The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-16
W HOLE NUMBER SOC.
An Exciting Incident.

Yesrs ago, when was youngster, | was
an assistant to Dr.. B., the superintendent Of
a public insane asylum. As In all inssne
asylums SOME of the patients were docile
and tractabIe, and had the freedom Of the
high walled garden, while others being vic.
lent and dangerous in their madness, were
confined to their rooms. Sometimes one Of
the last named gentlemen would get loose,
fact which he usually announced by break.
ing things generally, upon which announce.
ment the doctor would repair to the spot OF
which he was "elevating the ancient Hen.
ry," and advancing upon him with a stead
last gaze, would march him otto his room.
We had one lunatic by the name of Jones,
! large and stong as an ostrich. He had bro
ken out of his room two or three times, but
had always gone back dociIely when any of
us made our appearance.
The asylum hsd a saloon In the centre
with door at each end (; and one of the
doors requiring fixing upon q time, cstpeu-
ter WIS engaged upon it, when in truddfed
Mr.. Jones, and quietly possessed himself Of
long sharp chisel. When the carpenter
looked around, the madman gave grin and
poked the chisel at him, whereupon the ter.
rified man Of chips scuttled out and shut the
door-then, while the enemy was battefIng
away at it, he rushed around and locked the
door at the other end.
Having thus Gagged Jones. he gave the
alarm, and |, supposing it was an ordinary
case which could control, unlocked the
door and entered boldly, whereupon he made
q rush at me, and ncontinently bolted.-
The doctor as sent for. He came reconno.
itering through the keyhole, and ascertain
ing the enemy was at the other end Of the
room, he opened the door, and saw at once
that he could do nothing with the loose
maniac.
Here was apparently dilemma. A cra-
zy individual, us strong as a bull, perfectly
uncomfortable and armed with a weapon
To capture him by force was diff 'ult and
dangerous undertaking, and to storve him
T. out would be tedious sfFair. The docto.
: did not hesitate long.
b "Alfred," said he, ego down into the sur.
gerry, fill the largest syringe with hurtshorn
and bring it up"
!" caught the idea, rushed down and brought
) back quart syringe filled with hartshorn
diIsted-tor didn't want to kill the man
) Then the doctor, the carpenter, and myself
II formed an army Of invasion. We threw
open the door and entered in the following
battle array. being the shortest Of th'
three marched first, holding chair in from
t. OF me by the back. so that the legs nigh
! keep of rush if our pop gun flashed in tht
y pan. Then came the carpenter with the syr
K inge resting on my shoulder like a piece o
d aying artillery. Finally, in the rear, in tb
= safest place, like oil the great generals
e came Dr.. B.
rs The lunatic sat at the other end of tn.
&c hall. on chair, eyeing US keenly and say
IL agely. Slowly, very slowly, we advance
'e towards him. The nearer we got the NOR
8 wicked that chisel looked, and the hand
!" seemed to increase, until it was very long
~ When we got within few feet of him, h
y jumped up end sprang towards me. Whiz
IT. splash ! went the quart of hartshorn bang
IS into his countcnance--down he went like
'0 dog--it would have knocked battalion; an
- while he was catching his breath, we caugt
o. him. -RecoNectionS of Physician.