruly horse. lie accepted the chal
lenge and apparently conquered the
beast after a sharp struggle.
Then he invited one Of his girl friends
to accompany him for a ride. They rode
on together and. while they laughed and
chattcd. the horse. seeing an opportuni
". suddenly reared and threw the youth.
lie was dashed To the ground. receiving
"a fractured skull. lie was taken himc
and recovered. "a far a. his physical
health was concerned.
but from that time h. grew morose
aud S%nllen. in striking contrast To his
former unvarying good nature. Then he
began 10 seek the company of the roughs
Of the nci.hlsorhnod. and 10 practice evil
WAYS. Finally he was arrested on 4
charge of horse stealing. lie went 10 the
Texas pcnitentiary. and there. with hard
cnesl criminals aS his willing tutors.
he soon became vcrsed in crime.
when he was released from the Texas
prison he came 10 Colorado and So0n be
came intimate with 4 criminal element.
la a few months he was arrested on a
charge of burglary. Lee was sentenced
To from two 10 five years in the state
prison. His second commitment seemed
"a prey on his mind.
lie showed signs ~ incipient insanity
from the day Of his entry and within
a few months was sent 10 the insane
ward. having become apparently a mani
m'. with spells OF violence.
The surgeon III the penitcntiarv be-
came interested ia the cause. and believ-
ing IN operation would restore his rea
son. and possibly eliminate his criminal
tendencies. an effort was made "a locate
his relatives. 80 that their permission
might be- obtained. The prisoner. how
ever. had com ralcd his true name and
for a time efforts were fruitlesS.
Then one day a lucid interval came.
Lee. recognizing his wrctrhed plight.
gave the names of his parents. and H.
begged that the operation be performed
Il would rather die This minute than
20 on living a. a crook he said.
The parents gave their consent an
four months aye the operation was per
formed. when Lee recovered from tliA
nnmb;ng effects of the Mnaesthetic h.
was sane
Daily he recovered strength and Il
clearer intellect. TODAY he stands np-
right with the straightforward gaze
of the honest man. In few months. when
his minimum sentence expires. he will
III rnlna1aI