Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-02
ArrEMPrED FRArRlCIDE.

An Insane Man 8h00tS His Brother.
Between and 9 o'clock this morning an
intense excitement was created in East
King street, near Centre square, by the
attempt of Levi Cohen, an insane Hebrew,
to murder his brother Martin, who resides
and carries on business at No. East hing
street.
Mr.. Martin Cohen gives the following
particulars of the affair Some TWO or
three months ago his brother Levi, aged
about % years, came from the oouth,
and soon developed symptoms OF
insanity. Several weeks ago ne
took q revolver out OF the store
exhibited it threateningly, talked wildly
and excitedIy. but did not attempt to use it.
Martin talked soothingly to him and made
ont to eet the weapon away from him.
Two or three weeks ago Levi was in Co.
lumbia, and quarreled with his brother, S.
s. Cohen, who is in business there. He
become very violent, used dire threats,
and struck his brother in the face. These
frequent exhibitions of disordered mind
induced the brothers, Martin and S. S. Co.
hen, to consult physicians relative to their
brother Levi. DR.. r.Lineaweavcr,o Of Columbia,
and DR.. NJ. L. Herr, of this city, declared
him lunatic, and an order for his admis-
sion into the Lancaster county asylum was
obtained. He was taken there two weeks
ago. At the request of his brother Mar
tin, he was not put into a cell, hut was
furnished with comfortable quarters, and
Martin called on him almost every day,
taking him apples and other dainties and
talking to him with brotherly affection,
and telling him he would soon be well
again.
This morning, greatly to the astOnisll
ment of the family, Levi put in an appear
ance at Martins store, and ran up stairs
in terribly excited condition, gnashiDg
his teeth, and brandishing a revolver
Martin attempted to quiet him, told him
he had nothing to fear, that he would take
care of him and that no one should take
him away. He urged him to put up his
pistol but the lunatic refused to do SO and
trembling with rage and passion leveled
the weapon at his brothers breast and
fired, the ball PASSING through the over
coat and other clotIing Of Martin and
grazing the left breast near the shoulder.
Martin rushed towards Levi to dis
arm him, and succeeded in getting his
arms around his body and hold
ing him until the pistol was taken
from him. Meantime, Mrs. Cohen, who
with her two small children, was in the
room at the time, raised the front window
and called for help, and Immediately some
of the neighbors ran to her assistance.
Mayor MacGOnig!e was one of the first
to arrive. He took charge of the lunatic
and sent for an officer, who soon had him
securely locked up in cell in the station
house.
1t appears that the room at the asylum
in which Levi was confined, was not a
very secure one, and that during the night
or early this morning he broke the lock
and escaped. Coming down town, he stop
ped at Steinman's store and bought 4
small pistol, and then went to his broth
er's where he made the murdcrous assault
rs above stated. He is a small, delicately
framed. nervous man, but at times talks
as nationally rs anybody else. DR.. Herr
says there is 40 doubt of his insanity, and
that it is of a dangerous type and il he is
not guarded carefully, he will either kill
himself or some one else. He has on more
than one occasion threatened suicide, and
even after shooting his brother this morn
ing, attempted to jump out of second
story window. 1t is not likely that lie
will be prosecuted for felOnious assault,
as his brother appears to entertain the
kindliest feeling towards him. He will
probably he returned to the insane asylum
and placed under closer surveillance than
before.
Since the above was in type wo learn
that Officer Adams, who made the arrest,
has entered complaint Of felonious assault
against him, and the case was set down
for hearing before Alderman McConomy
this afternoon at q o'clock.
Superintendent Cox called at the
station house and took Levi Cohen back
to the hospital. There was no hearing be-
fore Alderman McConomy. Mr.. Cox says
that all day yesterday Cohen talked about
himself as being Gen. Washington, and
Mr.. Cox rs being Gen. Garfield. On
being taken back to the hospital, Cohen
called loudly on his friends for help, and
said that if he had met Cox when he had
his pistol he would have shot him, too.