The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-07-09
BONE SPLINTER LIFTED:
MAN RECEIVERS HONOR
Criminal Maniac Has Been Changed
into Law Abiding Honest
Man.

l
CANON CITY, Colo. July ga
splinter of bone, lifted from his brain,
and JEFF Lee, prisoner In the state
penitentiary here, has been transform
ed from a criminal maniac to an hon
| est man. Still In his early twenties,
the surgeons knife has wrought a
miracle that will send the young man
into the world, free man in every
sense Of the word-free from the pen
atty Of the law, and free, also, from
the malisn influence that made him
thief and all around petty criminal.
A fall from . horse, when he was
only fifteen, made OF him criminal,
vagrant, and finally maniac. The
deft removal of the splinter OF bone
has relieved the pressure on the brain,
that short-circuited the nerve currents
and perverted the lads impulses and
acts.
JEFF Lee is tho son Of wealthy
Texas planter. He was a healthy,
normal youth, with good record in
his studies, and with many friends.
When he was fifteen. some Of his boy
friends dared him to ride an unruly
horse. He accepted the challenge. and
apparently conquered the beast after
a sharp struggle. Then he invited
one OF his girl friends to accompany
him for ride. They rode of togeth-
or, and. while they laughed and chat
ted. the horse, seeing an opportunity.
suddenly reared and threw the youth.
He was dashed violently to the
ground, sustaining q fractured skull.
He was taken home, and recovered,
so far rs his physical health was con-
cerned.
But from that time, he grew morose
and sullen, in striking contrast to his
former unvarying good nature. Then
he began to seek the company Of the
roughs OF the neighborhood, and to
practice evil ways. Finally he was
arrested and convicted on charge OF
horse stealing. He went to the Texas
penitentiary, and there, with harden
ed criminals as his willing tutors, he
soon became versed In crime. When
he was released from the Texas pris-
on, he came to Colorado, and soon
became intimate with a criminal ele-
ment. In few months, he was ar
rested on charge Of burglary. Lee
was sentenced to from two to flve
years in the state prison. His second
commitment seemed to prey on his
mind. He showed signs Of incipiept
insanity almost from the day Of his
entry, and within few months was
sent to the insane ward, having be-
come apparently total maniac. with
spells OF violence.
The surgeon OF the penitentiary be-
came interested in the case, and be-
lieving an operation would restore his
reason, and possibly eliminate his
criminal tendencies, an effort was
made to locate his relatives. 80 that
their permission might be obtained.
The prisoner, however, had concealed
his true name, and for time, efforts
were fruitless. Then one day, a
lucid interval came. Lee, recognizing
his wretched plight. gave the names
Of his parents, and begged that the
operation be performed. Il would
rather die this minute than to 90 on
living as q crook" he said. The par
ents gave their consent, and four
months ago the operation was per
formed. When Lee recovered from the
numbing effects Of the anesthetic, he
was sane. Daily he recovered strength
and a clearer intellect Today he
stands upright, with the straightfor-
ward gaze of the honest man. In q
few months, when his minimum sem
tence expires he will be released.