The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-02
ANOTHER KANSAS HORROR.
Religious Excitement Ends In Insanity and
Murder.

Religious Excitement Ends In Insanity and
Murder.
LEAvENwORTH, Kan, Nov. ga spec
ial dispatch from Havensville, q small town
in Jackson County, eighty-fye miles west
United near that place last Wednesday
night. A young farmer named Rhodes
Clements while going home from
prayer meeting with another farmer
named Samuel Gordon, suddenly be-
came insane and killed the latter with
Il club. Not returning home, search
was commenced for Clements and he was
found some distance from the road sitting
beside the body of the man he had muir
dered eating his heart Lie had cut off the
head from GOrdOn'S body ana had torn out
the heart lungs and liver and was devOur-
ing them. Clements was secured and IS
now in Jail, & raving maniac.
DETAILS.
LEAvENwORTH. Kan., Nov. 27.-Respect-
ing the horrible story of cannibaiSm and
murder from Hayensyilie, the following
particulars are given: Rev. Bailiff, of
Hsvensville, has been conducting religious
revival at the Bucks Grove Church for
several days, and there has been consider
dOIC lutcI6Sl anu
Der united with the church. Among others
who profesSed' conversion on last Sunday
evening was Rhodes Clements, man about
thirty years of age. At the time, he showed
considerable excitement which gave rise to
suspicion that his mind was somewhat I'M
balanced. He, however, appeared perfectly
sane during Monday, but again Monday night
at church he appeared to be unduly exercised.
Tuesday, however, he seemed all right
Tuesday evening he was on hand again at
the church, and on this occasion appeared
10 completely lose mis- mind and became
perfectly wild, so much so as to seriously
disturb the meeting. After the meet
ing he and MIR. Samuel Gordon
started off together and passed the
place where Clements lived. Mr.. Simeon
Beach, fearing that something was wrong,
followed them and attempted to speak 20
them. but they evaded him by turning east.
MIR. Marts then followed them, or attempted
to, but they managed 10 evade him and got
out of his sight. He, however, came up
With them a half hour later, about a mile
east of the church, ana found Clements had
Gordon down on the ground tearing him
like wild beast. Seeing the frenzy that
possessed the maniac, and satisfied that the
victim was already dead, he did not dare,
olI2lc-NdLuct, W lulCIlcIcs Uut IdSicucl
away for assistance. In a few minutes he
returned with j. Dorcas, Samuel
Clements and Charles Barrett, AID
together they took the maniac in
charge. He had fearfulIy mutilated his
victim, having torn the flesh from his face
and body and scattered it around over the
ground. What seems strange and almost
incredible is that the crazy man had no
knife and had used none, but had so fear
fully mutlated his victim with his hands
and teeth. There was a dog along with
him and it is possible that the dog may
have helped the mailman in the terrible
cred with blood. The victim of this fear
full tragedy is man over sixty years OF
age and has been a citizen of that neigh
bOrhOOd for many years. He has for years
been a religious enthusiast and has fire.
quently been called cranky on this Subjecr.
There are those who believe that on this
fatal evening both men we're crazy. They
can only, on this theory, reconcile the
strange fact that they perSstently kept to-
gether and evaded those who would have
taken them in charge.
ADJUDGED INSANE.
HOLTON, Kan, Nov. 27.-RhOde Glenn
ent, the mailman who murdered Sam Cor
don in the west part of the county Tuesday
night, was yesterday adjudged insane in the
Probate Court, and Will be sent TO the asy-
lum at Topeka in day or two. News
comes to this city that two more men had
gone crazy in that neighbOrhOOd, the result
of the religious excitement prevailing.