The herald., 1895-10-21
An AR|STOCRAT|C MADMAN
TerrOrized a Fashionable Sec
ton of Chicago
HE SHOUTED HIS DEFIANCE
And Fired at His Friends With q
Rifle
Cufa c..v.
HE SHOUTED HIS DEFIANCE
Sulphur Smoke Suhdues Him and No One
Was Hurt-nadness Was Caused
by an Old Injury
Associated Press Special Wire

CHICAGO, Oct. 20.-Armed with a
Winchester rifle and a revolver, mad
man defied the police for hours today at
30 Woodland park, IN one of the most
aristocratic residences districts of the city.
Barricaded and locked in a second story
room. commanding complete view of
the park, the lunatic splintered doors,
shattered windows 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. Merwin of
the firm of Rogers, Brown q Co., pig iron
dealers. Afer seventeen hours of effort,
the police, by strategy, surprised and
overcame the madman. Although he
had fired 40 shos from his rifle and re-
volver, Merwin injured no one, though a
number of people had narrow escapes.
After every other attempt to capture the
insane man before he should kill some
one or injured himself had failed, sulphur
was burned in the furnace. All the reg
listers were closed excepting the one
in the room occupied by Merwin.
In an hour after the sulphur fire was
started, Merwin, partly overcome by the
fumes. lay down on his bed and was Sc
cured with put feeble resistance.
The aristocratic circle of Woodland park
was greatly excited In the morning when
it became known that Merwin had sud-
denly gone mad, driven his wife in terror
from their home, and was roaming
through the house armed with revolver
and rifle. Woodlad park is fringed with
elegant residences, occupied by families
of wealth and culture, and the park
VINO live within the enclosure. The
Merwins Saturday afternoon attend
ed q concert at the Auditorium.
Mrs. Merwin was i'll and did not go.
When Mr.. Merwtn returned home
early in the evening he Rcom planeu of a
on bis headache grew worse. He applied
such lem edies as were at hand, but they
did not relieve him, and in the middle OF
the night he suddenly sprans from his
bed and seizing his rifle, chased his wife
to the kitchen. Throwing ups window
! ten feet below. and ran to the residence
Of Abraham Baldwin. The police were
| notified and three men were sent to the
Merwin residence. When they tried to
enter through rear window several shots
we're fired at them, while the insane
man yelled at them calling them burg lars
and saying he would kill the first man
| coming up the steps. 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 persons passing by
were fired at, but Merwin's aim was bad
| and they escaped with bad scare. The
police obtained chloroform and squirted
1t into the room with a syringe through
the key hole, but Marvin ewas shrewd
enough to throw up the windows. Fin
| ally at about o'cock this afternoon sui.
| phur was burned as related.
TIE unfortunate man was dressed and
taken to the detention hospital. Merwin is
| 80 years of age. Three years ago while in
the IRON range in the Tennessee noun
tains Merwin was kicked in the head by
a horse and, to the consequent brain in
jury his present condition is ascribed.
| He was married a year and half ago to
prominent young lady of New Haven.
| He is member of the Union league and
| several other clubs.