Knifed Brain

Recreation time for the men prisoners of New York County Penitentiary came one cheerful morning last week. A guard at the end of the long recreation room, through whose windows the sun laid a pattern of bright stripes, watched the frowzy prisoners shuffle from their cells to walk, talk, or to shoot dice for cigarets & candy.

The guard suddenly became aware of one Joe Fatigate, 25, habitual brawler, at the far end of the hall. From Joe Fatigate's forehead projected the bone handle of a penitentiary table knife. The 4-in. blade of the knife was neatly buried within the man's brain.

While two prison doctors tried to pull the blade from the brain, the prisoner, who had not lost consciousness, smoked a cigaret, chatted quietly. The handle broke off from the blade. The prisoner proceeded to a hospital, with a Catholic chaplain administering final rites. A surgeon with a pair of strong pliers pulled out the blade, leaving Joe Fatigate apparently none the worse for his experience.

During javelin practice at Bowdoin College in the spring of 1932, Freshman Tapping Selah Reeve had the back of his head pierced by a javelin. He pulled the spiked rod from his skull, ran a quarter mile to the college infirmary. Last week Tapping Reeve, 23, was a Bowdoin junior with senior standing, president of Chi Psi fraternity, manager of the junior varsity football team.

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