The herald., 1894-11-16
A MANAGES ACT.
Locks Himself and His
Grandmother Up for
Four Days.
DEFIES THE NEIGHBORS.
Armed With an AK He Sui
lenly Stands Off a
Pig Crowd.
ONE RESCUEk'S ESCAPE.
The Desperate Madmsn Finally Over
poWered-The Aged Grandmother
Prostratsd - Brought to
Los Angeles.
ONE RESCUEk'S ESCAPE.

POMONA, Nov. 15.-A crazy man armed
with an ak, and having access to fire.
arms, has held the fort for four days at
the home of Asa L. Mallory, a poor old
ranchman, mile out in the cou ntry
from this place. Mr.. Mallory and his
aged wife long lived alone. Recently a
grandson, aged about 26 years. named
Robert Sterritt, came to visit them.
Tho lanter is strong, strapping fellow.
who has been used to hard labor. He
had been an inmate of an insane asy-
lum in Central California, enc was sup
posed to have been cured OF his mental
malady. Last Saturday while the old
man Mallory was at work away from
home, the young man became violently
insane. When the grandparent went
home in the afternoon, he found Ster-
ritt had locked the house, aud with
Mrs. Mallory inside as kind OF hostage
for some ncied injustice, the young
man refused to come out or to let any
one enter, or to permit his grandmother
to 20 out either. The old man attempt
ed to force the door, but his wife
screamed to him from the inside to de-
sist, for their grandson was armed with
an ak and would kill any one who en-
tered. Young Sterritt called out that
ne was defending himself and grand
mother from a mob OF ruffians who were
going to kill him, and vowed vengeance
upon any person who crossed the
threshold of the little house.
For several days the old gentleman
got along as best he could in the
neigh borhood, and refused any help
from local police officers, thinking that
his insane grandson would recover his
senses. The grandmother was kept
confined with the maniac. They sub-
sisted as best they could upon the
scanty larder for three days, but Sterritt
would listen to no appeals to allow his
grandmother to leave the house or to see
anyone. He sat sullenly day and night,
with scarcely dozsn words day. and
but q few mouthfuls OF food day or
night, with an ak across his knees, wait
ing for some one 10 attempt his capture.
His insanity increased. and his grand
mother saw yesterday that her life was in
momentary danger from Sterritt, when
he failed to know her. She also saw
that starvation was imminent unless
help from the outside should be quickly
given her and her afflicted grand
son. She called to her husband
on the outside of the house to delay no
longer in having the Pomona conetables
effect her rescue and her grandson's ar
rest. The young man was in semi
unconscious mood at the time, sitting in
o chair, ak in hand before the rear door.
Constables Slanker and Gilbert and
bal I ta1 20
an entrance to the house yesterday
afternoon, but it was coon seen that
young Sterritt was desperate and that
in attempting to capture him it would
be done at the risk of some lie among
the wOuld-be rescueT5 or OF the death or
the severe wounding OF the insane man.
The maniac swore that any man who
showed his face in the house would be
cut down and the terrified grandmother
called upon the party to desist for q
time. All last night the Mallory houae
was guarded by armed men who were
ready to use any force in case the insane
man should turn upon old Mrs. Mallory.
Early this morning the coneta bes bs-
gan another attempt to capture insane
Sterritt, but without bodily harm, and
for the eafety of his grandmother. All
manner of percussion to young Sterritt
to lay down his ak and come from the
house were tried. They only provoked
him to greater passions of insanity, dur
ing which he stormed and fumed and
gwore, accompanying his incoherent
oaths with whacks about the apartments
with his ak. 1t WAS proposed to batter
the door in and to make rush upon
Sterritt. but the grandmother said the
fellow wac armed with pistol as well as
with an ak.
The news of the attem pts of the con-
stables to get the insane man spread,
and among the throng that gathered was
o truckman who knew Sterritt well. He
talked with the young man through the
door. de gained the maniac's permis-
sion to enter the nouae ior chat, but no
sooner had he turned the knob in An
endeavor to enter, than Sterritt's AK
came crashing through q panel OF the
door, not three inches from the truck
mans head.
Then for the first time the party on
the outside had glimpse of the insane
man within. A lassoo was made, q con-
stable got his revolver in hand, and with
. ladder as battering ram the door OF
the house was burst in. Three men
made dash at the maniac, Sterritt was
overpowered. disarmed and handcuffeu
In a second.
The aged grandmother is in bed with
nervous prostration. She had eaten
nothing since Tuesday night, and had
nothing to drink since Wednesday morn
ing. Sterritt was taken to Los Angeles
on the afternoon train for an examina-
tion for lunacy.
THE officers in charge OF Sterritt
landed him safely in the county Jail
last night. He was somewhat quieter,
and did not seem to realize the desper-
ate actions which had characterized
him. He will be examined today in
the superior court. The jalers were
very careful how they handled the
crazed young man.
For over Fifty Years
Mrs WinslnW's SoOthfuo gvrun has baay peed