The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-10-24
PISTOLS IN The PULPIT
How Maniac Emmons Kept 1
Church Ali to Himself.
NARROW ESCAPE OF AN OFFICER.

Lively Time in Congregational
Church at Springfield Captured Only
when He sIcpt--The Pastor Had Re
fused to Let Him Preach, and He Wa
Determined to be Heard.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Oct. 24-It is
probable that Charles NJ. Emmons, after
his crazy doings Of yesterday, viii now
be put where he can make no more
trouble.
The spectacle of a wild-eyed man stand.
ing in the pulpit of Olivet Congregational
Church, with a cooked revolver in his
right hand and another lying on the pull.
pit. greeted the early arrivals at that
church yesterday morning. The pastor,
Rev. L. A. Cone, had exchanged with L.
H. Dorchester, another city pastor, but
Rev. Mr. Dorchester was not able to get
into the pulpit as the madman held it
against all comers at the muzzle of his
revolver.
He was Charles NJ. Emmons, member
Of the church, and an employe of the
government at the United States Armory.
Emmons gained admittance to the church
at an early hour, and had his position
well fortified before any one else arrived.
Around his body he had wrapped a sofa
cover and had a black veil over his
head and face. The janitor tried to eject
him, but as he approached the pulpit the
madman fired three shots in rapid sue
cession. All OF them lodged in the
ceiling.
In the meantime the congregation had
| begun to arrive, and the news spread
throughout the city. In less than fifteen
minutes the church had a congregation
| larger than ever in its history, but all
| kept 1T respectful distance from the
| lunatics gun.
Then the ianitor reinforced by Deacon
Adams, other church members, aud four
| policemen, re-entered the church, but
they were unable to capture the pulpit.
| Emmuns, a revolver III each hand, warned
them not to advance.
"Come step nearer and will shoot, D
he said.
Several persons who knew him tried tC
persuade him to leave the pulpit, but he
answered their entreaties by pointing his
revolYers at their heads and warning
them TO retire. The police attempted il
various ways to attract the attention o.
the craZed man, when it was planned tt
rush upon and overpower him. But thii
was only the signal for more shooting
two bullets grazing the helmet Of the OF
ficer who made the attempt.
The officers then held council, and i
r was decided that, as Emmons was SO wei
armed, it would be more prudent to avail
events.
= Emmons held the fort until after
) o'clock, when he fell asleep in his chair
| pat linn
. Haynes crept carefully up to the plat
form and pounced upon him. Emmon
: struggled desperately but was soon over
powered disarmed and handcufied. A
they started for the police station En-
mons begged hard to be allowed to pu
on his overcoat. The handouts wei
taken off for this purpose and before h
could be prevented the madman brough
out another revolver aud red again, bu
hit no one
At the police station Emmons elaine
that he had bseu bounded by enemies TO
twenty years and nad written Il sermo
entitled "Ihe Truth" which he had aske
Pastor Cone TO preach. Mr.. Cone had T,
fused and he mad deter mined to tax
possession of the pulpit and preach
himself
Emmons has shown signs of insanit
for several weeks, but was not consider,
dangerous He created a scene at Trinit
Church last Sunday, when he entered IL
pulpit, sat down and removed his shoe
at the same time ordering all others to {
the same, as they were on holy grount
He was removed without any trouble al
he affair was kept quiet He had a we
worn copy Of the Bible and the neat
written manuscript of his sermon VIII,
captured