The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-12-14
ENCOUNTER WITH A MADMAN
A Lunatfc Attempts Murder in Railway
... Carriage

A Lunatic Attempts Murder in q Railway
..... Carriage.
The passengers by the Express train
from Lime street, LrVerpool to Chester
were alarmed as they we're slowly
rounding the sharp curve just outside
Frodsham Station BY hearing the driver
blow three shrill whistles, and by the
hasty stoppage of the train in short
tunnel on the Liverpool side of Frods-
lam. Among the passengers In the
train was Mr.. Unwin, who, ON looking
out of the carriage, saw man hurrlediy
bolt through a carriage window, seatter-
inu glass in all directions, lloWed by
anoLner person.
Tire 6rst-named ran down the foot
boartbaoaud endeaxored TO get into
another carriage just as the guard came
in and pulled nm back. He eiuded The
grasp Of the guard and lodged around
on the other side, OF the carrlage,s ana
threw himself on the metals, but the
train came to standstill at that mo-
ment, and he lay uhharmed across the
line, Tne guard endeavored to raise
MIN, but the fellow grasped the rails so
tenaciously that it WAS found absolutely
Impossible TO pun him away without the
aid of three other men.
He screamed and shouted likes mad
man, and then the passengers were nor
ror stricken to observe an elderly, WE'LL
dressed gentleman with the whole of his
face. hands aud breast covered with
blood, gesticulaJing violently out Of the
carriage window. When they went up
to HIM and he was liberia. ed he swooned,
ana was carried to a surgery, where his
lelt thumb was amputated. In she mean
lime the man WHO had endeaVored to
commit suicide was detained in the cus-
tody of the sta5ion-masTer at Frodsham,
and it then transpired that the would-be
suicide was Thomas Holmes, OF Cars
ton, Whowas travelling i'll The care OF his
father, When the gentleman got better
ne said his name was A. j. EliLsy and
gave the following particulars:
81 aot-in at Lime street with two me n,
ana we proceeded all right till we were
lust entering Frodsham Station, when
tne Younger man Jumped on his feet
with Am oDen knEte in his HAND, and
called out to me, Il will put this into
Won, He seized me by the coat, and
made a desperate lunge at my throat
with the knife. l thought his object
was robbery, SO handed MIN my purse,
which he immediately pitched Through
th4 carriage window. L then knew
that L was struggling with mailman.
He continued to attempt 10 cut my
bbroat with the knife. Twas underneath
him at full length on the seat. lie knelt
on nv breast, and, as LIE was thrustfng
al nay throat, laid hotd of his hand that
coptainsd THO knife and kept him at
bay for a minute. Then his father got
be6ind him aud held his hand, ana it
was at that time Within an inch OF my
throat as he stood over me. got up
and struck the knife out OF his hand,
and he turned aud struggled with his
father. whom he forced into a corner
az the carriage. He then went to a
window, smashed it all tn
p,eces. caught me by the middle oi
The body and attempted to pitch me
through. He carried me to the window,
but he failed TO throw me out, where:
uDoIl he got my leit-hand thumb into his
mouth, Dit it right through the glove
and nearly severed my thumb from the
rand, He then leaped through the car
riage window, anu l caught him by thu
heels and held him haAgIng out of thu
| door Tor about "a mile, till L ndnted iron
loss Qt~bt0Od just as the train came to
\ standstiH outside Frodsham Station.
do not reconecL any more alter that."-
IrLondon Standard.