PHILADELPHIA***


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THE HERRIGES HORROR IN PHILADELPHIA.

A Full History of the Whole Affair.

A Man Kept in a Dark Cage Like a Wild
Beast for Twenty Years,
As Alleged,
in His Own Mother's and Brother's House.

The Most Fiendish Cruelty of the Century.

Illustrated with Reliable Engravings,
Drawn Specially for This Work.







Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by C. W.
ALEXANDER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.




THE HERRIGES HORROR.

  "Man's inhumanity to man
  Makes countless thousands morn."


Every now and then the world is startled with an event of a like character
to the one which has just aroused in the city of Philadelphia the utmost
excitement, and which came near producing a scene of riot and even
bloodshed.

John Herriges is the name of the victim, and for an indefinite period of
from ten to twenty years has been confined in a little cagelike room and
kept in a condition far worse than the wild animals of a menagerie.

What adds an additional phase of horror to the case of this unfortunate
creature is the fact that he was thus confined in the same house with his
own brother and mother. To our minds this is the most abhorrent feature of
the whole affair.

We can imagine how a stranger, or an uncle, or an aunt possessed with the
demon of avarice could deliberately imprison the heir to a coveted estate
in some out of the way room or loft of a large building where the victim
would be so far removed from sight and sound as to prevent his groans and
tears being heard or seen. But how a brother and, Merciful Heaven, a
mother could live in a shanty of a house year after year with a brother,
and son shut up and in the condition in which the officers of the law
found poor John Herriges, is more than we can account for by any process
of reasoning. It only shows what perverted human nature is capable of.


THE HOUSE OF HORROR.

The house in which lived the Herriges family is a little two storied frame
building or more properly shanty, rickety and poverty stricken in its
appearance, more resembling the abodes of the denizens of Baker street
slums than the home of persons of real wealth as it really is. It stands
on the northeast corner of Fourth and Lombard streets, in Philadelphia.

Immediately to the north of it is an extensive soap boiling establishment,
while directly adjoining it in the east are some frame shanties still
smaller and more delapidated than itself, and which, belonging to the
Herriges also, were rented by Joseph Herriges, the accused, for a most
exhorbitant sum. To the credit of the occupants of these shanties, we must
say that by means of whitewash they have made them look far preferable to
that of their landlord--at least in appearance.

On the north of the soap boiling establishment referred to stretches the
burial ground of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, with its hundreds of
monuments and green graves, while on the opposite side of Fourth street
lies the burial ground of the Old Pine Street Church, with its almost
numberless dead.

The writer of this recollects years ago, when a boy, often passing and
repassing the Herriges house, and noticing on account of its forlorn
appearance and the comical Dutch Pompey which stood upon the wooden
pedestal at the door to indicate the business of a tobacconist.

How little he thought when contemplating it, that a human being languished
within its dingy wooden walls, in a condition worse than that of the
worst-cared-for brutes.

A fact in connection with this case is remarkable, which is this. On a
Sabbath morning there is no one spot in the whole city of Philadelphia,
standing on which, you can hear so many different church bells at once, or
so many different choirs singing the praises of Almighty God. And on every
returning Sunday the poor prisoner's ears drank in the sacred harmony. God
knows perhaps at such times the angels ministered to him in his dismal
cage, sent thither with sunshine that could not be shut out by human
monsters. Think of it, reader, a thousand recurring Sabbaths found the
poor young imbecile growing from youth to a dreadfully premature old age.
The mind staggers to think of it. Could we trace day by day the long
wearisome hours of the captive's life, how terrible would be the journey.
We should hear him sighing for the bright sun light that made the grave
yard green and clothed all the monuments in beautiful flowers. How he
would prize the fragrance of a little flower, condemned as he was to smell
nothing but the dank, noisome effluvia of the soap boiler's factory.

Hope had no place in his cramped, filthy cage. No genius but that of
Dispair ever found tenement in the grimed little room.

But though so long, oh, so long, Liberty came at last, and the pining boy,
now an old man, was set free, through the agency of a poor, but noble
woman, Mrs. Gibson, who had the heart to feel and the bravery to rescue
from his hellish bondage the unfortunate.


THE GIBSON'S HISTORY OF THE AFFAIR.

On the 1st of June 1870 Thos. J. Gibson and his mother rented the frame
house 337 Lombard Street from Joseph Herriges. The house adjoined Herriges
cigar store. Mr. Hoger, a shoemaker, living next door to Mrs. Gibson's,
told her at the time she moved into the house, that she would see a crazy
man in Herriges house and not to be afraid of him. Mrs. Charnes, living
next door but one, for seventeen years, laughed at her, when she asked
about the crazy man living locked up in Herriges house, as though making
light of the whole matter.


VERBATIM COPY OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN JOSEPH HERRIGES AND THE GIBSONS.

This Contract and Agreement is that the rent of sixteen dollars per month
is to be paid punctually in advance each and every month hereafter, and if
the terms of this contract is not complied with I will leave the house and
give up the possession to the lessor or his representatives.

  THOS. J. GIBSON.

Received of Ann Gibson sixteen dollars for one month's rent in advance
from June 1. To 30 1870 rent to begin on 1. June and end on the 30.

Rented May 27 1870

  J. HERRIGES.


THE DISCOVERY.

On Monday, June 14th, Mr. Gibson's little sister was sent up-stairs to get
ready for school, and on going to the window she was frightened by seeing
a man looking through the crevices of an upper window in Herriges house,
which window was in the second story. This window was closely barred with
pieces of plank from top to bottom.

The man was mumbling and singing and making strange and singular noises.
The little girl came running down stairs in the utmost terror exclaiming:

"Oh, mother! mother! there is a man up in that room! I saw him poke his
nose through the boards just like a dog!"

Being busy, Mrs. Gibson did not go up at this moment to verify the child's
statement, but when she did find time she went up. By that time the man
had withdrawn his nose from the window, but shortly afterwards she caught
a glimpse of something that she thought was the hand of a human being,
covered with filth, resting against the space between the bars.

At this moment Mrs. Gibson saw Mrs. Herriges, John's mother, in the yard,
and called to the prisoner, saying:

"What are you there for? Why don't you pull off the boards and get out?"

The man made some response; but in such indistinct tones of voice that
Mrs. Gibson could not understand what he said. It was enough to convince
her however, that there was a human being confined in the room.

Mrs. Gibson hoped by thus continually talking to the prisoner to get the
mother to say something about it, but the old woman did not notice her at
all, but after doing something about the yard went into the house.

On Tuesday morning at about 3 o'clock, Mr. Gibson was awakened by noises
at the same window. He at once arose and dressed himself and called his
mother up and told her he heard some one at Herriges window. These noises
were mumbling and singing and a strange noise as though some one were
clapping his hands together.

At this time Mr. Gibson got out upon his own shed which leans down toward
Herriges fence, and would have got up to the prisoner's window to tear off
the bars and get the man out but his mother would not allow him to do it.

It is not more than eleven or twelve feet from Mr. Gibson's window to the
window of the little cage like room in which John Herriges was confined,
so when Mr. Gibson got down to the edge of the shed he was not more than
about three or four feet from the prisoner's window.

Listening a while he could shortly distinguish words being uttered by the
prisoner. Among them were these:

"Murdering! Murdering! George! George! they want to get me out of the
way."

Mr. Gibson then spoke to him saying:

"Why don't you try and get out of there?"

The prisoner instantly replied:

"I'll promote you! I'll promote you!"

Mr. Gibson remained upon the shed from three o'clock until seven in the
morning, while his mother stood at the window.

Being fully satisfied that there was a poor miserable man kept confined in
the little room of Herriges house, deprived of his liberty, and not only
that but that he was kept in a filthy condition to judge from the horrible
stench that issued from the window, the watcher resolved to report the
fact to the authorities.


REPORT TO THE POLICE.

The same morning Mr. Gibson went up to the Union Street Station House and
reported what he had seen and heard. But instead of investigating the
affair, the lieutenant told Mr. Gibson to go up to the Central Station
House at Fifth and Chestnut and report the matter to lieutenant Charles
Thomas in charge there.

Mr. Gibson did so and Lieutenant Thomas replied:

"Excuse me, but you tell the Lieutenant down at the Station House, that I
cannot open an insane asylum."

At this moment the Mayor chanced to pass down through the basement, and
the matter being called to his attention, he said to Lieutenant Thomas:

"Send Reeder down to investigate it."

Lieutenant Thomas replied:

"Had I not better attend to it myself?"

Mr. Gibson then left the office.

The officers came down about four o'clock that afternoon.

About an hour before the arrival of the officers, Mr. Gibson and his
mother went into the cigar store, kept by Herriges.

"Good afternoon," said Mr. Gibson.

"Good afternoon," replied Herriges.

"What have you got that man locked up in that room for?" asked Mrs.
Gibson.

"Is that any of your business?" asked Herriges abruptly.

"Well, I don't know, that it is, but I would like to know what he is
penned up there for?"

"Does my brother annoy you?" inquired Herriges.

"Well, yes, he frightens my children," replied Mrs. Gibson.

"You must have very funny kind of children to what other people have"
sneeringly remarked Herriges.

"I don't know that they are any funnier than anybody else's children" said
Mrs. Gibson.

Herriges then turned upon Mrs. Gibson and said in a very provoking manner.

"Why, it is a wonder, he don't frighten you, too."

Mr. Gibson, taking it up for his mother, then said:

"Yes, he did frighten my mother very much last night."

"Well, if my brother frightens you so, you had better move out of the
house, as quick as you can" said Herriges.

"I will, if you only will give me back what money is coming to me" said
Mrs. Gibson.

"No, I won't give you any money back" answered Herriges.

"Well," said Mrs. Gibson, "I can't afford to pay you a month's rent in
advance, and then move some where else and pay another month's rent in
advance too."

Herriges then began to talk so offensively insolent, that Mr. Gibson and
his mother were obliged to leave the store. They at once went down town to
see about another house, for Mrs. Gibson had been rendered so exceedingly
nervous by the startling events of the past few days that she was almost
sick.

By the time Mr. Gibson and his mother had returned home from their house
hunting, the officers had arrived, and brought the insane man down stairs.

After that the back of Herriges house was shut tightly up. The next day
the officers came down again and removed the insane man in a carriage to
the Central Station.

During the time that Gibsons lived in the house, if Mr. Gibson at any time
got up to drive a nail in the fence or side of the house to fasten a
clothes line to, or, as on occasion to fix wire to bold stove pipe,
Herriges would come out in a hurry and order him to get down and not do
it; saying it would destroy the property; but as Mr. Gibson now thinks to
prevent him getting near the window of the room where John was.


THE EFFORT TO GET THE GIBSONS AWAY.

After the discovery of the affair, on the following Thursday June 16th a
sister of Herriges, Mrs. Mary Ann Hurtt came down to Mr. Gibson's house.

"Good morning, Mrs. Gibson," said she.

"Good morning, ma'm," replied Mrs. Gibson.

"I am Joseph's sister."

"Do you mean Joseph Herriges?" asked Mrs. Gibson.

"Yes," answered she, "and I want to know, whether you can't move away from
here? I will give you every cent of the rent you have paid, back again. I
will make you a handsome present besides, and reward you and be a friend
to you as long as you live. Perhaps when you get old you will need a
friend. I will do this if you will not appear against Joseph."

Mrs. Gibson answered:

"Charity begins at home, and it is not likely you will befriend me, if you
couldn't befriend your own brother, fastened up there in that cage of a
room!"

At this moment Mr. Gibson came in, and his mother whispered to him:

"That's that Herriges sister in the corner there."

Some neighbor in the room said to Mrs. Hurtt:

"There is that young man," referring to Mr. Gibson.

Mrs. Hurtt then said to him:

"Can't you drop that case?"

"No," said Mr. Gibson, "it is in the hands of the authorities."

Mrs. Hurtt said:

"Then move out of the neighborhood, and I will pay you back what rent you
have paid, and will make you a handsome present, if you will leave the
city."

"No," said Mr. Gibson, "I would not leave the city for ten thousand
dollars."

He then whispered to his mother:

"You keep her here till I go out and get an officer to arrest her."

He then went out; and finding an officer on the corner, told him the
facts, but the officer said he could do nothing in the matter.

Mr. Gibson then started up to the Mayor's Office, but he met the Mayor in
Fifth Street above Walnut, to whom he stated the facts. The Mayor walked
along to the Office with him, and there told Lieutenant Thomas to have a
warrant issued for the arrest of the sister, who had thus endeavored to
get Mr. Gibson out of the way. Mr. Gibson having made the charge under
oath, the warrant issued.

When he returned, Mrs. Hurtt had left his house and gone into her
brother's house. He stood on the pavement awhile to see if she would come
out. She did not do so, and then he went to the door and asked where that
lady was who had been in his house that morning about that business.

Old Mrs. Herriges said:

"Come in and see her."

"No," said he, "let her come out here."

She then came to the door, and Mr. Gibson told Officer Koniwasher to
arrest her, that there was a warrant in Lieutenant Thomas' hands and that
was on his order. Koniwasher told Mr. Gibson to go up to the Station
House, get the warrant from Lieutenant Thomas, bring it down and he would
wait till he came back. Mr. Gibson did so and Lieutenant Thomas gave the
warrant to Mr. Gibson and sent an Officer along with him, who came back
with Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Hurtt was arrested.

In about half an hour the party started back to the Central Station
accompanied by Joseph Herriges, the brother, who said to Mr. Gibson:

"Just look at the trouble you have brought on me now!" to which he made no
reply.

At this moment the mob began to yell out:

"Lynch him! Knife him! Kill him!"

Herriges said to the Officers: "Officers protect me!"

The Officers closed round them to protect them, and when a car came, put
the whole party in it and so reached the Central Station House, where Mrs.
Hurtt denied in the most positive manner having ever said anything on the
subject to Mr. Gibson more, than offering him whatever rent was coming to
him, in fact she denied having made any other proposition about the matter
at all.

At the same time we must insert here also the following paragraph, which
is taken from _The Day_ newspaper of Thursday June 16th. The article is
headed: "_Poor Idiot Caged Up In a Filthy Room For Many