Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-10-21

Chicago, October 2O-Armed with
Winchester rife and a revolver, a mad
man defed the police for hours to-day
at No. 80 Woodland Park, in one Of the
most aristocratc residence districts Of
the city. Barrlcaded and locked in q
second story room commanding a COM
plete view Of the park, The lunatic
splintered in doors, shattered window
panes and tore holes in the plaster of
the room with bullets from his rifle
while he shouted defiance to the police
and others attracted TO the scene.
The insane man was G.. S. MerBin,
OF the finn of Rogers, Brown Il Co.,
pig iron dealers.
After seventeen hours Of effort, the
police by strategy,
SURPRISED AND OVERCAME
the madman. Although he mad fired
140 shcts from his rife and revolver,
Merwin injured no one, but a number
of people had narrow escapes.
After every other attempt TO capture
the insane man before he should Kill
some one or injure himself had failed,
sulphur was burned in the fumace.
All the registers were clOzed excepting
the one tn the room occupied by Mer-
win. In an hour after the sulphur fire
was started, Merwin, partly overcome
by the fumes, laid down on his bed and
was secured with but feeble resistance.
The aIfstOcratic circle OF Woodland
Park was greatly excited in the morn
ing when it became known that Mer-
win had
SUDDENLY GONE MAD,
driven his wife in terror from bheir
home and was roaming through the
house, armed with a revolver and
rife. Woodland Park is lined with
elegant residences occupied 10y families
OF wealth. and culture, and the park
grounds serve as a beautiful lawn for
all who live Within the enclosure.
Mr.. Merwin Saturday afternoon at
tended a concert at the Auditorium.
Mrs. Merwin was i'll and did not go.
When Mr.. Merwin returned home early
in the evening, he complained OF a pain
in his head. As the evening wore on
his headache grew worse. He applied
such remedies as were at hand, but they
did not relieve him, and in the middle
of the night he suddenly sprang from
the bed and,
SEEING HIS RIFLE,
chased his wife to the kitchen. Throw
ing up q windw, the terrified woman
leaped to the ground, ten feet below,
and ran TO the residence Of Abram Bald
win, where she was cared for. The po-
lice were notified, and three men were
sent 10 the Merwin residence. AS they
tried to enter through rear window,
several shots were fired at them, while
the insane man yelled at them, calling
them burglars and saying he would Kill
the first man coming up the stairs.
Friends Of Merwin were sent for and
tried to reason with him, but it was
useless.
He fired shots at the neighbOring
houses, breaking windows and causing
the inmates to take refuge in the rear
rooms One or two bicyclists passing
by were fired at, but Merwin's aim was
bad. and they escaped with a bad scare.
The police obtained chloroform and
squirted 1t into the room with syringe
THROUGH THE KEY-HOLB,
but Merwin was shrewd and threw up
the windows, thereby neutrallzing IT,
Finally at about o'clock this afternoon
sulphur was procured and placed In the
furnace, as stated above, and Merwin
having closed the windows again he was
soon overcome.
The unfortunate man was dressed and
taken to the Detention Hospital.
sr- of1 n n
Chicago five years ago from New
Haven. Conn, where he was reared.
Three years ago, while in the iron range
in the Tennessee mountains, Merwin
was kicked in the head by a horse, and
to the consequent brain injury his pres
ent condition is ascribed. He was mar
ried a year and half ago to a promi-
nent young lady of New Haven, Conn.,
and is a member OF the Union League
and several other prominent clubs.