Newspaper Page Text
PRICE FIVE CENTS
ATHENS, GA, TUESDAY MORNING. JULY 5,1892
. ISA4 1 Consolidated with the
»•**?!?• Krt. I NTT, | Athens Banner, Bek 1889*
CLARKE CODUTT OFFICERS
j government is above all .factors
3.. ^scntial to the peace and
lb* utt
prttP*
SLEEP.
0 { a people, and is therefore
U sired and sought after.
*3yto be J
jroverraent affairs of Clarke
i ), .\y been wisely, safely and
f D .,ly S iiministered in the past,
P3 t |ie fact that the pres-
f 1 , :„..iimbouts in the different
ineutu bouts
. composing the government are
rt ilt( . t. r re-election, standing on
r r ' .oriis and the satisfaction their
) i;iv , given as a platform, will
Q t * rbrief sketch of the gentlemen
and their aduiinirtration of
,v< than passing interest to the Ban-
L. \ readers. 1 have spent sometime
r, V | f ,i„jF the work of the present
LjiniHirati-*! a,ld in investigating the
L, of the different officers and the
^ condition of their respective
r rtim-nts of the administration for
information and to get the
Ljf 0 r this sketch, and 1 do nothesi-
to hold his scrip an hour after its issu
ance if he chose to present it. The
treasurer has always been at his poet
and the money ready. From the best
information I can obtain, it has not been
ever thus. It is said that under former
administrations that jurors have carried
their scrips for weeks without pay
ment.
There is not one mistake or discrepancy
found in Mr. O’Ferrcll’s books, although
the finest experts have examined them
with the other county «-fifteen books.
This ended a record to be proud of,
embodying efficiency, faithfulness,
simplicity and absolute safety.
Mr. O’Farrell is a native of Clarke
county, having been born and reared
within her borders. He has always
stood in the first lank of enterprising
Georgians and popular Athenians. Be
fore he went into business here and was
elected to the office of Treasurer, Mr.
O’Farrell was agent for the North
eastern railioad company and Southern
Express company at Lula, a junctional
point, where thousands of dollars were
lLtrubted to his custody by these com
panies, and the records show that an
error or discrepancy to the amount of
He first entered politics as constable, I 'Prof. Strahan 'graduated from the
serving the Athens district most ac- University, making a high record in all
ceptably in that capacity Trom 1879 to I bis studies and is to-day regarded aa
1886. He then served as deputy clerk I one of the best scholars ever turned out
of the Superior Court, and then clerk by | of the University of Georgia,
appointment, and on January 1st, 1891, He was elected to the office of county
was duly elected to fill that position by I surveyor at the last election and it is
the people in a strongly contested cam- I not necessary to say that his services! “Fresh, balmy breezes are rocldiusyonr cradle;
n. I have given perfect satisfaction. I Slumber Is cheap, baby birrtiys, cheap, cheap,
r. Kenney’s administration has been I Prof. Strahan ocoupiea the chair of | 3°*iel h | de > our hettda my downy
one of improvements. He has added I professor in civil engineering in the “~‘
many improvements in the way of new I University and is exceedingly suocess-
■ * * ■" wa -----
tys
books, records, etc., that simplifies the I ful and wholly efficient as a teactnr, in j Down In tuo meadow*, ail blooming with
work and makes the records abeolntely I fact he is regarded as oneof the best and . . - clover,
perfect and reliable. His new check I ablest teachers in the faculty. In ad- J l” 011 , blossom wo cautiously t>eep;
records verify every entry and elimin- I dition to his course in the University he •SW",
ates all possibility of mistakes, or dis- took a special course In civil and mining T,ml naUBhty bttby wUo wou * BO to 8loep ’
crepiacces. In additi jn to this service I engineering in one of the best schools in I There, close your eyelids, you foolish young
to bis county, he has straightened out I New York. _ bumble,
a r d resurrected manyjvsliiablc oM i® J Personally Prof. Strahan is one of! What’s more delightful than deep, tranquil
cords that were mixed up and almost the nicest of gentlemen, polished, cnl- iMotS-vurk in the warm summer weather
unintelligible. The Clerk’s office of Uured and brilliant, and as a natural j 'utthoin sew now-in the autumn wo’ri
Clarke county is a model, and clerk t consequence very popular. He will be ] reap."
Kenney has no eqnal for such a po»i- I re-electedjo the position of county sur-
tion in the state. His service to Clarke | veyor without opposition, as he should ] th ® “wn, »n the wide open hammock,
county in putting the office in.the con- be, and Clarke county can again boast s ££ “ h o ^“he^^piug "lower aud
dition it is, ib of inconceivable value. | of the best county surveyor of any j lowei^- ^ p
He is a candidate] ' forg |re-election. j county in the South. _ J Far into Dreamland the baby will creep.
All come, at last, for a rest to their Father;
His weary childreo In safety he’ll keep.
What is the promise so often lepeated?
To all whom he lovetb, God giveth sweet
deep.
—Good Housekeeping.
Perched on her nest In a bough of the pear
tree.
Tenderly ruffling her motherly wings,
A tiny bird to her young ones is crooning.
What are the words that she lovingly sings?
feathers;
Slumber is cheap, baby birdies, sleep, sleep."
. . — one cent was never discovered in his
lossy that 111 n, y opinion the gov- jj 00 j. ? or accounts.
^mental machine of Clarke county is I M r. O’Farrell is a prominent member
i v in a be iter and more praiseworthy I of the I. O. O. F. encampment, of the
Lon than any county in Mystic Circle, Knights of Honor and
. .. Red Men. In bis first iace for Treas-
tate or in any ot r i urer< h e defeated twice his predecessor
that matter. Every single man My r . A. P. Dearing, by good majorities
if.Koo'111"• t lie administration seems to and in the lastrace, defeated Mr. W. W.
‘ tl, ' highest appreciation of the Tl ^ ne . r hia present opponent 570 votes.
* A. - . „„ He is successful in business as well as
uni Oft’d in them, and t° en- politics, and occupies a prominent
s.jvor to faitldy discharge the duties I place ir Northeast Georgia commercial
knttbe rc-imnsibility involves. I circles. This is attested by the fact
Hut tLMs only my opinion, here is that his bond as Treasurer is $00,000 and
_ 1,1111 - . ’ , I is signed by two men estimated to be
le information my investigation lia9 I wr , rt qj more than a half million. His
liuiihul, form your opinions accord- books and accounts as Treasurer are
1 I always posted and open to any voters
►to’ I nspection and the county funds are
I k> pt in the National bank of Athens.
A TEST.
lltDlXaKY, 1I0.N. S. M. HERRINGTON.
Hf..n. - M. i/. rr.ngton, ordinary Of
rl,e «nuiitv ii <t native Georgian
liugMTJi 'the light, of nay for
liist time in Striven county,
bore in 1810 being now in bis
y-sicond year,
SHERIFF JOHN W. WIRE.
Capt. Jno. W. Wier, the efficient and
„ popular sheriff of Clarke county, has
Herrington moved to Athens t,eld that office for twelve years, and is
war, and <nlisted in March today one of the best known and most
1, in ;liif city in Company A., Cobb’s I popular men in Northeast Georgia.
|pon, tiling faithful and brave eer- He is genial, affable and always conr-
tiir'.ngiiout the great civil conllict I nous and obliging with just sufficient
tioUedihe South of thousands of I j.tvialness in conjunction with his other
nolili rt and hravt st sons, cur homes I desirable qialitiei to make him the
leir Lflovt d fathers, sons ard lius- I pleasantest pf companions and a general
U itigtd the country with a I favorite. That is one side of his life,
dof 1 h oil mid tears. After the war 1 an( j here is the other.
vim stood high among the 1 He is a close observer, a good judge
ivtdtfcmli rs of his his country re- I t f human native, business to the core
hi In nr and soon resumed his] vhen business is on the bill, decisive
a-iir-t and foremost among tLc I and immovable when duty is involved,
imuliip of his vicinity. | a criminal coialler .of the old sleuth
Jm'ge Ilerrii gton waselected I hound type and as brave as a Hod. ,
k of the suferier court of Claikc j Capt. Wier was born and reared in
Hi. mill m rved most satisfactorily J Clarke county,receivirg bis education
lidl utn: in that capacity until 1889, j in the {.county schools. He was born
et he-1 (it i ed his name to his people I March 15,1848 and is in his forty-fifth
'inliuary, and was succfBf ful over bis I year.
»ceat t y a majority of ’26 votes. The | Twelve years ago he offered hia name
gullibilities and duties of the ordi-I t Q the people of Clarke county to fill
f of C!:uk( county are much greater j the unexpired term of sheriff J. A.
u those attached tc the same office I Brownicg, deceased, the
the otl.er counties, from the I unexpired term being
that tlie county _ has I oue year. He was opposed by B. O. TV.
loanl of county commissioners j Rose, and was elected by 275 majority,
tiie it s) (visibilities that ususlly | At the expiration of the year for which
(me to H'cb bodies falls practically I he was elected, he again put his name
'.tc erdinary’s shoulders, assisted by | before the people for the position. Mr.
'pand juiies. lrom the day Judge | Rose re-entered the contest as hiso].,
tiiigtui entered upon the duties of I nen t. In the second race Capt. Wier
‘ittry r.f C larke county, improve-I ^ a s successful again, defeating the op-
1 cl 11 enemy have teen the mottos | posing candidate by 800 majority. Since
fed upon cv«ry cflicial act. Hie j thm Copt. Wier’a name has been sub-
itistration lias been clean, econo- I j ec t to the diepoeition of bis friends for
d. ytt -sfeiy picgresaive. The I gteriffregularly every two years, he has
wet ei the cffice and the manage-1 been duly elected each time practically
><f the looks is after the most | without opjtosition.
M id sjttem and is Eimple and I He is again a candidate for the office.
I and from present prospects will receive
Hi rrir.gton is a^cand'date for I the nomination and election without op-
cuiK ssor. and to tar no oppoa- I position. His administration has been
lias been announced | satisfactory and above reproach. He is
a soldier citizen and official. Judge | a ]go the custodian of the jail and county
h:n ever been brave,honest, I prisoners, and the Clarke county jail is
Although I had known George Martin
a long time, he had only lately initiated
me into the mysteries of his life. 1
knew well that he had been guilty of
m^ny kinds of excesses and indiscretions
in his youth, nevertheless 1 was not a
little astonished to hear that he had
once sank so low as burglary. Without
further remark 1 here relate the chief
episode out of the remarkable career of
coroner j. a. pitner. I "Ng // | this strange man:
_ . . , , .. I roT w , unitTAK >1 “Yes,” said he, “I had a hard time of
Everybody knows clever Ab Pitner,! ' I it in those days, and finally I became a—
Clarke county’s inspector of the dead, 1^.The popular representative of Clark* I hnr „ lar When Robert Sehmiedlein
and he is always avalued acquaintance. I county is one of the most lovable men ® ", .
He iB a gentleman, a good and pro- who ever graced her citizenry. g proposed to me that we should break
gresaivo citizen and a faithful officer. • I He is a native of the county t and all I in ^° somewhat retired house of two
He is a native Athenian, andj is as | his life he has resided within Clarke doctors—Dr. Engler and Dr. Langner—1
proud of his home as his people are of | county’s limits. That his acquaintance- thoughtlessly agreed. Both doctors were
him. From the time be became a citi-1 ship is large goes, therefore, without I well known on account of their scientific
zen of Georgia’s Classic City, without saying, and we do not suppose he hs» I researches, aud one of them especially
any previous consideration of the mat- I a n enemy in the world. I for his eccentric manner.
37 years ago, he has been increasing in Col. Morton has for several yeara “Well, the night fixed for the carry-
,. ,ake “ interest in politics which his h out of OQr dcsi arri ved and we
Eight years ago Mr. Pitner made his popularity and long residence in our I
debut in politics when he was elected midst naturally imposed; but he vork with the greatest con-
to and accepted the placa of coroner of was never in any sense I hdence, for all tlio circumstances were
Clarke county. He has held the office an office-seeker, always pre- I favorable for a burglary, ttwas pitdi
ntinously since with the approval and I ferring, rather, to aid his friends or pro-j lark, neither moon nor starrs visible,
endorsement of all and dissatisfaction I mote a principle rather than to enjoy I and in addition a strong west wind was
of none. Be was was elected alderman I the fruits of personal promotion, until I blowiug, which was very welcome to
in the fourth ward cf the city cf Athens 11890, when he was called upon bj a 1 ns, as it promised to drown every sound,
in 1885, and in that capacity did la r ge and influential poition of the howover sli 'ht
good efficient service. ' Democracy to enter the primary and . lt w;m toward 2 in the morning as
Mr. Pitner is a Mason of high stand- allow the use of his name for represen- ...i v .. w s .. f „ u „ r;1J1 i lv
ing and belongs to the order of Odd tative from Claike county. J ^ UJUU 8 ' V. .’ v f , y
Fellows, Royal Arcanum, Knights of He entered the field, which was al- though a chain which fastened a
Honor, and Golden Chain. I ready occupied by two stalwart Demo- I ladder to the wall, llio ladder we
He is again before the people for the I crats anti, after a spirited contest in a I placed under a window in the first story
office of coroner and will be elected | race alike creditable to all three caudi-1 on the left side of the house. In less
dates, the Democratic primary pio-1 than five minutes we had opened the
claimed Colonel Morton to be the t window, and hearing nothing, Sclnnicd-
choice of the people—the victor I lein climbed through it and I followed
polls. . r . I him. After carefully reclosing the
Colonef Mo^n I WM naturaHy^placed iu Venetians we veutnred to light a lantern
a prominent position in the State legis- ■‘"d then discovered that we were in a
lature and great responsibility was im- k,,Kl of !l lumber room, the door of
posed upon him. But it was here that ] which was locked,
the reserve force of our representative “After picking the lock we determined
shone forth to an extent which surprised I first to explore tho rooms on the ground
even his most sanguine supporters, door, thinking we should thus run less
For beneath the modesty of his nature risk of waking the inhabitants of the
there lay btoad grasp ol State matters, house.
discriminating judgement, rare tact I -To our no littlo'astonishinent we per-
and fine address, the very qualities to
make a successful legislator.
^Colonel Morton was highly hon
ored by the speaker with ranking posi
tions upon the committees,
and discharged the duties
of the committeeman with punctuality
without opposition.
*®t mid honored.
today the cleanest and best kept in the
state of Georgia, and the prisoners bet-
| ter cared for. There is no better sher
iffs or cleverer gentlemen in the coun
I try than Jack nier.
FltlJ is'enas.Ij, o’fjrpsu.
C kfP.J.O'F„„o1l f CLEBK J. K. XKNNET
, . uo . It wonld be bard to find a more efflei
,3 R.rsnd ji ry report since bis ent snd capable officer cr popular
- n into the Tiessurer’s cffice I young man tban Mr. J. K Kenney, the
td “ crdoreeincnt well known clerk of the Clarke county
133 of the office, and the con- Superior court. „
He cks ac d simplicity of bis Mr. K« nnev wts born in Athens 36
4i u ’ ‘ , Jutt as regularly aa the years ago and baa lived here P ril
»L * 1 liv e net just regular have all hia fife. Hia father was a minister
cuinuntsteenrcnoited. land well known and much beloved,
ciiinunts have been signed Personaly Clerk Kenney la one of the
t» 11 ll ‘k best nen in Clarke most affable and pleasant of gentlemen,
itotL, always ready to accommodate a atran-
0 q- rt coirireEdation that ger or to do a friend a servj<».
is ilV ft^ eB before the people He is careful, painstaking and metbod-
hJUi r 3. l ! ftt since be Lea bten ical,and when he makes a atatemept
t a tingle jii^nn ) u 1 tdiin c uuutd U yerify it is losbjAtti
TAX RECEIVER SIUS.
For twmty-two yes rs the majorities
jeived, as wo crept down stairs, a light
shining under The door of one of the
rooms at the back of the building.
“At first we were both far heating a
hasty retreat. Schweidlein soou recov
ered himself and proposed that we
| and painstaking,aud thereby prevented, I should force our W’ay into the room
as such committeeman^ always does, I oind and gag every occupant, and then
much hasty and ill-considered legisla— I ,q,taiu by threats all desirable informa-
*ion. f
It has been well remarked that the
given David' E. Sims at the ballot box | re nre“ K Mt2Tive'who nreventa theI " l i* ing ’ we ll PP r ^ ched the d por.
by the voters of Clarko county for tax ba g e 0 f j, ad j aw8 q g Q j mac h more value While Carefully throwing the light
receiver, tore testimony of the implicit th ° n he who pa8Se8 any number of bills 1 around, 1 noticed, about seven feet from
confidence imposed in him by bis fellow of i nd jfl eren t worth, and this praise is I the floor, a wire which appeared to pass
citizens, and their high appreciation of I due to Col. Morton. I through the door we were approaching,
Eerv ’ c * 8 copscity- I At the requests of hundreds of h s I and on pointing it out to my companion
They will repeat l h® e ndort>emente I f e j) ow _ c jtizens Col .Morton allows the I |j e thought it would be connected with
given bim in fermer contests in a few U8e of big name for re-election. He j0 mebelL
BDDKdatio^u^TreflMt “credit uwS merita that endorsement which has a.- ..j replied in a whigp e r that wo should
appreciation and reflect credit upon waya been accorded by democratic usage I t l „ voi( q an a q ami bv cuttimr tho
their good judgment. and will, wedobtnot, be returned to tr ? ^ avoul an al ^ ml LU 3“ gt 3
Mr. Sims was born and reared within rnd „ r hig constituents faithluland ettl- '’ vu:e, 218 1 cou ld jusu reach it with
the Classic environs of Athens snd bis ctontLrvi “ iaitmuiana em I handiJ j WOB q d ho i d it firm while
life as a citizen, soldier and cflicial is as I ' nTT T Schmiedlein cut it between my hands,
tn open bock to us all. He entered the | TAX cotiEtrroR nuuoiM. and t h U8 prevent it jerking back and
war among the first who offered their | Upright, honorable, oourteous, fai h-1 ringing the bell.
seivices for «>e deferce of_ their coun- fu] dignified and efficient is a cons r- -Sotting the lantern on the floor 1
ry and ^ artificial log tbat ]bei wears vatlve description of H. H. Ianton. t .at seized tho wire whilc Schmiedlein drew
iri^o? ^tSKsnsisi sk-cSsscws ssr I * •» «* «* «■ ■«**.
him to his grave as a mark of heroism
and bear testimony to bis bravery.
The battle scarred veterans, who shed
their blood and left their limbe in the
great struggle for the defense of their
principles, their people and their coun
try, need no other lecommenlation in
Georgie and if the rest of the world
feels towards them like I do, what they
don’t get is what tfcej don’t want.
During all Mr. Sims’ long term of
office not one word of dissatisfaction
has ever reen uttered against bim. He
has been faithful and efficient, applying
himself always clrsely to the office and
discharging its duties in the fullest and
completcstananner, as an official bis
record is cleen and above reproach,‘and
as a citizen bis life has been pure and
exemplary.
SUBVKXOK CHAS. M. STRAHAN.
a prof. Ctas. M. Strahan, the county
surveyor, is one of the most brilliant
and scholarly young men in Uie State.
He is a native of Virginia, but came to
fflsssstsrsjsiArr
itv of Tax collector ~ i the moment I touched it I felt a fright-
Mr. Linton was* born and raised fnl shock, which qnivered through and
in Athens, and whether, school boy, through me, so that I fell all of a heap,
farmer, business man, or tearing the wire down with me. 1 re-
office holder, He has never held tLt 1 member hearing the loud ringing of a
highest esteem by bis fellow men. I bell, while Schmiedlein—whom, more-
Mr. Linton’s first experience in the | over> j have never seen since—disap-
uncertain political arena was in 1^19, j p eared lightning into the darkness
when at a special election he was d..i- ^ ° in, elv Ky the wav we
gated by a majority of the popular vole ““ ° y y w
of Clarke county to act as collector f* r I ba ,. / 5 OI ^ e ;,, . T * i. . .
the county. With a full apprecia ion I 'On falling down I struck my head
of tho trust imposed in him be ent did I violently against the opposite wall and
upon his duties and discharged mem I became unconscious, while the electric
with that high sense of conscient out- bell—at that time a novelty—rang na
il ess that had characterized his life from I ceasingly.
his earliest childhood. I “Regaining my senses I found myself
The administration of bis office has bound and helpless, which after all did
from time elected the highest cooipli- I not 8ar p r j se me, as I concluded I had
menta and endorsement of the p ople caught where I had fell. It soon
whom he serves so worthily and iaitt- , iTTi ii ■ .TuTi
fully. His name is again before tte struck me, however, that there wqrh
people and he will be elected wi hoct some peculiar circumstanoes connected
opposition as be should be. He is al- with my captivity,
ways in bis office and is never missing “I was nearly undressed, and lay on a
from his post of duty. The office of tux cold slab of slate which was about the
collector of Clarke county is iudetd I heightwf a table from the ground, and
only a piece of linen protected my body
from immediate contact with the stone.
Straight above me hung a large lamp,
whose polished reflector spread a light
lar around, and when I, as far as possi-
v ‘ looked aronnd, I perceived several
Ives with bottles, flasks and chemical
Lee J. Langley*
DIED CN SUNDAY NIGHT,
shi
Mr. J. N. Osborn, after a Brief li]
Passes Away,
On last Sunday evening at about half-. . ■ .. *
past 8 o’clock, Mr. J. N. Osborn, of the “PParatns of all kinds upon them. Hi
* . ” , . ] one corner of the room stood a complete
firm of Osborn & ro., , T hninan skeleton and various odds and
nue, died after a very brief ana painful l Htl ,q g human bodies huug here and
illness. He was stricken with toe fatal I there upon the walls. 1 then knew 1
disease on Thursday, and in a few shert was lying on the- operating—or dissect*
hoars had ppg««t away. ing—table of a doctor, a discovery which
The funeral services took place’ at naturally troubled me greatly; at the
Mars Hill Church on Monday afternoon ^ l perceived that my mouth
at 3>£ o’clock. Mr. Osborn wa, a ^ w^fixmly gagged *
• .P /*|nnnnn PflllTltTr HO I Willlt lllCl it till IllCllllr HtlQ SOl&G
mer citizen o , I accident befallen me so that a surgical
leaves many friends in that couaty and necessorv for mv recnv-
in Athens to mourn his early death. • operatlon waa necesaary for my recov
kind, and also felt no pain; nevertheless
here I lay, shipped and helpless, on this
terrible table, gagged and bound, which
indicated something extraordinary.
“It astonished me not a little that
there should be snch an operating room
in snch a honse, until 1 remembered that
Eh - . Langner, os the district physician,
had to carry out the postmortem exam
inations for the circnit, and that in the
small provincial town no other room
was available for such a purpose. I felt
too miserable, however, to think any
thing more about it. But 1 soon no
ticed, after another vain effort to free
myself, that I was not alone in the room,
for I heard the rustling of paper, and
then some one said in quiet, measured
tones:
Yes, Langner; l am quite convinced
that this man is particularly suited for
tho carrying out of my highly impor
tant experiment. How long have I been
wishing to make the attempt—at last,
touight, I shall be able to produce tho
proof of my theory.’
“ ‘That would indeed be a high tri
umph of human skill,’ I heard a second
voice reply; ‘but consider, dear doctor,
if that man there were to expire under
our hands—what then? 1
“ ‘Impossible!’ was the quick reply.
It is hound to succeed, and even if it
did not, he will die a glorious death in
the interests of science; while, if we
were to let him gc, he wonld sooner or
later fall into the hands of the hangman.’
“1 could not even see the two men,
yet their conversation was doubtless
about me; and, hearing it, I shuddered
from head to foot. They were propos
ing some dangerous operation on me,
not for my benefit, but in the interests
of medical science.
“At any rate, I thought, they won’t
undertake such a thing without my
sanction; and what, after all, was their
intention? It must be something terri
ble, for they had already mentioned the
possibility of my succumbing. 1 should
soon know the fearful truth, for, after a
short pause, they continued:
It has long been acknowledged that
tho trne source of life lies in the blood.
What I wish to prove, dear Langner, is
this. Nobody need die from pure loss
of blood, and yet snch cases occur only
too often, w’hile we must all the time be
in possession of means to renew this
highly important sap of life and thus
avoid a fatal result. We road of a few,
but only a few, cases of a man who for
some reason or other has lost so much
blood that his death appeared inevita
ble if some other noble hearted man
had not offered his own blood in order
to let it flow from his veins into the
veins of the dying man. As you are
aware, this proceeding has always had
the desired effect. I consider it, how
ever, a great mistake to deprive a fel
low being of necessary blood, for tho
one thereby only gains life and strength
at the cost of another, who offers him
self for an always dangerous sacrifice.’
“ ‘Yes, 1 do not think that right,
either,’ replied Dr. Langner. ‘And
moreover, how seldom is a man found
at the critical moment ready to submit
himself at once to such a dangerous loss
of blood.’
“ ‘That is very natural; no one lightly
undertakes snch a thing,’ continued the
other. ‘So mnch greater will be our
triumph if the operation succeeds,
hope to show yon, dear colleague, that
although we are thinking of taking that
man's blood, even to the last drop, in
a few hours \fo shall set him on his feet
again
“ ‘Just sol I do not see why we
should not succeed. At any rate, in the
interest of science, we shonld prove in a
practical manner the correctness of our
theory.’
“ ‘And this proof, dear friend, we will
undertake without delay. Let me just
repeat my instructions, for we cannot
go to work too carefully to preserve the
fife of this man. I will open a vein in
his thigh and measure exactly the quan
tity of blood which flows out, at the
same time watching the beating of the
heart. Under ordinary circumstances
nothing could possibly save him, bnt
just before Hie extinction of the last
spark of life we will insert the warm
blood of a living rabbit into his veins,
as we have already arranged. If my
theory is right, the pulsation of the
heart wiU then gradually increase in
strength and rapidity. At the same
time it is important to protect his limbs
from cold and stiffness, which will nat
urally tjilfA place with the loss of arterial
blood.’
The conversation of the two doctors
overwhelmed me with deadly terror,
could -scarcely believe I was really
awake and not the victim of some cruel
nightmare.
The fact remained, however, that
lay helpless on the dissecting table, that
a threatening skeleton stood in the cor
ner of the room, and, above all, that
terrible conversation which I had to
listen to in silence filled me with a fear
snch as I had never before experienced,
Involuntarily the thought forced itself
upon me that I was at the mercy of two
infatuated doctors, to whose mad theory
I shonld here fall the victim.
“Isold to myself that no doctor with
a sound mind wonld propose snch
frightful and murderous experiment
upon a living man.
“The two doctors now approached the
dissecting table and looked calmly into
my face; then, smiling, took off their
coats and tacked up their sleeves,
straggled to get free, as only a desper
ate man under snch extraordinary cir
cumstances could have struggled,
vain. Their long acquired experience
knew, how to render me completely help
less, and to their, satisfaction I could
not even make a sound.
“Dr. Engler now turned to a side table,
that he had opened the principal vein
the thigh wonld have sufficed to shako
the strongest nerves. t
“ ‘There is’no danger,’ said Dr. Eng-
1ot, looking into my staring, protruding
eyes with terrible calmness. ‘You will
net die, my good man. 1 have only
opened an artery in your thigh, and you
will experience all the sensations of
bleeding to death. Yon will get weaker
and weaker, and finally, perhaps, lose
all consciousness, but w r e shall not let
yon die. No, nol You must live and
astonish the scientific world through my ,
great discovery 1’
1 naturally could say nothing in re
ply, and no words can adequately ex
press what I felt at that moment. I
could in m e breath have wept, im
plored, cursed and raved.
“Meanwhile I felt my life’s blood flow
ing and conM hear it drop into a vessel
standing under the end of the table.
Every moment the doctor laid his hand
on my heart, at the same time making
remarks which only increased my hor
ror.
‘After he had put his hand on me for
at least the twentieth time, and felt the
beating of tho heart, he said to his as
sistant:
“ ‘Are you ready with your prepara
tions, Langner? He has now lost an en
ormous quantity of blood, and the pulsa-
ou is getting weaker and weaker. See,
he is already losing consciousness,’ and
with these words he took the gag out of
my mouth.
A feeling of deadly weakness as well
as of infinite misery laid hold of me
when the physician uttered these words,
end on my attempting to speak I found
that scarcely a whispering murmnr
passed my lips. Shadow}- phantoms and
strange colors flitted before my eyes,
ind 1 believed myself to be already in a
state past all human aid.
What happened in the next fewmin-i
utes 1 do not know, for 1 had fainted.
When I reopened my eyes I noticed I nq
longer lay on the dissecting table, bnt
was sitting in an armchair in a com
fortable room, near which stood tho two
doctors looking at me.
Near me was a flask of wine, several
smelling salts, a few basins of .cold
water, some sponges and a galvanic bat
tery. It was now bright daylight, and
the two doctors smiled as they looked at
me.
When I remembered the terrible ex
periment 1 shuddered with horror and
tried to rise. 1 felt too weak, however,
and sank back helpless into the chair.
Then the circuit physician, in a friendly
but firm voice, addressing me:
Compose yourself, young man. Yon
imagined you were slowly bleeding to
death; nevertheless, be assured that you
have not lost a single drop of blood.
Yen have undergone no operation what
ever, hut have simqjly been the victim
of your ewn imagination. We knew
very w-ell yon heard every word of our
conversation, a conversation which was
only intended to deceive yon as much as
possible. What 1 maintained was, that a
man’s body will always completely lie
under the influents of what he himself
firmly believes, while ray colleague, on
the other hand, held the opinion that
the body can never be hurt by anything
which only exists in the imagination.
This- has long been an open question be
tween ns, which, alter your capture,
we at once determined to decide. So we
surrounded you with objects of a nature
to influence your imagination, aided
further by our conversation; and final
ly, your conviction that we wonld real
ly carry out the operation of which you
heard ns speak completed the deception.
‘“Yon have now the satisfaction of
knowing that you are as safe and aa
sound as ever yon were. At the same time
we assure you that you really showed all
the symptoms of a man bleeding to
death, a proof that the body can some
times suffer from the most absurd un
reality that the mind can imagine.’
“Astonishment, joy and doubt at find
ing myself neither dead nor dying strug
gled within me, and then tho rage of
having been subjected to such an awful
and heartless experiment by the two
doctors overcame me. 1 was quickly
interrupted by Dr. Engler, however, on
trying to give free scope to my indigna
tion.
“‘Wehad not exactly any right to
undertake snch an experiment with
yon,’ he said; *bnt we thought yon
would pardon ns if we delivered you
from certain punishment instead of
having to undergo a painful trial and a
long imprisonment for burglary. You
are certainly at liberty to complain
about ns; but consider, my good fellow,
if such a step i| in yonr interests. I do
not think so. On the other hand, we
are quite willing to make yon a fitting
compensation for all the agony yon have
suffered.’
“Under the circumstances,” continued
George Martin, “1 considered It wise to
accept their proposal, although I have
not to this day forgiven the two men for
so treating me.
“The doctors kept their promise.
They made me a very handsome present,
and troubled themselves about m6 in
other ways, so that since that time %
hsrfe been a more fortunate and, I hope*
a better man. Still 1 have never fo*
gotten the honr when I lay on the diw
necting table—the unexpected victim A
a terrible experiment—in the interest^
of science, as Dr. Engler explained.”
Such was the strange story of tar
friend. His death, which-recently toeffe
place, released me from the promise «C
secrecy given to him about an event
which he could never recall, even after
a lapse of thirty years. Without a feeling
of unabated horror.—Strand Magazine.
A Bemarkablo Petition.
The keeper of the menagerie at Ver-
sailles daring the reign of Louis XVI
and I saw him open a chest of surgical &ad orders to administer six bottles of
instruments and take ont a lancet, with Bnrgnndy every day to a dromedary
which he returned tome. He at once
removed the covering from my right
thigh, awd although 1 lay bound to the
table in snch a way that I could not see
my limbs 1 was able to watch the doc
tor, basted with his preparations. _
“Directly after removing the cfoth I ’ L su ,
felt a prick in the side of my leg, and at j -
once felt the warm blood rush forth and
ary? Brt I remembered nothing of the tjijkle down my leg. The conviction
which had grown feeble with old age,
and which the king was very anxious to
keep alive. Ih spite of this ultra gener
ous treatment the animal died to the
great despair of his nurse, who petition
ed the king yith a view of obtaining
on *" the dromedary,” that
- „ ntages attached to
emeat.
■
