The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1899-10-18
IA STR
OF q Lunatic Now in sSs5sI s5ES5
az Atlanta. s4S slSssI
CASE PUBL IS TIL 4 no cE.
The Prisoner, Who is Confined u
in Padded Cell, Tells 4 & SS|
Wierd Story Of Ad
fl}, l vat,fIira s3s sy
venture

sfF sssolN - '>Hs.sSgy "
venture. 38s s
For ono week there has been confnodS q
in q padded cell at police station pro-;
badly tho most peculiar and at the same
time best educated lunatio ever dealt
with by the local polioo, ant, it has de-.
veloped since his arrest that he ID want
cd by no loss than five differont insane
asylums. Tho chief Of polioc is now
yainly trying to got the case thoroughly,
Strengthened out. u s$s s3 ia
Last Tuesday night telephone mos
/ sage to headquarters stated that q CRAZY
man had offcoted his escape from the
Grady hospital and was terrorizing tho
cntire FoGSth ward, having torn OFF !;
nearly all of his clothing and was
acting moro fMa monkey than ai
man. Co.,, Sy 'sS S}i
Call officers Chosewood and Cornett
answered tho message aud after an ~ax- e
citing chase arrested tho orazy man.,
who, at tho police station, gave his name
as John Williams. Hc was looked inS
tho padded coll and before morning he
had torn off what remained Of his oloth-3
ing and also MI Of tho padding nf tho
iron Gage. Flo was the widest man
ever confined in the local police sta-l
tion.
Next day Oflicors Cornott and Chose
wood ascortained that Williams had /
been employed at tho race track, at
tending many Of the fast nags that are
to enter tho races at the State fair.
Gradually Williams has improved in 1
mental condition, and now to talk with
him no one would ever suspect thar he /
was ever bothered wi mental trouble.
He's perfectly rational aoout everything
and is too wise to impart to tho officers
his real identity. i. l.55S
Last Saturday the two arresting ohi-F
GERS put Williams through very
thorough questioning, and before they
were through they had learned y from
him many things, obtaining probably
tho most peculiar story over unfolded
to an officer Of the law in the oitys Of
Atlanta. N s$
Williams, as he now calls himself, is
tho son Of q wealthy saloon and N hotel
man in tho city Of New YORK, but for.
many years he has had a mental afflicsE
tion, which has caused him to depart
from the quiet path in which heSwasa
raised and take up tho life of O. tramp.
during which time he has boen ad judgsI
ed insane no less than five times. q sSi
Upon each ocoasi0rs illiams was
sent to an asylum anSSg iie has always
been cunning enough to effect an es-S
cape. f 81 # n D.. q 3ss
He is we'll educated and talks auently
and with much ease, and while telling
his story tho only trace Of insanity that
could be observed was his seeming fam
cy for boasting Of the shocking expert
ences he has undergone. 59
"Sinco I was threo years of ago, IS
| said Williams to Journal reporter, /
havo boon affected with mental trouble
and at times get wild and do things
! that know nothing whatever about,
while at others I have the cunning and
the sense Of the slickest criminal that
ever lived .s5 RI X ..s55 81
"Theso spells como upon mo whon&I T
am least expecting them, and they'stay,;
with me from ono week to threo years I,
was confined in an insane; asylum in
Philadelphia for three years, escaping
some two years ago. Since that time /
have been following tho horses. 81 a
My father lives in Now York city.
Ho is hotel and saloon man, and a
Federal veteran, having had one Of his
legs shot off during tho civil war. Il
left home when only 10 years old and
have mover been back since. s tS
In Harrisburg, Pa, about six years
ago was detected by a policeman while
trying to do some dirty work. I ran
and the officer shot me three times, the
last bullet entering my back and oaus-
ing mo to fall. Twas captured and sent
to tho penitentiary, but was afterWard
transferred to the State insane ayslums
from which escaped" M
And just hero ahis peculiar lunatic5
exhibited three pistol wounds. He
continued: y \ W
Long before that I was sent 60 an I
| asylum in Now York State, but they
were no. slick enough to keep mo, and
got away, after remaining there not
great time. The prison for orazy peo-J
plo in Wilmington, Del, was not strong
enough to hold me, and / walked away
without any great trouble. 4 ai 4. M
While working with horses in Kon-.
tucky, | had one of those funny spells,
and was sent to the asylum at Frank,
fort, from which i escaped and went3tos
Philadelphia, whore was adjudged in-i
sane and put in another asylum. res
NAMED in this placo for three years, s
and two years ago, when an opportuni-3
| ty presented itself I left thom. II
would not tell you who I am, for tho
Philadelphia people still want mo. q j 81
Williams gavo the officers thrse difor-S
ont names, Simon Roiner, Simon Davis
and John Williams. 4;
The chief Of polico ID now in oorress 3
pondence with tile philadelphia people
and it is expected that, tho mattor will
be Strengthened out in in few deys
Atlanta Journal. 3sils Ssssf ii
sl4s
Cracked q Bank,
A special from Navada, Mo-, kayJ
burglars entered the Farmors 81 hank at$s
Snhell (litv nnar ri ara Thurafl Z, u ~ SIS