The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-06
HIS MIND A WRECK.
Absalom DuckworthWor ked Daily
at His Forge
UNTIL MANY STRANGE FANCIES

Fitted Through Ii is BraIn-Then He
Raised a SIedge Hammer to strike a
acknowledgements in the Santa Fe
Blacksmith Shop.
a very peculiar affection of the mind,
temporary insanity. caused by immediate
surrounding circumstances, is illustrated
| in the case of Absalom B. Duckworth,
| the Santa Fe blacksmith who was ar
rested yesterday afternoon.
Since last Monday morning he has
manifested strong symptoms of insanity
while at work in the shop; at home,
| however, his relatives state that never
| have his actions occasioned the slight
suspicion of such a condition.
| John French foreman of the Santa Fe
! blacksmith shop was the first person to
notice the peculiar actions of Duck
worth He was walking along the aisle
| between the FORCES shortly before noon
! Monday morning, when Duckworth
stepped out and stopped him. "Come here
with me, l want to talk TO you" said
| Duckworth, pointing to his forge "All
| these fellows here are down on me. They
! have stolen my TOOLS and are my enemies
and don't want to have anything TO do
with them. 1 want your confidence.
| With your confidence l am everything;
without it am nobody. l want you TO
! COIu6 duQ lhlh W n0 of0Ey Ody' 0If0 A1o
h, or anything you please, just so you
| talk to me-"
| Foreman French states hat he thought
| Duckworth had been drinking and en-
| deavored to pacify him, telling him that
none of the men were his enemies, and
! to proceed with his work and not notice
them. During the noon hour he studied
lover the mans actions and concluded that
| if he had not been ing his mind
was affected. On his return to
the shop after dinner, Duckworth again
engaged him in conversation and told
him that he wanted to make some tools.
''My tools have been stolen and l want
steel to make new ones" he said. "Why,
look at these" pointing to his tools, 'they
are all borrowed, and wouldn't l look
nice standing here without tools if the
man that owns them cameand took them"
The foreman, now fully convinced that
the man was insane assured him that
tools would be provided for him and TO
continue his work.
During the rest of the afternoon Mr..
French states that Duckworth would
poke his fire, walk around the forge,
take of his hat and pretend 10 take
something out of it. scratch his head, and
try to catch his eye whenever possible
accomplishing little if any work
Tuesday morning he again acted Pc
culiar, talking to the foreman whenever
a chance presented itself, seeming to la
Dor under the impression that the other
work men were pl aiming to harm him.
Tuesday afternoon, Duckworth still con-
tinuing his peculiar actions, Mir. French
sent for James McGahan, a foreman in
the coach shops, who knew Duckworth
intimately, having been his neighbor for
some time, and asked him to try to induce
him to go home. This McGahan sue
ceeded in doing Duckworth leaving the
shop for home about o'clock
He remained at home all day Wednes-
day, appearing at the shop on time
Thursday morning. A few min
utes after Foreman French arrived
Duckworth came to him and told him
that his helper had not started the fire,
and that nothing was ready, and he
wished him to see about it.
French told him that everything was
ready for his work and that he would
have to either work or quit.
mo, l DON'T" said Duckworth, s'I'm
working for you, and l am going to work
for you. l have a wife and baby at
home and you can't make me quit
lust then his helper passed carrying an
iron sledge, and Duckworth grabbing
the sedge from the boy held it up and
said: "All this has to be stopped. | am
going-to fight and theyhad better leave me
alone" Mr. French finally succeeded in
pacifying the man, and taking the sledge
away from him, and in the afternoon
with the help of McGahan he was again
induced to go home, which he seemed to
do willingly. There he was arrested
through the instigation of the lodges in
which he was a member, they having
been informed of his condition.
At the tins of his arrest he presented
no sign of insanity, talking and acting
nationally. He was put in the county
Jail about o'clock, but at $50 he was
released and taken to his home and kept
under guard.
were in the probate court to testify in
the case. After consulting with the
Judge it was thought best to let him re-
turn TO his home and their receive treat
ment and have rest Foreman French
said that after he recovered he could
have work in the shops where there is
not as much noise as in the blacksmith
shop to bother him.
Duckworth is we'll liked by the shop
men, having a sociable, pleasant manner.
and WAS considered an excellent work
man.
Extreme sensitiveness to heat by rea-
son of a severe scald received some time
ago is supposed to be responsible for the
affection of his mind.
Building Permits.
The following building permits have
been issued by Fire Marshal Wilmarth:
W. Opperman, barn on lot 145 North
Madison street. cost $3.50; Sarah Porter.
addition to dwelling on lot 46, Branner
street, cost $175; Frank Hartman, addi-
ton to dwelling on lot 511, Dillon street,
cost $500; T. A. Hatfield, barn on lot 90,
West Eighth street, cost $50; Armour
Packing company, Office at the corner of
Fourth and Holiday streets, cost $500.
Anthracite Coal.
We have in stock a large amount of
Lehigh PENNSYLVANIA Anthracite fresh
mined aud shipped direct from the
mines. This coal will not cost you any