The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-15
CRAZED BY LIGHTNING.
The Fate OF a Telephone Company's
Employe at Chicago.

The Fate OF Telephone Company's
Employe at Chicago.
Chicago Herald. May 7.
Violently insane and struggling in the
hands of FIVE big policemen, James Grant
was taken to the detention hospital at 9
o'clock Thursday morning. He had been
struck by lightning while using telephone.
At 10:25 at night he died. The cause of the
fatal attack was extraordinary. When en-
gagged in working as liDeman for the Chi
cago Telephone Company during the
thunder shower last Monday afternoon
Grant had occasion to ring up the central
office from the station at West Fortieth and
Lake streets.
The short, sharp crack of thunder that
follows lightning striking near by rang out
as lie had the receiver at his ear. He fell TO
the floor. The bystanders ran to help him
and found him breathing heavily and I'M
conscious. He was taken TO his home ut
1886 West Lake street. near by. Doctors
came promptly. Efforts to restore him to
consciousness were useless, and he lay in
sensible until Tuesday.
When at last he awakened from the
stnpor his first words were:
Hello, ring off, and this he muttered
day and night. Wednesday night the con-
tinued strain of the insane belief that he
had been at the telephone for twenty-seven
hours made him violent. 1t was necessary
ucIRUDOrnOOU
restrain him.
All night long he muttered. Hello ring
OFF, at intervals making frenZied attacks
upon the men who were holding him in bed.
The patrOl-wagOn was called snd at O'Clock
Thursday he was carried feebly fighting,
into the ward at the detention hospital.
When the attendants came to relieve the
police of their charge Grants strength re-
turned. With difficulty the wristlets were
placed upon his hands. These are imple-
ments of heavy leather fastened upon the
wrists. Through staple on each runs q
strap fastened to a belt about the waist
This permits free movement OF the hands
up and down. 1t prevents effectually the
use of the arms in striking or grRsping
All day long the afflicted man struggled
with his maniacal imaginings. Feebly NUT
teTing Hello, ring off y he stood for a time
in the corner Of the little room IN which he
was confined IN the attitude he had assumed
when deprived of reason. Then as the
memory OF the benumbing shock came back
to him he shook the iron bars at the win
dow and tried to break the glass in the
door through the heavy wire grating.
When approached by the attendants he en-
deavOred to bite them. swapping violently
from side to side. He refused all food. and
showed anger when Ii was brought TO him.
At O'Clock Ii was necessary to admin
lister Quieting medicines in order 10 get him
10 bed. This was done with difficulty. At
last he was stripped TO a single garment
and strap passed through the waistbelt
buekled around the iron bedstead. At 9
o'clock he was quiet ut last and breathing
easy, with decreased temperature.
Twenty minutes later he aroused himself,
shouting, but without attempts at violence.
Dr. Noble was called, and, as Grants voice
seemed to grow fainter, found his pulse
falling with it.
At % o'clock, still persstng in his cry
of Hello, ring Off" sunk to whisper,
Tamae Grant died