Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-04-18
A LunatIc on the Rampage.

The so-called champion Whis-
tier" who was found to be insane and
lodged in Jail few days since, man.
aged to break out of his cell yesterday
morning and made things lively for
the other occupants of the establish
ment. The mans name it will be re-
membered is Mclaughlin and he is a
stFive Points Arab according to his
own dictum. When first arrested, he
was confined in a large cell in the up
per story of the Jail together with a
number of other prisoners, but he
made himself so disagreeable that he
was removed to single apartment
below. This apartment was not con-
sdered much of a stronghold, but, as
the man had not shown any fierce
demonstrations, it was thought that
he would remain safe enough in his
new quarters. About six o'clock in
the morning, Mr.. Clancy, the jailor,
left him whistling in his usual engag-
ing style and went out upon the street
on some errand. He returned in
about thirty minutes, to find great
hubbub in and about the Jail, all Gre
ated by the aforesaid placid whistler.
Directly upon Mr.. Clancey's departure
Mclaughlin had worked brick louise
from the wall of his cell and with it
smashed through u heavy oak door
leading into an aperture under the
stairway. Then he broke out one of
the steps and, crawling through, made
his way to the upper story of the build
ing, where he wrenched off an iron
rod used as railing at the head of
the stairs, and was provided with a
most dangerous and effective imple-
ment. The heavily barred window in
the side of the building prevented his
making an exit in that way, and he
turned his attention to the cell on the
inside, in which he had formerly been
confined. With a blow of his sledge
he severed worught iron staple
which held the fastening of the door
and forced an entrance into the cell.
Very naturally, the inmates were
thrown into CONSERVATION, but they
had the courage to lay hold of the
madman and hold him until assistance
arrived. In the melee, one of the pris-
eners received blow on the arm from
the inturiated man which nearly broke
the bone. An alarm being given, the
jailor was soon at hand and placed the
troublesome customer in irons. We
visited the Jail about IL A.. M. and saw
him at that time standing behind the
bars of the cell with his wrists closely
nj N in or II
appeared to be about thirty years of
age, OF rather slight stature, and had
no signs of extraordinary muscular
development. Yet his diseased fancy
had lent him the strength of q Samson
as was shown by the general destruc-
tion which he had made of doors, bolts
and bars. He displayed a rather
! mild blue eye, with none of the demo-
I MAC gleam which most madmen in
his condition possess. His talk was
wildly incoherent and took the form
of q religious mania although he an
swered some questions lucidly enough
such as referred to his name, former
residence, etc. He had come from
rive foints, Now York, he said. to
San francisco and thence to Los An
ge,es which d bs he aark oak rege ggesd IN asked
he had heard Hammond preach he
said no, but he heard Hallelujah
Coxn and could beat him talking.
The poor fellows case is a desperate
one, we fear, and he will prob
ably never recover from his
wild hallucination. AS we left
the Jail workmen were employed
repairing the damage done and all is
sound again as before, by this time.
Notwithstanding the crashing and
banging which was done inside of the
building, there was at no time an OPP
portunity for the prisoners to escape
as all of the outside fastenings re-
manned intact.