The record-union., 1895-02-14
THE CUNNING OF AN INSANE MAN.
He Came Near Turning the Tables on
His Friend.
After a While the Police Department.
Discovered 1t Was the
Other Way.

On the arrival of the eastbound over.
land train Yesterday call Tor the ponce
was received from the depot, where the
officers found two men engaged In
wrangIe. One was said to be insane, and
both were escorted to the ponce statloh.
Each accused the other OF being insane.
On investigating the matter, 1t was
learned that in October last one OF the
men, named Presley Bishop, left the
town of Yutan. Sanders County, Neb.,
and came to California in the hope OF BEN
citing his health, which for some time
had been failing.
on his arrival in this State he spent
some time in Los Angeles, but eventually
removed to Perris, Riverside County,
where he engaged in the real estate bust
ness. For time he prospered financially
and bodily, but it soon became evident,
from his erratic actions, that his mind
was affected.
Al one time he attempted to cash a
worthless check at bank for $780, and
when payment was refused he walk ed
into an adjoining barber shop and gave 1t
to the tonsorial artist in payment for the
removal of two days growth of beard
from his face.
Bishop is a man of means and owns
property in Yutan that would realize at
least $4,000 under the hammer, and as
his insanity became more pronounced it
was concluded best by the authorities of
Perris that he be placed under restraint.
He was accordingly committed to the In
sane Asylum at Highland, San Ber-
nardino County.
At the same time his guardian, Robert
Phillips, who resided at Yutan, was mott
fiaR e h TC, DC GaI
mediately came to the coast for the pur-
pose of removing him to his old home in
Nebraska, He proceeded direct to High
land, obtained possession of his charge,
and started East over the Central Pacific
route.
When they arrived in this city yester-
day the insane man sprang from the train
and called for an officer. Special Click
put in an appearance, and the insane
man informed him that he was a secret
service detective, who had been sent to
the coast from Nebraska to take Phillips
back home. He accused Phillips of in
sanity, and stated that he had stolen his
money and tickets.
Both men were taken to the police sta
ton, where the matter was investigated
The truth was ascertained and Bishop
was locked up to await the departure of
the next East bound train. His guardian
declared that he had learned a lesson, and
that for the balance of the journey his
ward would have to wear straps to desig-
nate to strangers which is the afflicted
one.
For while the officers were puzzled to
determine which OF the pair was the sane
man and which the lunatic. AS matter
OF fact, neither of the men appeared TO be
insane, and as Bishop at first did most OF
the talking he came near convincing the
police that Phillips was the one who was
''nutty.'
He exhibited bunch OF keys with a
tablet bearing the address OF a private
detective agency and said he had been
sent out here to take Phillips back; that
the latter was a man OF wealth in the
East, and that his relatives wanted him
back there where they could look after
him.
Phillips had a little the best of the con-
troversy, however, and finally satisfied
the officers that his own head was level.