New-York tribune., 1896-06-08
INSANE NEGRO ON A TRAIN.
HE YELLs, sWEARs sMAsHES WINDOWS
AND THEN PRAYS.
PASSENGERS on A sIxTH-AvE ELEVATED TRAIN
BADLY FRIGHTENED-THREE POLICE
MEN HAVE HARD FIGHT.

BADLY FRIGHTENED-THREE fOLlCE-
MEN HAVE HARD FIGHT.
william Street, powerful West Indian negro
Weighing about two hundred pounds became
violently insane late yesterday afternoon on
northbound elevated train OF the Sixth-ave
road and caused great fright to everybody
I'm the car In which he He was taken 70
Bellevue Hospital IN ambulance Street
lives In West Twenty-eghth-st.. near Eighth
ave.
The negro entered the train at Elghth-st. He
was quiet, and attracted 10 attention until
the train had pulled out OF the Fourteenth
st station Then he suddenly arose from MS
seat In the first OF the train. and. arter
wild whoop. thrust his fist through one OF the
windows This startled the score or occupants
Of the car. about half OF whom were women.
Some OF them got up from their seats ana ran
toward the door, but the man shrieked Wildly
half q dozen times and started on a dash FOR
the other end OF the car. Just before reaching
the door he threw himself on the floor as II ne
were sliding to a base in a ball game. Iheh'
rising to his feet he began to use the inoSe
shocking profanity, and then knelt down ana
started to pray.
The conductor John Spotten who was on the
first car did not inform the station agent at the
did he tell the engineer TO- whistle the signal for
noI,c. assistance He was in hopes, were the
passengers, that Street would calm down. as ne
lacked aa II ne would when he began praying
Rut Street did not Instead. he got up again ana
after giving forth several startling whoops. began
N curse and swear and to break windows he
nushed his foot through fve before any or the
passengers dared move toward him. Then one Oh
the women shrieked and ran to the door. II was
omen and she hurried into the next car, Where
nearly two dozen frightened passengers were
Watching the wild man smash panes OF glass
The woman was followed by the rest or the pas
sengers excepting the negro himself, VINO con-
tnued his course Of destruction until dozen Vi
the car windows contained only le" DIS ~
broken glass Then he stopped again. curseu anu
swore some more and sitting on the oach Vi o.'e
Of the cross seats maliciousy eyed Spotteh' ''ie
conductor. who stood behind the closed door
The negro's formidable appearance deterreu
the conductor from entering the car un'i 80 &C.
was seized with another praying spen. p., -
negro knelt down the conductor Nei'ureu ~
enter but his presence seemed TO arouse tne '
colored mans violence again. lie gol up as
and kicked the glass out or another "iHuo"',
The smashing of this pane was acCo'hpaI,'v' p,,
-, ~ ,rhistIing Of the locomotive FOR ASSIST
s11ce the engineer realizing that the tram i4r1e
was unable TO cope with the craZeu ~, W IT,
10 Policeman
,Ia,bs, station heard the whlsthhs anu ~ 81
nm the station steps as the train reacheo '"e
Tyentv-third-st. platform 49, ,o,a
spotten. the conductor. leaned over me save az,
ori sh,uted 10 Brooks. the colored porter 70 'un
o. ,ba nolce Brooks ran down stars anu ~
the street met Policemen Jordan ana Burns. wmu M
bad also heard the whistling. When street saw saw.
ne oaIcers coming he flung his nat ana cTal ga oo %
- a u,iudow The policemen ran INTO t"e "a.
o-d rushed successfully at the negro WI WI
sasnv dung them OF The three men then, wi'a y
y concert4d effort ran at street VINO Nhauo
owarful fight His insanity seemed 10 auu ~ ~
b,s natural strength. and he MADE II eNISi.,r ~
Siprnlt for the policemen 10 overcome MI nii,
NVhen they had done so their clothing we9 o"u'
,orr ana fhalr hats were under the seats,
Tbo trnin had been detained at the station anu
c,r..t vas taken - the waiting room. lhlIleN,.-
a,slv mon entering he broke from MS t.,. cap,oI
ard n,nnqei hls fist through one OF the waiting
~,,, windows The policemen again go' MN vi,
dsr ,ontrol and all three held him dow, ui'', @
,bc arrival of an ambulance when NO.: Iy nfr"
naueS bv n citizen. DR. Ide. OF Bellevue h2s
J,ol rh, answered the ambulance call pa, t'ie
!nor ,n a strait Jacket. lIe was then taken -
taai,ovra Hospital Or. Ide said mat stree va va
.ssor,nx from acute mania and that ne showsu
no signs or liquor. Street was p'aceu al '''' -
o,ili