The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-26
RELIGIOUS MANIAC.
William Hicks Mind Unhineed ana
Creates Good DeaI Of Excite mcnt.


William Hicks. n respectable Young
married man engaged in the butche:ing
business. was taken in charge yester-
day morning by the authorities ana
was examined as to his sanity ny phys
icianS by order Of the poor department
He resided with his wife and -FOUR
children ON Archibald street, was IN
comfortable circumstances ana nNeo
happily. Sometime ago he met WIN al,
accident while driving van in Forest
CITY. and. as ii is said, had an INJURY
IL HIS head. There has appeared sEhP,
toms Of eccentriCity in his actions an"
for weeks he has developed Il r"iiSi"us
mania. 1t was not. however, uhtii naS,
week st the convention of the CHRISTIAN
Hes,.,r.. mission held in the NeiSh
Methodist church, that h" a'tuahA
broke forth.
He ATTENDED the first meeting on
Thursday morning of last week an"
apI..a red to br rational while the meet
iis pruceeded until the experience
rnrti1n came Then he got, up ana IN
terms full of fervor he related no" ne
had been converted by reading 'et,e,
from his dear mother VINO r"slues
across the sea in England. ana ne Wv
idly described the effect the ie't''r haa
uI,nn him. that he fell on his knees ana
cnnsecrated himself body ana sou, oo
serve the Lord. placing as sa',i'i ,
ali he possessed in the world ms p,S, ,
ness his property, his wife ana iahii! !,
and To devote his whole time To spread
m. work of the gospel of Jesus Christ
'rhc people -f thc Rescue nisSinh
shouted for joy and owing I" th's MI, W.
Hicks grew very enthusiastic ne
smoke. all the time. Al the ait'ihopi'
meeting. he talked again mctSsan.i!
and the mission workers kept Shou''hS
at his remarks. , -
Rel Necu the meetings he called upon
his customers, praying anu 'aih,hS
about his mission to preach the Sospt'
/, hnI n.n u,
carried his Bible in his hand ana SAN
that was all he had in tn" world. an
else h,. had placed at the altar 81 '""'
However. AT the nights m"etiiiS' ne
reached the zenith Of excitement JUMP
ing. crying and walking around tne
rrScuers willing to give him pfomn-
hence The following morning.. fri
day he was in the mcetin" ana con-
tinued in q religious heat all the day.
lie. caused excitement at the several
meetings by his shouting and wild talk'
He has continued from then untii now
Sunday he attended service ut the Pres
hyterian II church, and he got up To the
pastor ascending the staircase or IN"
rulpit He persuaded him to With
draw and 81, among the audience.
Then he attended the mems meetin"
at the Methodist Episcopal church IN
The Afternoon and created disturb
auce.
The whole of this week he has gone
about the streets. calling upon me
merchants IN their stores and hotels:
then on horseback, made himself very
prominent. Tuesday evening his ltt'e
girl allied the neighbors, and fearing
he would do bodily harm to his dear
ones. they decided to stay with him dur
ing the night.
"Wednesday morning. upon authority
from the board of poor directors. Officer
Ncary. with the assistance of John
Gibbs. who only had influence
upon him. persuaded him to come down
to the city building. Ii required four
men t. get him into the building. once
placed in tn. cell he seemed to get
. worse. his language changed to bias
phemy and scripture. The poor board
took charge of the dcmcnted man and
summoned doctors. who decided that he
should be sen, to the Danvlle asylum.
Hr,WaS to be taken to Danvillc 10y the
-. o'clock train, but they failed To get
him out of the cell