Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-25
luNAr1o WITH A REVOLVER.
Strange naiiucination that MAKES Frank
Il IL

Strange Haiiucination that MAKES Frank
johnson OF henson Dangerous.
What might have been horrible tragedy
was prevented by tho coolncss of James
Murphy, the engineer Vt ST, James orphan-
age, Benson Place, last night
There lives at Benson n family named Lee,
and there resides with them Frank johnson,
a Swede, 30 years of age. He is employed by
Mr.. Lee who keeps dairy, and has always
seemed till lately to be II careful, industrious
fellow, or late however, he has changed,
and while no great apprehension was felt for
him, II was plain that his mind was becom-
ing unbalanced. The Lees were slow to dis
charCe him. and thought that possibly as
time wore on he would show Improvement
The postoilice is something of u gathering
place at Benson and 1t has been the custom
Tor men employed in the vicinity TO gather
there In the evening.
Last evening the usual number were
around the store telling stories and smoking.
johnson was not an inirCQuCnt visitor there
and came in again last night. flo bought
some tobacco aud then took po-
sition in corner, as was his Gus
tom, He took no particular notice
of ofanybody and it was noticed that he spoke
TO no one and recognized none of his asso-
ciates MIR. Murphy came in after johnson
had been there about an hour and he was
the first one to whom johnson addressed
any remark. He speaks good English, hav-
ing lived in America five years, ana to Mr.
Murphy said, Come with me over to Lees,
wish you to speak to me on things, differ
ent things, and | want your company as |
am afraid to go alone TO that place. | also
want you to 60 with me to get my clothes,
as am afraid they won't give them to me
If | go alone"
He spoke incoherently and Mr. Murphy
thought there was something strange in his
actions Murphy asked: Have you had
any trouble over there2"
T,f,,, "a h,,t InI
thing to himself.
After few moments they started toward
the Lee residence, johnson now and then
giving vent to some threat as to what he
would do to somebody, but whom he would
not say.
1t is quite distance to the Lee place and
it was some time before they came TO the
doorstep. Mr. Murphy turned his head
away second, sound attracting his at
tention elsewhere, when, without mo-
ment's warning, johnson flashed Il bulldog
revolver, loaded in every chamber, and
exclaimed: "Pll tx them" AS he said this
he put his finger on the trigger and one hand
on the door knob to enter Mr.. Murphy took
in the situation at once. 1t was evident that
to let Johnson have that revolver while in
the house would mean harm and possibly
murder. 1t was but the thought of second
and Murphy had possession of the revolver.
After much parleying Johnson was per-
suaded to enter the house unarmed, when
he was allowed to get his clothes and other
belongings The family was thoroughly
frightened and would not let him remain
longer.
This was hard on Mr.. Murphy, for he then
had johnson on his own hands. What to do
with him was a pulling question, but he
soon discovered way out of the difficulty
He succeeded in coaxng johnson TO accom-
panY him to the street car and under one
pretext and another he got him aboard and
took him to the police station.
There he gave his name in rational
manner, and in some things talked like q
sane man. His hallucination seemed to be
that Ed Olsen, who lived with him at Lees,
was trying to cause him to hate his parents,
who reside in Sweden. Johnson said that
when he would be thinking of his folks at
home Olsen would sit in front of him and
swallow all his thoughts, 50 that he could
not think any more.
He put up his hand TO his ear with smile
on his face. II can hear my brother talking
to me now," he said. "a can hear my father
telling my mother that am her son and that
l am good SON."
He was searched and s43 found on him. 1t
was done up in all sorts OF ways,
$40 gold piece being wrapped up In
piece of paper and Put in one pocket
and the rest divided up in like
manner. He did not object to giving up
knife. When the lailer attempted to take
this he said, My mother in Sweden is tell
ing me not to give you this. ] can hear her
say so now" and turning to Captain Mostyn
he told him his folks in Sweden could hear
all he said, and then the poor fellow was
given cell to await further action IN his