Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-10
MADE CRAZY BY CARDS
A Drummer's Struggle with
Mailman in a Hotel
He Overpowers the Maniac with the Csc
of ChIorOform-The Little Romance
That Followed the
Adventure.

Two men who seemed to be drum
mers sat. few evenings ago, in the
reading-room of hotel and talked as
they smoaked about a variety of mat.
tiers. Somebody in conversation near
by, pronounced the word Joker" in
tone louder than usual. The taller
of the two men, who was quite hand.
some, with clear, dark eyes, full black
beard and round face, after a mo-
ment's silence, said to his friend:
Every time hear that word joker ]
always think of this hOtel.'
''Yes, and why is that?''
IL can't help it"
The other did not press him for an
explanation. but he was evidently
curious to know why. His friend saw
it in his face, and said: "Well, Ill
tell you. Seven or eight years ago l
was drumming for house in Boston,
and stopped here in my regular round
had worked hard all of one day. and
when got in bed here in this hoase
on the third floor, about eleven O. clock
at night, was dead tired, and went
to sleep without rocking: l had been
asleep about ten minutes. l thought,
but it had really been two hours. when
| heard piercing cream that
jumped nearly out of bed before l re-
covered myself. 1t was woman's
voice in the room next to mine. In
less than a minute l heard screams,
groans, sounds of persons apparently
struggling on a bed, and then Help!
Help! from the woman. l was out OF
bed in a hurry, and as quick as thought.
Jumped into my trousers and big
overcoat lying on the chair, and in a
second or two was at the door in the
hallway, which was open an inch OF
two. Irushed into the room and dis.
covered a woman trying to hold man
down on the bed He had his arms
tight around her neck, and made an
effort to strike her with his head. !
thought it was quarrel between hus-
band and wife. and that they were
about to kill each other. As quickly
as possible seized the mans arms and
lid my best to unlock them. He held
the woman in a grip of steel. got
them loose and pushed the woman
away.
as am so glad you've come she
said, and fell off the bed in dead
faint The man. who was strong,
well-built and young. grabbed me, and
for five minutes l never had such a
tussle in my life. Some times he had
me underneath. and once he nearly
smothered me with pillow. We both
rolled off the bed over the woman's
body, and l managed to get my knee
on his breast and his wrists in my
hands and held him. His eyes glis-
tened like fire. and such oaths never
heard 1 knew now l had mailman
to deal with. was afraid to move.
The woman was lying on her back as
white as u ghost, without any sign of
life that / could see. As quick as
lightning the man got one wrist loose.
and we had it rough-and tumble fash
ion again all over the floor. knocking
over the chairs and furniture. He had
rammed my head up against the wall.
and was about to choke me to death.
when the woman. who had recovered.
thrust bottle in my right hand, which
was free, but bent under me, saying.
For Gods sake take this. quickr I
saw it was labelled 'chloroform.
With quick movement I pushed it
against his nostrils and held it there.
I had my left arm partly around his
neck. He was compelled to get some
Of the vapor in his lungs held him
hard. and in a very short Time he
loosed his hold and fell on the floor.
/ made moose in 3 towel. put a little
of the drug on it and put it on his
nose.
'.sOh, SIR said the woman, you
have saved my life and his, but there's
no time to be lost Force this down
his throat pouring out some dark