The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-12-20
\ NAHlAcs calNt.

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iffffHs1s rffr. No, fisssmisf %
4 bloody tfsaedy oecuffsd a NE resis
ieuiiffJ ffidsy Might, The particulars u
whlfh are aboat a. follows Aa epiisp-
ilc convict named John Mason, WIN was
sent hare from NJ Louis IN september,
1887, slnrs Nhch time he haA been most
y 90 Inmate of the hospital, arose from
hIs bed about midnight and going ous
lnio The hall procured an Iron rod used
ior poker, which IL three feet sis
Inches long aud about aB lneh
thick, Armed with this weapon
be- went into tho ward oi the hos.
plinl used Tor cranky conylcts Who are
classod a. insane but harmless, In ono
room four men we're sleeping aud Mason
sloallhlly approached their beds, aud be-
fore they were aware Of his presence,
commenced striking them over the heads
with the poker. The nrst one be assalied
was Charles scgncr, whom he dealt three
terrible blows over the head, one above
each eye and one on the forehead, break
Ing his skull over each eye and In
nlctlDg a serious scalp wound on
the forehead lie next attacked Louis
lloclschcr, whom he struck Ave powerful
blows over the head, breaking Ia tho
top Of his skull for distance OF nearly
i've Inches, aud otherwise cutting his
head and face up In terrible manner.
Mason next visited another ward, whero
he assaled a negro named Andy Alison,
whom he struck once over the head, cut.
ting an artery.
BATTLING WITH THE MANIAC.
by this time an cpilcptic negro named
Jackson was awakened by the noise, aud
slipping upon Mason caught the poker. A
struggle cnsucd. Such a commotlon was
raised that a guard from another part Of
the building rushed In, aud taking In the
situation at a glance disarmcd the maniac,
aud locked him up securely.
Dr. c. X. Oglcsby, the prison physician,
was hastily summoned, aud hurrylng 10
the prison an awful sight met his gaze.
On one bed lay two men with skulls
mashed In, and on another negro with
an artery cut In his head and slowly
bleeding 10 death. The doctor at once
proceeded to tie up the artery In the ne
gro's head and afterward rendered all the
relief possible to the two white men.
Strange as IL may appear, both white men
are living at this hour OF writing, although
they ARE certainly both mortally wound
cd. The negro will In oil probability got
well.
SENT UP FROM ST. LOUIS.
John Mason, the maniac who CON-
mlttcd the terrible deed, ls about forty
five years old, and Is frcnchman BY
birth. lie was sent here from st. Louis
| In September, 1882, on q sentence Of ten
years, for highway robbery. Soon after
he came here he showed unmlstakabIe
signs Of epilepsy and was accordingly
placed In the hospital. lie was always
looked upon more asa harmless crank than
% dangerous maniac, and never before
did he show any signs Of harmlng any Of
/ the other conylcts. The hospital Is diyid-
ed OF into wards, aud the insane are kept
TO themselves. The insane are divided
into two classes, dangerous and harmless.
The dangerous or violent cases are closely
confined each TO himself, and the others
are put together, or near each other, In the
same ward. IL is the duty Of the night
hospital nurse, or rather watchman, 10
stay up all night and see that no dis
turbances occur, but II appears In this
case that the watchman was not In his
place at the time the tragedy occurred,
otherwise Il could not have gone TO the
extent II did OF the two white men
hurt but little Is known OF their history.
Charles Segner has been here twice be-
fore for petty ofcnses, aud Is said 10 be
from South Missouri. Louis Hoel-
scher Is from 81. Louis County, whence
he was sent for larceny about four years
ago, for a long term. Both the whits
men are subject to epilepsy. The negro
was employed as q kind Of cook In tho
hospital, aud slept In the epIleptIc ward.
lie Is also here on short sentence. Tho
above facts were learned from DIR. c. Il.
Oglesby, the physician, tonight.