AN UNPARALLELED CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1622, 18 August 1887, Page 3

AN UNPARALLELED CASE.

Ohio, May 5, —A remarkable trial closed here to-day in the conviction of Charles K. Gaines, a blind man, for murder in the second degree, probably the only case of the kind on record. Charles K. Gaines was born in Sycamore, Wyandotte county, fifty years ago. At the age of four years he one day wandered from the door to the barn, where his attention was attracted by, a litter of pigs. These struck his fancy, and he at once appropriated one, and this so enraged the sow that she rushed at him and mangled him terribly, his eyes being destroyed. The child was rescued aud recovered, though his eyeballs were entirely gone. In a few years he had developed a remarkable sensitiveness of touch, smell, and hearing. He had a strong tendency to precociousness, and before he had grown up he became the terror of the neighborhood. He would wander about night and day without a guide, and was never known to get lost. He knew where every melon patch was, where the best, apples, peaches, and plums grew, and where the best harries ripened, and was never backward io helping himself to these or other delicacies. While yet a boy he was presented with a pair of game chickens by an old minister named Spofford, who resided at Sycamore. The blind boy took great interest in these chickens, and reared them. It was not long before he had several game cocks trained for fighting, and would take them about the country to pit against others. He would bet on his favorite, and nobody could fool him about the result. Standing among the crowd he knew whether his chickens'were getting the worst or the best of the fight. Ashe grew up to manhood he learned to drink whisky, and became ugly and quarrelsome. In 1871 he married Medora Sprague, a graduate of the Tiffin High School. For a time he was sober and industrious. Presbyterians got hold of him. He joined the church and made temperance speeches, greatly moving his audience. Many are the strange things he has done. _He has been seen on a steep roof nailing on shingles, and working as well and as fast as the next man. He could find his way anywhere, could recognise an acquaintance at some distance before he spoke, rode recklessly, and played the violin finely. His career as a temperance advocate was short, for he soon went back fro drinking and abusing his wife and children. The climax was reached last August, when he went on a protracted spree, and his wife ordered the saloon-keeper not to sell him any whisky. The next day (August 19) Gaines and his nephew, Nathan Echelbery, got drunk on hard cider, and then went to the saloon and demanded whisky. Failing to get it, they left and tried to borrow a revolver, but could not get one. They next returned to the saloon, each with a large stone, and again being refused whisky, they killed the saloon-keeper with the stones. The police arrested Gaines in the canefield, and he was brought in hatless, coatless, shoeless, and eyeless. With long hair hanging over his shoulders, and six feet tall, he looked like a wild man. For eight months he has sat in gaol, amusing himself with his violin. Hi» nephew and accomplice was sent to the penitentiary for life, and his own conviction now follows.