Fair play., 1895-10-26
SUDDENLY iHSaNE.

A Wealthy Citizen os Chicn 20 Barricndes
His Doors and Drfl.s the Yoiic. c:ilcials
While lie Amusss Himself shooting
From the Windows at Passing fedes-
tfians-Cap' ur-d by IL Successful Fuse.
CHICSeO, Oct. 2I-Armed with re-
peating rifle and a double action re.
volver, Gaus S. Merwin dcfied the po-
lice and everyone else for sixteen hours
from II o'clock Saturday night until
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Mer'
win is a man who grew wealthy in the
iron trade and retired some time ago.
Saturday an infirInity of the mind
which had been threatening him for
some time came upon him with re-
newed force, and he locked himself In
one of the rooms of his palatial home
at 81 Woodland park, where the sem
sittional events of yesterday were
enacted.
1t was 1880 Saturday night when
the mans insanity took really VIC.
lent form and he attacked his wife,
who is in extremely delicate health;
lie forced her to leave the house and
in fact elected her from the rear door,
Her neighbors cared for her and
sent word to the police station at
Thirty-hfth and Rhoades avenue
Lieut.. Bonficld, who il in command OF
that district, with foar officers, went
at once to the house. They found all
of the doors locked and the windows
fastened. They could see Merwin in
one of the upper rooms marching back
ward and forward with the rife over
his shoulder.
They thought best to leave him until
morning. and when day dawned they
were astOunded at seeing him approach
the window overlooking the street
and, after raising the sash, take aim
| with his rifle and fire directly at a Pc
destrian across the street. Before the
street could be cleared he had re-
| peated the dangerous performance sew
eral times; but his aim was bad and no
one was hit. A police officer was sta
| toned at either end of the block and
the way was barred to all foot passen-
| gers. Then the occupants of houses in
| the opposite side of the aristocratic
| park drew the curtains and shutters
at their windows closed their front
doors and nsed the rear exits tho re-
mainder of the day.
The question as to the method to be
| employed in securing the man with-
ont injnring him or permitting him to
| hurt any one was hard one to solve.
| Every few minutes during the day the
| police would hear a shot from one of
the weapons in the hands of the crazed
man, but nothing could be done
Several years ago similar case cost
the life of one of the best policemen
on the force. and Lieut. Bontield did
not care to risk a sacrifice of that kind.
1t was finally decided that an at-
tempt to overcome him with the fumes
of sulphur might result success fully.
| Accordingly the heat was shut out of
the other rooms Of the house and
sulphur was burned in the furnace 4
small amount did not have the desired
effect and as they did not care to en-
danger the mans life the plan was
abandoned.
Finally it was arranged that entry
should be made to the room at two
doors simultaneously. Each man had
Il small hair bed-mattress for shield
The plan worked perfectly. the crazed
man not having an opportunity to fire
before being overcome and manacled
He was then taken to the hospital for
the insane.
Mr.. Merwin is 81 years of age
| About year ago lie was kicked on
| the head by horse and it is known
the injury affected his brain. The
supposition is that tho attack OF yes
| terday was the result. After he was
rescued Merwin talked iucoherently
about buying wheat at forty-eight
| cents per bushel. From this 1t is be.
lieved he has been either making or
losing money in grain speculation.