Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1875 — The Whistling Lunatic. [ARTICLE]

The Whistling Lunatic.

There are few of our readers who have not heard at early morning and during the evening a peculiarly shrill and long-continued whistling, unvaried in tone and monotonous from its persistent and changeless note. On a still night and at frequent intervals on Sunday the sound is heard by people in all quarters of the city and to the distance of a mile on all sides. This whistling proceeds from a lunatic convict confined in the State asylum for insane criminals. His infernal screechy whittle, besides nearly distracting some people who fail to become accustomed to it, has given rise to numerous speculations as to its antecedents, and many theories are advanced thereon. A Bulletin reporter has taken the trouble to make up some facts relative to the screecher in the hope of interesting our readers who may have suffered or speculated or remained in ignorance as to the whistler. His name is Michael Casey, horn in Ireland, and aside from his crimes and tne noises he makes there is nothing remarkable about him except that he is brutalized and entirely lost in incoherent madness. He was convicted of burglary in the first degree and larceny at Clarkstown, Rockland County, June 18,1868, at the age of twenty-eight years, and sentenced on two indictments to twelve years in Btng Sing. He was transferred to Auburn, and on the 17th of June, 1870, was placed in the asylum as a lunatic. Three months after be was transferred bade to prison, where he worked on the shoe contract; but after eight months bad a relapse and has usee, from May, 1871,

been an inmate of the asylum, where he occupies a cell on the east end. ' In the dav time he has the liberty of When his raving fits come on he will kick his window sash and cell fixtures to pieces with a celerity that is usual to first-class lunatics, and make things fly in a manner to astonish all not, familiar with that class of animals. As soon as Whistling Cases is locked in bis cell he inserts his bent forefinger in his capa* cipus mouth, and with the aid of a powerful pair of lungs produces the shrill and resonant blasts that pierce the surrounding mile of space. His open window per. mits the one note of his wind-shriek to permeate the air and pierce the tired ears of all who are within its sound. On the approach of the street-cars on Wall street the lunatic stops whistling and launches out into an address for the benefit of the passengers, but bis incoherent language is untranslatable. Then he resumes his note, and keeps up his usual succession of whistles, as many as thirty or more per minute. It is explained that the burglar, on the eve of his last robbery, gave a similar whistle as a signal to his confederate, who failed to respond, and he fancies in his crazy mood thst he is again signaling his pal of so many years ago. It is a singular case, and no meaoures have been round effectual to stop tbs- diabolical whistle. —Auburn IN. Y 1 Bulletin