The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-05-24
MENTALLY UPSET,
Euuasic Whose Brain Is Bad
~ Ont of Order.

Waco has had a number of bad luna
tics from differest parts OF the county III
the last two years but none of them have
exhibited so many singular and danger
Gus freaks as the one who was tried and
adjudged insane In the county court
yesterday. The name OF the unfortu-
nate is J. W. Steele, who has been living
on Trading House creek. Steele, ac-
cording to the testimony adduced, Is 80
years old and a native OF North Carolina.
In early life he had severe spell of
sickness, which wrought upon his mind
until he exhibited symptoms of insanity
but recovered AID since then had Hn-
other attack, but seemed to be mentally
restored. Last spring, however, he had
| mule team, or mule and horse stolen
| fr m him and it appears to have given
| him Il great deal of mental concern ever
since. Nothing serious, however, occur
red until last Sunday morning, when.
we learn, officer Jack Buchanan, at the
request OF Steele's wife, brought him to
town and while in East Waco he saw a
man passing with pair OF mules and
began pelting him with brick-bats
1t was then discovered that his derange-
ment had taken a dangerous turn and
he was brought to Jail. Strategy had
to be used to get him inside and were 1t
not for the fact that he was induced to
believe that the men who stole his mules
were i'll Jail and Identification was all
that was necessary, it might have been
a difficult task to place him in cOntine-
ment. AS soon as he found he was
locked up his mind completely gave way
and his madness ass med dangerous
; tyre. He alarmed everybody i'll the
Jail hui ding and vicinity, by yelling out
ut the top OF his voice, "fire," murder,
robbers" etc, accompanied by
vulgar epithets, and he abused
the prisoners III such manner
that it was found necessary to place him
in a cell. 1t took three stout negro
men to subdue HIM and get him inside
, the door, where he remained unit
brought into the court yesterday
During the time evidence was beinl
taken and while his wife was testifying
she was asked the place OF his nativity
and he replied, "the garden OF Eden,
and to the inquiry about the name &"
his parents, he said adam nnC
I Eve" Those who were presen
state that his wife seemed to take bu
little interest in him. Steele, it il said
- OWNS TWO nuluTGu acres Oh lhnu III III
county and has an interest i'll gin. Ii
is badly cracked aud will have to b.
d kept i'll close confinement. The grea
: misfortune Is that III our lnil, as we re
t marked i'll former article, there IL IL
hope for him ever getting better but %
< the contrary he, as we'll as all who, III
n der similar circumstances, have bee
\ placed there, always grow worse. Ii
makes eight whom, We believe, we no.
have in this county who should be !
the asylum at Austin, but admEtanc
: for them cannot be obtained, and uC
only mus! this county pay taxes to SUI
port the lunatIc asylum at Austin but
: has to take care OF its own unfortunate
4 ofthat class by keeping them III Jail {
under guard, and for want OF prop,
treatment allow them to become perm
!e uent charges upon the county or stat
u when, with proper accommodations al
IL careful treatment, they might be SO,
in restored,!as many already have been
il fortunate thing that McLennn
q county has the means, if mot to cure,
in at least keep tins class OF persons fro
d doing themselves or others injury. Son
n day the tate may awake to greater /
nj teTest III the matter.