The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-26
MANIAC IN SCHOOL
Attempts to Teach
the Tenets Of the
Advent Church.
HIS CAREER NIPPED.
Theological Student Com
mitted to Insane Hospit-
al at Worcester.

Clinton, April 25.-Andrew H. Wilcox,
a young theological student, was adj
judged insane this morning by DR.. Wal
ter P. Bowers and Medical Examiner
George L. Tobey. He was taken inn
mediately to the asylum at Worcester
by OVerseer of the Poor Kennedy OF
Lancaster. AS a precaution, Chief
Oren b. Bates accompanied Mr.. Ken
nedy The unfortunate fellow was
large of frame and unusually athletic
1t was feared when he found himself
at the door of the asylum, he might re-
sist. He did protest and threatened
to resist when he reached the retreat,
and would. Chief Bates thinks, nave
offered physical resistance If his reIlg-
ion had not forbid.
Wilcox has what may be described as
an educational mania. He is sew
enth Day Adventist. He came to South
Lancaster from Des Moines, Ia, as a
delegate to the worlds conference Oh
Seventh Day Adventists. The pro-
ceedings early took high degree OF re
ligious enthusiasm, and Influenced VII
cox to an extent noticeably beyond
yentists normal and healthy lie soon
developed an unusual interest in the
educational work conducted at South
Lancaster. He conceived that he had
been commissioned by God to reform
the educational work in his neighbor-
hood, and he directed all the energy
of an unusually brilliant though dls-
torted mind to this work. When the
conference adjourned, as it did about
A. THo1,,
not leave with the other strangers. He
remained at the academy to pursue his
divine mission on educational reform.
He soon became an unbearable nul-
sance He interfered with the school
work being conducted at the academy
He urged his reforms with the pupils
with an unhealthy brilliancy that Sc
cured him much more consideration
than an ordinary man would receive
in the same circumstances.
The end came yesterday when he
went into one of the public schools of
Lancaster and tried to take charge OF
the work The teachers got rid of him
as soon as possible, but not until ne
had interfered greatly with the prog
ress of the days work by trying to con-
vert the pupils to his way of thinking.
The selectmen were communicated with
and arrangements were made to have
Kennedy went after him this morning.
He was in one of the bath rooms of
the academy.
Wilcox's theory of education is the
truth. and that God is the truth. Teach
God therefore, and you have impaired
all of education" he said
Wilcox is about 30 years old. Like
all Seventh Day Adventists, he is
vegetarian. He is a sparse eater, and
to aSyt1 n n a nv
degree. The doctors think Wilcox will
recover his balance with treatment.
William N. Cunningham did not
stay in town as long as he intended
last night. This morning, accompa-
MED by his counsel, David I. Walsh, he
went to Boston, where he was sum-
moned to meet friends from Somer-
vile. Mr.. Cunningham spent last eve
ming, renewing acquaintance with for
mer friends. He visited the town hall
and talked for a minute with the news
paper men. He lunched at midnight in
the Star restaurant, with half a dozen
acquaintance and spent the night at
the Clinton House.
Mr.. Cunningham awakening in Mo-
bile, was graphically described by him.
He told of picking UP the copy of The
Spy, and reading the story of his own
of the trip on the ProVi-
dence train, but as if in a dream
He said when 1 read about my
contract in Clinton it was like a revela-
ton. Yet like a thing once well known,
but forgotten and remembered again.
Perhaps you have had some time a
vivid dream about something. When
you woke up next morning the recol-
lection of the dream was so vivid it'll
u
as a dream
This think was my situation as re-
CARDS my life in Clinton on the morn
ing when a copy of The Spy brought
me to myself, with this difference. It'll
seems to me that at moments the old
life presented itself to me very vividly,
so that it seems real, but with each re-
curing effort at recollection 1 would
dismiss the picture as the picture of a
dream. The story in The Spy, so
strangely presented to me in the Bat
tie House, Mobile, on that morning told
me that my vision which seemed
dream was in fact a reality that had
presented itself to me as a vision"
The only disguise that Mr.. Cunning
ham wore last night was some thirty
five pounds more in health than flesh
than he had when he went away. It'll
was a disguise sufficient to deceive
most of his friends.
He will return to Clinton in a few
days to remain for some weeks, he
says.
"Elsinore' was delightfully."- presented
by some of the young people of the
CONGREGATIONAL church this evening in
town hall to a large audience. 'Elsi-
more" is a cantata- 1t is composed of
H. H. Bailey, who played the accom-
paniment for the singers tonight.
No. TQaf1 II
of Elsinore. Oliver Arnold, Jr., was
Prince Auberon, Mrs. John F. Childsi
was Titina, a favorite maid of honor
Charles A. Needham was the william.
Sigismun, lord chancellor to the queen.
Miss Ethel Wilder took the part of Vio-
la. a captive fair in the song and in i
fact. W. A. Tucker was Ormund. an
unknown knight. John +. Riddell was
German knight, and Mrs. A. c..
Briggs, a gypsy woman
The selectmen viii meet tomorrow
night Licenses will probably he
granted. Town Solicitor q. A. Evans
has given the selectmen an opinion rela-
tive to the legality of Michael Burke,s I
objection to a license being granted in
ORIOLES block, Main street. He de-
clares in favor of the applicants. He
holds that the school house is not ON
Main street, and consequently not on
the same street with the saloon. on the
ground that access to the building is |
gained by way Of Beacon street. instead
Of by Main street. The entrance to the
building is on Main street There is. no
entrance in the fence that surrounds
the premises on Main street A gate
that formerly existed has been closed |
There is a gate on the Beacon street
side. Mr.. Evans finds. therefore. that
access is a matter Of the openings in the
fence as well as of the openings in the |
building. He quotes several cases from