The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-10-18
A STRANGE CAREER
Of a Lunatic Now in the Lock Up
at Atlanta.
CASE PUZZLES THE POLICE.
The Prisoner, Who is Confined
in Padded Cell, Tells a
Wierd Story Of Ad-
venture.

venture.
For one week there has been confined
in padded cell at police station pro-
baby the most peculiar and at the same
time hest educated lunatic ever dealt
with by the local police, and it has de-
veloped since his arrest that ho is want
ed by no less than five different insane
asylums. The chief Of police is now
vainly trying to get the case thoroughly
Strengthened out.
Last Tuesday night a telephone mes,
sage to headquarters stated that crazy
man had effected his escape from the
Grady hospital and was terrorizing the
entire Fourth ward, having torn off
nearly all of his clothing and was
acting more like a monkey than a
man.
Call officers Chosewood and Cornett
answered the message and after an ex-
citing chase arrested the crazy man,
who, at the police station, gave his name
as John Williams. He was locked in
the padded cell and before morning he
had torn off what remained Of his cloth
ing and also all of the padding Of the
iron cage. He was the widest man
ever confined in the local police sta
tion.
Next day Officers Cornett and Chose
wood ascertained that Williams had
been employed at the race track, at
tending many Of the fast nags that"are
to enter the races at the State fair.
Gradually Williams has improved in
mental condition, and now to talk with
him no one would ever suspect thai he.
was ever bothered with mental trouble.
He's perfectly rational about everything
and is too wise to impart to the officers
his real Identity.
Last Saturday the two arresting Off
GERS put Williams through a very
thorough questioning, and before they
were through they had learned from
him many things, obtaining probably
the most peculiar story ever unfolded
to an officer Of the law in the city Of
Atlanta.
Williams, as he now calls himself, is
the son Of wealthy saloon and hotel
man in the city of New York, but for
many years he has had mental attic
ton, which has caused him to depart
from the quiet path in which he was
raised and take up the life Of a tramp,
during which time he has been adjudg
ed insane no less than FIVE times.
Upon each occasion Williams was
sent to an asylum and he has always
been cunning enoug to effect an es-
cape.
He is well educated and talks fuently
and with much ease, and while telling
his story the only trace Of insanity that
could be observed was his seeming fan
cy for boasting Of the shocking expert
ences he has undergone.
''Since was three years of age,"
said Williams to a Journal reporter, Il
have been affected with mental trouble,
and at times I get wild and do things
that I know nothing whatever about,
while at others I have the cunning and
the sense Of the slickest criminal that
ever lived.
"These spells come upon me when I
am least expecting them, and they stay
with me from one week to three years.
| I was confined in an insane asylum in
Philadelphia for three years, escaping
some two years ago. Since that time I
have been following the horses.
'My father lives in New York city.
He is hotel and saloon man, and a
Federal veteran, having had one Of his
legs shot off during the civil war. I
left home when only 10 years old and
have never been back since.
''In Harrisburg, Pa, about six years
ago I was detected by policeman while
trying to do some dirty work. I ran
and the officer shot me three times, the
last bullet entering my back and caus-
ing me to fall. I was captured and sent
to the penitentiary, but was afterward
transferred to the State insane ayslum
from which escaped"
And just here this peculiar lunatic
exhibited three pistol wounds. He
continued IA W
''Long before that 1 was sent to an
asylum in New York State, but they
were no. slick enough to keep me, and
/ got away, after remaining there not
great time. The prison for crazy peo-
pie in Wilmington, Del, was not strong
enough to hold me, and | walked away
without any great trouble.
"While working with horses in Ken
tucky, / had one of those funny spells
and was sent to the asylum at Frank
fort, from which I escaped and went to
Philadelphia, where I was adjudged in
sane and put in another asylum. re-
mained in this place for three years,
and two years ago, when an opportunl-
ty presented itself I left them. I
would not tell you who I am, for the
Philadelphia people still want me-"
Williams gave the officers thrse differ
ent names, Simon Reiner, Simon Davis
and John Williams.
The chief of police is now in CORES
ponderce with the Philadelphia people
and it is expected that the matter will
be strsightened out in in few days.,-
Atlanta Journal.