At the Mercy of a madman

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1471, 3 October 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

At the Mercy of a madman

Some time ago there escaped from the Anchoiage Lunatic Asylum, m Kentvicky, a very dangerous lunatic, mid although every effort was made to capture him, ho suucivdcd m chuhnt; all his pur-uers and, made his way o\«>r to Shelby County, where he wandered about till the following incident occurred : — The morrow was to be wedding day of an attractive and wealthy daughter of a Shelby County farmer. On the night m question several of the invited guests from a distance had arrived a^rul were enjoying the hospitality of the farmer and his family^ and consequently all the spare rooms m the house were occupied by these guests, thus forcing the prosp«ctive bride to occupy a small apartment on thu first Door, somewhat isolated from the other bebrooms. This room had a window not more than 4ft from the ground, and the night being warm, it was allowed to remain up, and the shutters partly open. She retired about 11 . o'clock^ aiid slept soiimlly till jusl about daybreak, when she was awakened by a pi'essing sensation on her feet, as if something heavy was lyinu; on them. She raised her head and looked down towards, the foot pf the bed, and j>y the dim morning light she though she recognised the form of a man lying across the bed. , Her first impulse was to scieain, but she concluded to take, a second look and make sure it was a man, and this act pro* ably saved her life, for when sh«Jopked she recognised (from a description m a printed liandliill she had road) the escaped lunutic, which so frightened her that, she was unable to utter a sound, and fell back m a-djead taint, At. thi» enrl of an honr she renainod conscious-; ness and fully realised her situation. If she made the slightest movement or noise the madman would awaken and spring u|ipn her and kill her hetbre assistance could arrive. There he lay, right across her feet, muttering indciherenlly m Jiis dreams— his [muscles jerking and twitching as if he had no control over them. She attempted to draw one foot from under him, "but lie turned uneasily m his sleep as if about to Waken, and she tried i$ rvb ij more.; For two long hours, that seemed ages^ to her, shn suffered mortal ' agony,: fearing even to draw .aY long breathi'vahd when the maniac would start m "his sleep he£hisart would almost leap out ■of her bosom with increased feari She nould hear" indistinct voices m other parts of the house, which told her that the other members of the family were up and moving about, but she could not call for help. ■Finally; she heard the familiar step of her father nearing the door, and knew that he had come tp awaken Her. In an instant uhe jerked her feet from under the. madman's \ bbdy, sprang put of bed; and started for the dpor.'c^creaming as she went" The maniac leaped irom his position and made a rush for her, and grasped her by the thoat just as-the 1 dopr -".was 1 . ■;Ppenedyby;:-..tlie''\>ld:V:g"enileni;aq';:J.whb: - .fortunately had a stout valking cane m his hand^ with which; ho dealt ; the madman ia blp|y : that felled hini. to the> flopr. .Tlte i bridegroom came- that day, and the' guests came, but no ceremony was said,^for the' bride^elect had a raging feyer^ Was; v*ildly delirous, -;. and hkd l not spoken * sane; sentence since- she had been rescued by her ■ father, -it the end of a week her hair, which had been a ibeautifnl brown oolour, was j>erfeotly ; white, and for, many months her reason and her life bung Quivering m the v balance, -hi it good numng finally restored both, aiid she uu l timately married the ' man to whoni she was engaged the night she was aroused from her slumber, by the maniac fill ling across ■.-'her bed. The tnauiac had cUm bed stealthily m through : thtv open window that night, and haviiig had no sleep and nothing to eat for days, foil asleep from sheer exhaustion as soon as lie touohod th«; ; bud, .and,, of course, kne>v nothing of the yoi:ng lady's . jiiesen^e.; •He wsis: taken back to the ; asyluin,; wheref he , tlie^d a lew weeks later. The abov^B incident was related m answer to an inquiry as to why such it young-looking .woman had sucjii groy hair.