The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-01-17
MAD MANS DREAM
John A8hcraft Says in Court
He Has 100000 Hidden
GRIP HAS CRAZEO HIM
He Believes He Is Eight Hun
dred Years Old.

John Ashcraft, who was arrested Tues
day afternoon on an insanity charge, is
now a raving maniac In the county jail
The cause Of the mans unfortunate con
d.aon is ascribsd to recent attack o.
IA grippe. his son stated last night that
the fits Of Insanity are periodical and
that they have made thetr appearance at
intervals Of four years during the past
twelve years. He stated that prior to
that time his father had suffered three
attacks Of sun stroke and that these
were probably the primal cause Of the
old gentlemans affection iAshcraft did
not become violent until after h had
been taken from the court room yester-
day afternoon.
When he was returned to the jan It re-
Quired four men to hold him and ne has
since become SO violent that i'm order to
prevent him from harming himself be
was placed ln manacles and chained 10
the bars If his CELL A physician was
later sent for and a hypodermic injection
was administered, after which Ashcraft
s. became quiet
The INCEST into the mans sanity was
conducted before Probate Judge wilson
yesterday afternoon. Ashcraft is quite
p0Dwerful man. though upon first sight
one would judge to the contrary. He was
taken to the court room in hand-cuffs in
order TO prevent any violence on his
part
He is manabout5 feet 8 inches high
and weighs -55 pounds ell has a clean
cut and Intelligence c1untenance. pierc-
ing eyes and all ia an presents the APP
pearance Of one who has seen better
days. lie closely followed the testimony
of the witnesses against him and clearly
demonstrated that he was wei aware o.
what the outcome of the procee 5ings
would be but he did not for a moment
eFince amy concern in the matter. Every
now and then he stroked his long white
beard and then carefully arranged the
grey locks that had careIessIy fallen
about his eyes. To the casual observer /
.ohn Ashcraft had every appearance of /
being a perfectly sane man. This notion
of his mental condition, however. was .
changed as he was requested TO take the F
witness stand in his own behalf.
How old are you Mr. Ashcraft," ques- .
toned Judge Wilson.
II am just S27 years old" was the
reply.
He then informed the court and jury /
that he had nearly 100000 hid away and (
that DE intended to divide this fortune T.
among his friends and a number Of char /
liable institutions ia which he was par F
ticularly interested. He refused TO state.
however. where this money was kept or +
how he had come ia possession Of so /
much wealth. Ell then expressed great
concern for his aged mother
"If Wichita had only left her with me-"
he said. call would have en- well. but
his city has taken her away and il has
ruined me. She needs my help and 7 (
know that she cannot do without Z e."
Several witnesses testified that Ashcraft
and his mother had moved into the build /
ing ar S2S West Douglas avenue about .
one month ago. Nothing strange was mo-
ticed concerning his mental condition un-
til within the past few DAYS when ne be-
san t1 act strangely. lie complained Of
severe pains In his head. spoke concerning
his immense fortune and then ravel be-
cause bis mother had been taken from
him. Within The last ten DAYS he has
had a severe attack Of the grip and il
was while he was confined 90 his bed that
some of the neighbors had his mother
removed 10 the Wichita hospital
This fact the neiEhbors testified had .
worried him not a little, since he had all
ways evinced a great devotion for the OLD
lady. who IS past So years old. All OF the
testimony was along the same line
None OF the witnesses. but one. knew
anything about Ashcraft before hts com
ing TO the West Douglas avenue resi-