Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-04-09
John Harris Crazy

From the Grand Rapids Sunday Democrat.
John +. Harris. the man who imag ines TINT
he is under the influence Of Prof. Townsend,
h mesmcrist. was released from Jail yester
day mr. ming by order of Dr Edie who thought
that he was sane enough to take care Of him
SELF A few hour. after being released he was
seen running down Pearl sire ct without hat or
coat. yelling and howling. ard carrying bur
OF iron which'he had jerked from his house AZ
~ North lonis street. He imagined that the
bar was one of his enemies,and seemed TO have
an idea Of throwing II in he river. He was SO.
cured 10y policeman, and taken back 10 jail.
where ne soon became calm, but AT intervals
would imagine the bench in his cell was hot
and that somebody was trying To prick him
with pitchfork To reporter in the after
noon he talked quite nationally for half an
hour and related part of his history in a
manner that showed that he realized his pre-
sent condition.
He was born near Alma, Gratiot county. In
1855 received am"agrc common school educa
tiOn. and has spent most Of his life working in
the lumber woods lie says that IN 1868 he be-
came greatly Interested in religious matters,
read the Bible great deal aud final, settled
down to believe IN Il the mind cure theory was
the best religion 20 tie to" He soon began to
practice asa mind curcand magnetic healer y
and was quite surcessfuL In December last
b. came To this City 10 have engraving done,
havin determined 10 write a history Of his life
and have il illustrated with pictures OF his
birthplace, scenes OF his chill IN, a, etc. Soon
after arriving here he mot ]. II. Durham. who
pretended 20 bc newspaper man from the
east. Durham learned Of Harris intention TO
write a book and offered 20 assist him. His
offer was ace cpt'd and he wrotca story about
IA patient HON Harris claimed To have cured.
entitled: "kaiscd From the Dead, or Saved 10y
the Mind Cure Then with burn tin's assis-
iance Harris wrtea u sketch OF Harris life.
Early IN February he took the copy o. ". a.
True & Co and IN idc arrangements 60 nave II
printed in tho form OF a pamphlet. lie told
True & Co that hc had a certain sum uf money
In the hank an Alma, and that the bank had
notes which Il, Il left there for collection.
Corrcspondcdc tn the bank proved that he
had not misrcprc-, nted tine matter, aud the
book-un eel uou Of lV1-was printed, the
binders nui>hi Il yesterday. The part Writ
ten by Harms written mcohercntly, the sub
jcct of childh g. cducation. religion etc. be-
ing badly m,Acd with lectures on mind
was his intent TO have placed the bo X on
sale AZ Tho b. p sores yesterday. Hc deliver
ed tt few cop .n the IN rniuy TO people who
had paid fo t.. in advance uud says there
are several ,-- his putients- who are en-
titled To a b'. tie seemed greatly concerned
about his g., lut said he could not attend
TO IL. and d'd aVt know what would tee. ne Of
IL. He want the authorities to take care Of
him. saying .tatlt was not safe Tor him 10 toe
at liberty. bo,aIse when under the m smoric
influence h. liable To- Imagine that ne ought
u Kill spmcs ly ana tiy o. do 80 "lf shouid
be taken with one of these spells while going
across the ru'pC." he said 'aud should take
a inoih u t' &C. .ui wlmnilra. OF cCursC ", uid
be- drowned think the authorities should
send me I ibr reform school or somc~ here
whore w"Gid Doe set 10 work and | think |
would get uNe tDis.'
Ills says b. mas ong known thaC he wat a
medium bnt .as nc or practiced with the
/ spirits" II IL undoubtedly insane on the
subjects Of % Fio., mind cure md mem rism
and sh0ul4 "a taken care Ut hy the authoriti, =.
Sheriff k.nn,y will ask Judge Follett To take
cnarge OF him to-day with view of having
him sent 6 tie asylum.