Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-10-29
NUMBER so.
MApMAN.s DEED.


chas. Emmons Goes Insane and Ri eaks
Into Church---Builcts From the Pal.
pit Kept the Congregation Out Of Doors.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Oct 24.--Gospel
truth was presented at the point OF
the sword, also red fire and revolvers,
at the Olivet Congregational church,
Sunday morning. Charles M. Emmons,
a gunmaker, employed in the United
States armory, whose mind has long
been unbalanced on religion. entered
the church at midnight, and barricad-
ing the pulpit, kept the police force AZ
bay until Sunday afternoon.
Having provided himself with an
abundance of ammunition and provis-
ions for weeks stay Emmons might
have been holding the fort yet. had he
not fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion.
Several bullet holes in the wall and
ceiling remain to recall most remark
able Sunday.
Emmons bought a large supply Of
rockets. red fire, Roman candles, PIN
wheels and powder Saturday after
noon, and, taking them home,
worked until midnight in the prepara-
tion of apparatus to discharge the fire.
works, arousing the neighborhood by
his pounding. He then gathered them
all in sack, with several oil and alco-
hol lamps, and taking crowbar with
which to effect an entrance, started for
the church, which he has attended
fifteen years. Arriving at the church,
Emmons found side door carelessly
unlocked, and, making his way to the
pulpit lighted his lamps, locked the
doors at either side of the platform,
loaded his arsenal and began his long
meditation by eating supper.
To try one of his pistols he fred .
shot, startling the neighbors Then the
madman arrayed himself in the dust
clothes, covering his face and hanging
the big red boolsmark of the pulpit
Bible from string around his belt He
also brought up flowers from the ves-
try and set them on the stand.
When Sexton Dickinson arrived 10
start his morning fires he was con.
fronted by the enshrouded apparition
in the pulpit. Brandishing q revolver
Enmons bade the sexton listen to tho.
truth without interruption. Recognis-
ing Emmon's voice, Dickinson hastily
retreated, but not before the lunatic
had fred three shots into the mir.
The officers of the church and the
police were speedily summoned, but for
more then three hours Emmons stood
his ground with crazy cunning. Firing
three times through a side door when
it was ratified, wheeling each time in.
stantly to cover the rear whence the Of
ficers were hoping to pounce upon him.
During this time the mad man read
from the Psalms and Revelations. TAX.
ing off his shoes after reading the verso
which says: Take off thy shoes, for
the ispot where thou standest is holy
ground"
The bass singer of the choir, as last
resort, approached within hailing dis
tance and inquired If there was to be no
music at the service, being solemnly
answered; ''The daughters of music
shall be laid low"
Despairing of ousting the lunatic, the
plans of drowning him. out with q hose Z
or filing the church with smoke were
considered among dozen others. just
do biC llOSc WhS dDOuO W Dc trieu ~ was
noticed that Emmons had dropped into
chair and was nodding. In mo-
ment more he was asleep, and four Off
GERS had pounced upon him. Emmons
struggled fiercely, but the revolver was
caught in his robe, and handouts were
handy. Then he gave up the struggle
and was made a prisoner.
Upon search it was found that EN-
mons had converted the pulpit into
veritable fortress. He had poured q
pound of powder into the marble urn
to make, as he afterward said, the
smoke of incense. He had enough
canned meat, crackers and water to
supply him for several days. In fact
he has since admitted that he thought
it might be week before he got an
audience, adding that he would have
remained there till he starved