Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-11-26

a DAY or TWO ago man of the name
OF Dana arrived at the house of Mr.. Rice,
at Rlce Mills, situated one and half
! niles from Usage. He claimed to be a
rel, tive of Mr.. Rice, and doubtless was.
ss N, Rice found sufficient reason for
taking n i'm into his house. Dana stated
that he bas been imprisoned in Colorado
and had esca,, ned, for what cause he did
not state. He look promptly to work in
and about the min, and for week made
himself useful, bn, every day or two
gave evidences of dera.n gement. He car
ried three Bibles in hh pockets, and
talked much upon religion,
After the lapse of something over
week he asked Rice for fifty dohars with
which to defray the expenses of trip to
Colorado. The amount was given him,
but he did not go, and where the money
went no one knows A few days after
ward Dana asked for thirty dollars more,
which was refused. instantly he drew a
revolver with one hand and bowie
knife with the other. Striking threat
ening attitude, he said to MIR. Rice: Il
am Jesus Christ. ! am completing His
mission on earth. Obey and live; refuse
and die"
Rice quietly engaged him in converse
ton and edged himself nervously away.
He sent to town and got Sheriff
Piper-by the way competent and
most skillful ofiicer-to come to his
aid. Dana still hung around the
mill. The Sheriff took a trusty man
with him and put small sack OF grain
in his buggy, by which Dana was de-
ceived into believing him an ordinary
patron of the mill AS he neared Dana,
and on the instant when he passed him,
he dropped his sack and grasped the
maniac from behind. Then began des-
perate struggle, but the poor fellow was
soon overcome, and manacles were
locked upon his wrists. Dana again de-
clared he was Jesus Christ, and that had
he suspected the purpose of the officer
he would have hurriedly sent him to the
regions down below.
The maniac was placed in the buggy,
and the three started for town. Soon he
was seized with a hot paroxysm, and
struggled violently to get out. Failing
in this, he tried to wrench the shackles
from his arms, In which he was also
bafiied. He then seized one of his little
fingers with the other hand, and sudden
ly broke II over back, the bones snap
ping like pipe-stem. Again he grasped
his thumb in his teeth, and fastening
tHcm ike u wise upon IL WTenCneu
it out, breaking off several Of
his teeth, but just before this he seized
the back Of his hand with his teeth, tear
up the flesh and tendons in bleeding
shreds. He then thrust his feet and legs
into the whrling wheels of the buggy,
but luckily no harm came Of this. Man
acles were then put upon his ankles,
when he quietly submitted to fate. On
arriving at DR.. Chase's Office the Sheriff
alighted, but when Dana was being
helped out he suddenly leaped upon one
of the horses, seized the reins, and with
desperate emphasis urged the horses to
run. The Sheriff ran to the horses
heads, and with hi knife cut the reins,
so the raving maniac was again over
come. He then yielded, the fierceness
of his paroxysm having expended itself.
An examination was made by DIR.
Chase and the proper officers, and poor
Dana was ordered TO the Asylum for the
Insane at Independence. The ingenuity
and prodigious strength of the poor fell
low were the wonder of all who saw him
in his raving moods.--Du1uque (Ioaoa)
Times