The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-25
CRAZY MAN, ARMED,
CLEARS OUT JAIL
John BrockwelI Escapes, but is
Gotten Back.
MEETING OF SCHOOL BOARD
Mr.. Smith, Former Principal. in With
Drawing His Application, Denies
The Charges OF Mr.. Moody.
Other Manchester items.
MEETING OF SCHOOL BOARD
Manchester Bureau, Richmond Times.

Manchester Bureau, Richmond Times.
! ll02 Hull Street
John Brockwell. recently adJudsed in
SAFE by a commission of lunacy and con-
fined in the city Jail, awaiting the action
of the authorities OF the asylum, created
great excitement in Manchester yesterday
afternoon when he escaped from the
: guards of the Jail, after doing some little
d;i1nase to them, and made his way
s through a wildly excited crowd to the
8 17oLse where his wife was stopping tenn
porarily. IT was at this place some hour
or more afterwards that he was talked
q Into the idea of accompanying the officers
buck 20 the Jail.
- The whole city was aroused to action,
i md intense excitement. when the cry Of
~ IN insane man being free went up With
Z fn a remarkably short space of time
fhcie was cc?gregated in front of the
..Old Tavern building an anxious crowd
nj to see the officers so after the man
who was rhen sitting talking to his wife
( hnd mother.
The escape from the Jail was, for daring
md absolute feariessness. unequaled in
i The history Of the city Brcckwcl,. who
1 Is Il man of medium build. but with pow
crfuI musculary development. as those
who have handled him while he has been
Insane can testify, is crazy, it seems
80
Talked with him yesterday morning and
decided TO allow him to walk around in
: Ire corridor. He was perfectly rational
n. the time and was so all the morning.
In The afternoon, about $50 o'clock. he
became violent. Other prisoners were
forced to places Of safety by the man.
who was bent on doing injury 10 some
nne. lie had sufficient reason TO know
how to cscape.
ARMED HIMSELF.
Two boards nailed TO the wall with
fpikes just beside a steam pipe. caught
the eye of the man as useful weapons
As though they were but Stiaws. he tore
them from The wall. prizing the spikes
z b;,- OF their sockets. Armed with such a
: weapon, none dared approach him. Ser
teart Saunders and Deputy Sergeant Fer
Ei.son realized that the man must be
placed in a cell. Letting several male
prisoners out % their cells. they were
TOLD to be ready 10 grapple with the man
hs soon as tilev opened the coor. Mr.
Ferguson. standing on the outside. was
E,-iclS by piece of broken bottle, thrown
By Ercckwell. and a slight wound inflicted
: IN the neck. Approaching the door. the
officers turned the key slowly. while the
man inside waited with appraised weapon.
ready to brain The first to enter. a slight
turn the door few open. and out rushed
3 The man Wildly waving the piece of
beard around his head, he defied them TO
eatc,, him. One circle was made of the
tard inside the Jail. Getting large stone
EroclzweII threw II al Afr. Saunders, who
aped by ducllirg mis- head, the stone
striking his hat.
MI. Ferguson appeared In the path of
the crazed man and was rushed to a
rorner. Seeing that it was apparently 10
be killed, or 10 kill. even though the
man was crazy. Mr. Ferguson drew his
revolver and fired the first time in the air.
Nothing daunted Brocllneil. He pressed
On and when within about four feet Of
the cornered deputy, he raised the plank
to strike. The spikes were pointing
downward and a blow meant DEATH Mr..
Ferguson raised the revolver straight
In the face of the insane man. Just IS
he was about to pull the trigger, Mr..
Saunders shouted at him not to shoot.
This was too late to save the shot. but
Just in time to divert the steady aim of
the deputy. and the ball wtistled SO close
to The face of the man that his eye
brows were scorchcd by the flash of the
revolver.
SCALED THE WALL.
This had the desired effect and turned
the course of the madman. Then run
hing again around the prison. he came tc
+ / place where there. were for a moment
no guards. and scaled the wall with one
bound. The wall around the jail is
twenty feet high and has two BARI
wires above the top. This did not in
terfere in the least. The excited, clam
!. bring crowd chased the fugitive up The
ttiect towards Hull Street
Several gentlemen We're close enough
10 hin, to place their hands upon hin
rs he ran. Vet none wanted to take the
: finances. Going in the rear way he Ell.
tered the house at l1nS Hull Street
hbe Il; he,
hing. Outside the crowd increased
while messages for the police few THICK
ind fast. Officer Jones was the first o..
fhe scene, and together with n Times
! writer, he entered the house where Brock
Tcil was found talking with is wife
He had to be reasoned with. He declared
he was not again going to the Man
chester jail. but would so to Richmond
Officer Smith was soon on the scene and
after a good deal Of persuasion. Brock
kell was led out the house and to the
Jail without hand-cuhs or any ropes Re
walked quietly along, and when he
.feached the Jail. was in a rational mood
he was nevertheless lock up and vii
istay there until the authorities come at
Ger him. His wife and mother and sister
game to the jail soon after he was lock
I'd up and pleaded that he be allowed L
40 with them home.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
'Lipscc.nb has called me a lar
have called Lipscornb a liar So lcrs
rs drop Of blood courses through my
veins, so long Will j not tamely suirIi1
Z 10 this outrage; so long Will ! not sac,l.
I, f!ce honor for money. You have sum
moned me to explain what i have moi
done. / have witl}drawn my applica
ton
The above is a part of q lengthy com
munication received by Mr., L. " >:;,r
nallS as secretary of the City Schoo
Board, from Mr.. 3. L. Smith, ;,ssistan
principal of the Manchester High Scn,o oil
who with this letter, sends a w.tn.
drawal of his application for ce-ee.Sio.
to the position at any price, and Gerry,
Ing certain allegations made at fcrne
meeting of the board by Mr.. T. N
Iipscomb. a member. In connection vii.
this short letter there is a communica
ton addressed to the board which prove,
TO be a vehement denial of all IL,
charges made. and an amusing BIT G
reading for the members who could nc