The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-16
WITH BUTCHER KNIFE
John Bussard Threatens His
Cousins Wife.
THOUGHT TO BE INSANE
Jumped From Moving Train
Under MesmeriC Spell.

John H. Bussard, young man who has
been occasionally making his home with
his cousin at 1922 Campbell avenue, was
arrested last night by Policeman Wash
burn in the stock yards district and taker
to the city jail. He is said to have beer
in a sad stage Of dementia when arrested
and was evidently trying to get away
from his cousins home. He would have
frozen to death last night no doubt if he
| had been apprehended.
| A week ago Bussard came in to his
| cousins house from Kansas City, Mo,
where he said he had been working in q
restaurant He was injured some about
the head, an ugly cash appearing in the
scalp behind the ear, and his right eye
all BACKED and bruised. When asked to
explain what was the matter with him
he replied that he had jumped from a
Santa Fe train on the way from Kansas
City, because a man in uniform had tried
to defraud him, and chased him to the
platform. This gave the relatives reason
to believe that the young man was be-
coming demented, notwithstanding the
fact that he had always been bright of
intellect heretofore They watched him
closely until yesterday, when in a mo-
ment of sudden frenzy he drew a butcher
knife on Mrs. Irwin Bussard while she
was taking some pastry from the oven,
and might have plunged it into her had
she not have quickly knocked it from his
hand. After this Mr.. Irwin Bussard at
once proceeded to file information Of in
sanity against his cousin, and the hear
ing is set for this afternoon at O'Clock
in the probate court Office.
John Bussard in this early stage of his
insanity has some peculiar Authorizations,
two of which concern mesmerism and the
Bible. He continually talks on Bible
subjects and is very easily iritated if in
argument he is asked to repeat a state
ment He claims he was mesmerized in
the train on the, way from Kansas City
by four big men who get over him and
waved their hands and chanted weird and
unintelligible sounds. ''They actually
breathed incense upon me-" said Bus
sard at the jail last night, ''but I'll tell
you when they tried to take my Bible
away from me- I jumped up and none of
them could hold me down"
1t was on this same trip that he Jump
ed from the Santa Fe train, imagining
that the porter was after him. After he
jumped from the train he walked five
miles back to a little station and went
into the depot, bleeding from his wounds.
He told the agent what had happened
and was kindly taken care of until next
train, when he came on to Wichita Mr.
Gridley of the Santa Fe claim depart
ment was notified of the mans actions
and came here to investigate Bussard's
story and his injuries He was convinced
that Bussard was crazy when he leaped
from the train.
Bussard's relatives are at a loss to
know of reason for his strange and
sudden change. Up to the time he went
TO Kansas City he was considered sound
and healthy in every respect. He was
always steady and worked whenever OPP
portunity afforded, going and coming as
he pleased but always claiming his
uncle's place as his home Whether
the young man was foully dealt with or
drugged while he was in Kansas City is
not known, but it is considered very
probable that he was in some way in
jured before this attack of insanity came
upon him.
His relatives have done every thing pos
sible to help him since his return. but he
has steadily grown worse and it was
feared he might do someone harm, especi-
ally after he made the threatening GESTURE
with the butcher knife towards Mrs
Bussard yesterday morning
Bussard was quiet after being put in
Jail last night. 1t is said that al times he