The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-06
JACK AXTEL IS INSANE
Another Victim of Cocaine
and Morphine,
MADE SPEECH TO THE JURY
Had Threatened His Wife and
She Feared Violence.

YESTERDAY Jack Axtel was declared to
De insane BY jury in probate court.
Monday morning his wife got out a com
plant against him and the sheriff spent
tbe entire day looking for him but did not
find him until about O'Clock Monday
evening Mrs. Axtel had become afraid
Of her husband and said IN her complaint
that ne had threatened to kill her, and
that he was now in such a mental state
that 1t was no longer advisable 20 have
him do what he pleased
Axtel is total wreck, morally, EItn-
tally and physically, caused BY the eX-
cessive use Of cocaine and opium. He has
been addicted 10 these habits for many
years past and has now become a Iiend
Of the worst type. He Is a monomaniac,
IS his mind is clear on some subjects,
and it is only when talking about some
pretended exposure Of splritualism that
he shows that his mind is unbalanced.
Last week ne rented the old Bryan
building on East Douglas with the 1nten-
ton Of giving q talk along that line
there Saturday night. However instead
OF using the building that night, he NOV
Cd all his belongings into one of the
rooms and he and his wife make it their
home. This fact was not discovered. by
the agents for the buildings until Satur-
day afternoon, when they moved all his
goods into the street. For several days
before this. Aytel had been spending his
time in distributing hand-bills about the
streets and his insanity had been worse
than ever before. After the furniture
had been moved out Mrs Axtel was
afraid that, when her husband returned
and found the building locked he would
xiii her, as ne had several times before
threatened 70 do 50. She informed the po-
lice how matters stood. They were IN
able 70 do anything. as Axtel had COM
mitted no offense and advised her TO keep
out Of his way until she could bring pro-
ceedings as to his sanity. This was done
and Monday morning the complaint was
filed in the probate court.
While being tried yesterday afternoon,
AXteI seemed 70 realize exactly what was
going on. The excitement seemed to re-
vive his mental powers and he chal-
ienged the jurors and did many other
things wlich seemed TO indicate that he
was sound mentally. He made declara-
lions that there were opium joints in the
city and his wife also testified that one
time he wanted her to go into one with
him and that she refused. Axtel also
made a speech to the jury. He explained
how some Of the Old fakes were worked
and gave away u good many OF the
games which are used to relieve the
suckers of their money
But as soon as the subject Of spiritual |
ism was introduced he at once lost his I
mental balance and made 50 many wild I
statements that the jury were at once /.
convinced Of his insanity. From then on /
every action was irrational and he seem
ed to have completely lost control Of his .
mental faculties He took advantage of
every opportunity offered to talk about .
epirituaIsm ana kindred subjects and /
had every appearance Of being perfectly .
insane 1t is probable that he viii be .
taken 10 the asylum in a few days Dur
ing his trial he volunteered a speech on .
his hobby and this aione was convincing /
evidence of his insanity.