Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
BATTLE WITH A MADMAN.

BATTLE WITH A MADMAN.
A Well-Armed Lunatic Takes Possession
of a Wabash Passenger Car Mt Kansas
City--IIe Defics Arrest and Holds All
Corners at BAY Until the Train Reaches
Chicago-His Capture in the Latter city
| Only Effected After He Kills ono romeo
man and Receives Mortal Wounds.
CHICAGO, June 1.-Oficer Cornelius Bar
rett was shot and killed at the Polk street
dcpoty Yesterday afternoon by Louis Reaume,
an insane passenger on the 3:35 Wabash
train. Reaume was shot three times in the
back and is not expected to recover. lie IS
at the County Hospital.
When train No. 6, on the Wabash line,
which arrived in Chicago yesterday after
noon, left Kansas City, Reaume was among
the passengers. He was constantly passing
through the train with huge revolver in his
hand, saying that some persons in Denver
were trying to lynch him, but that he intended
to sell his life as dearly as possible. When
the new crew came OH at Peoria they wcpe
warned to look out for him. Reaume wan
dcrel through the cars while the train was
in motion, but whenever it made a stop he
wonld lock himself in the saloon and gaze
ont of the window with his revolver in his
hand. At the outset he also had a big
knife, but a baggagemaster managed to bor-
> row it AID did not give it back. When El
Paso, ILL.,, was reached the City Marshal
started to arrest Rcaume. The latter fired
two shots at him, which were returned, but
the Marshal did not persist in his attempt.
There were about fifty passengers on the
train, twenty of whom had been riding in
the same cara rcclining-chair car-with
Reaume. At lei Paso Reaume drove them
all out at the point of his revolver. An
attempt was then made to cut off the reclin-
ing-chair car from the train, but Reaume
again presented his gun and threatened to
blow a hole through any one who touched
his car. Reaume remained monarch of all
he surveyed until he reached Chicago. At
Chenoa Conductor Putnam sent the follow
ing dispatch:
"CHESoA, May 31.-To Depot Policeman, Chi
cdgO: l have an insane man in my train who
has possession of one car. Policemen at Kan
sas City, Jacksonville, and Peoria all afraid to
take him. Please send ten or twelve police
men out on No. ! to take him when we arrive
in Chicago. They had better come in citizens
clothes and will have to look sharp or some
one will get hurt"
The conductor and all the train men took
pains to warn passengers not to go near the
chair car, but just as the train was leaving
Englewood Valentine Spuck, a resident of
that suburb, jumped upon the platform Of
| Reaume's car. The latter resented this
trespass upon his peculiar domain by firing
a shot which grazed Mr.. Spuck's chin
|! and cut Off one of his coat but
tons. When the train arrived at the Polk
street depot fourteen policemen in plain
clothing were i'll waiting. The policemen
stood OH either side of where the car was
to stop. AS it came to a standstill smoke
was seen issuing from one corner, and the
report of a revolver followed Immediately.
Officer Barrett staggered back, and eXclaim-
ing: 81 am slot!' fell into the arms of
Officer Herman. He did not speak again,
and died ten minutes afterward in the
ladies' waiting room of the depot.
Reaume did not cease firing until he had
fired nineteen shots from the car-window,
rapidly leloading his siX-shooter as fast as
it was emptied. Lieutenant Laughlin crept
along the west side of the car and fired a
shot through the window near where
Reaume was. This caused him to emerge
from the car, and he made a cash north
around the head of the train. He continued
to discharge his weapon until it was empty,
and ran west toward Fourth avenue,
followed by the officers and a large crowd
of citizens. Everybody VINO had a gun be-
gan to fire, and probably $50 shots were
heard in the next five minutes. Lieutenant
Laughlin headed the pursuit and soon
caught up with Reaume. The latter
snapped his pistol in the Lieutcnant's face,
but the plucky officer grabbed him by the
throat and soon had him OH his back.
After a desperate struggle the mailman was
disarmed and taken to the Armory, where
an examination showed that he had been
: shot three times in the back, twice under
the shoulder, and once in the small of the
back.
Reaulnc said in reply to numerous ques-
tons that he was thirty-three years of age
and was born i'll Crosse Isle, an island in
the Detroit River. He belonged to the
well-known Ca%nadian-French family of the
Rcaumes. He was a fresco-
painter, and had lived most
Of his life in Detroit, but for a few years
had lived in Denver, Col. He said
they were going to lynch him there, but he
didn't know why, as he hadn't done any
thing that he knew Of. His wife and only
child were now in Denver. Within a short
time he was removed to the County Hos
pital in the patrol wagon, handcutfed and
guarded by several officers.
The officers can not agree as to whether
lie is simply insane, a victim of delirium
tremens, or has committed some crime for
which his head was in danger. AT one
o'clock this morning Reaume was reported
to be a little more comfortable. lie was
sleeping quietly.
DENVER, Col, June Louis Reaume
left Denver Oh Friday evening for Detroit,
Mich, to visit his mother, Mrs. George w.
Thompson. He had received intelligence
of his mothers illness and left here unex-
pectedly. Reaume bore a good reputation
here. He seldom drank liquor, and was
dutiful to his family.
Bloody Acts of a Drunken Father.
RAJT;>fopC MI lima 1 To-. ~,