Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1882 — Richmond’s Phenomenon. [ARTICLE]

Richmond’s Phenomenon.

The case of James Coleman, the colored boy, formerly a ‘member of the chutch of which Rev. John Jasper, the famous colored preacher, is pastor, has taken a turn which has caused even more excitement among the members of that church particularly than it did in the beginning, when Coleman, after having been expelled from church, ceased to speak, claiming that he had told a He and, having previously invoked God to paralyze his tongue if what he said was not true, was struck dumb because he told a lie. Saturday evening late Coleman’s mother went to Dr. Tabb’s office to have the boy treated, hoping that medical assistance would revive the lingual powers of the boy whose misdoings led to his being expelled from church a few days before. The boy, who is about seventeen years old, accompanied his mother to Dr. Tabb’s office. An effort was made to get him to speak by polite persuasiveness, but the alleged dumb-stricken, excommunicated and disobedient boy steadfastly refused. Dr. Tabb called in Dr. Lee, and the tWo administered chloroform to the boy. Very soon he was gently snoring away under the benign influence of the drug,but never spoke a word, notwithstanding the fact that persuasive power in the shape of sharp pins were put to the boy’s body, causing enough pain to make an ordinary man use the plainest sort of Anglo-Saxon in the quickest sort of time and in the loudest tone imaginable. The medicr-1 men simultaneously struck upon the idea that the galvanic battery, if properly used,would probably work like a charm. It was used and with fine effect. The handles of the little instrument were placed in the boy’s hands. He was told to hold them easy,and. as requested caught them firmly. Enough electricity was turned on to prevent the boy from letting the handles loose. Getting him thus under their control the medical men smiled and knew that they had him if he was to be had at all. A powerful current with lightning rapidity went through the alleged dumb boy’s frame-work with fine effect. His tongue moved and in a taint voice, which was hardly heard at the other side of the room, he said, as if gasping for breath, “8-t-o-p i-t.” Presently the electricity got the best of him and science prevailed. With a loud voice he sent forth a plaintiff plea for merey. He didn’t speak plain enough, though, and the physicians continued to put it to him. •‘For God’s sake, doctor, stop shookin’ dat handle!” This was enough, and ih compliance with the boy’s earnest appeal the battery was stopped, the electric current turned off and the boy’s liberty established. * Six thousand Masons paraded in Philadelphia in honor of the founding of Masonry in Pennsylvania.