Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-29
WANTED IO BURN TOWN
Horace j. Cook, OF independence,
Arrested for Queer Hallu.
cination.
Thinks Ferguson Should Not
Exist and Wants to Raze It
Is Insane.
Cigarets Thought to Be Mainly
Responsible Ordered to
Asylum.

/ Because he thought he should burr
the town of Ferguson Horace j. Cook
of Independence a boy only is years OF
ago. WAS arrested Thursday night by
| Constable {. Il. Gslunt, OF Ferguson
4 and brought IL this city. charged With
! insanity. and placed in the county Jail
'ook is undoubtedly mentally unbal-
anced. bat in many WAYS seems to be
/ Ferfcotly rational. lie is the son of j.
+, +. Cook. Who is said to be a well-to- do
attorney OF Independence.
Cook only came to Ferguson few
lays ago and has been looking for work
as a farm hand. Because of his de-
iected appearance Milwaukee, laborers
ut the boarding camp near the town
took pity ON him, and furnished him
With a bath and some clean clothes.
Thursday morning he Went to the Fer
guson Hotel and began at once the
cleaning of the walls and furniture With
towels that he took from the rack OF
The toilet room. After he had completed
tho renovation of the furniture he took
tempted to polish them with the dirty
towels.
This. of course, set the people TO
Wondering at once if the Young man
could be in his right mind. hut he was
not considered dangerous until he made
The threat to burn the town. Constable
Gaunt then arrested him and notified
the sheriff's office here. Deputies Hut
son and Cause left for Ferguson nj once
and returned here with the prisoner
early this morning.
Father Communicated With.
The sheriff's officers communicated
this morning With the Young mans fl
,her. j. +. Cook. ut Independence. The |
elder Cook said his son left home on
Juno last and he had not known of
his Whereabouts. He said that if the |
We're that he was insane to |
give him a hearing and he would stand
ali expenses.
Commission Is Called.
The commissioners of insanity were
called together this forenoon 10 investi- /
safe Cooks case. The young man was /
determined to show that he was per
fectiy sane, but the commissioners con-
Guided otherwise and ordered him sent |
10 the Independence hospital [
Ciearets Likely Responsible.
Dr. w. $. Devine, the medical MEM
Der of the commission. thinks that Gig
arets, coupled With the privations that
Cook has undergone in his trampins
about the country. is responsible for the
Young MAN.. yondi'i"n.
.nat lie i vas WIS tor, bright looking young
fellow to become tramp he replied.
Yes, / have been studying a plan of
action all summer" Caok says that he
has an aunt who is in an insane asy-
um and his trouble may therefore be
hereditary.
Been Working Near Des Moines.
Cook came to Ferguson from Des Il
Moines, where he has been for several \
weeks. working four miles northwest of
he capital city for dairyman and fruit 4
grower named Sem. He claims to have Il
eft some clothing there and is anxious
to secure it.
After his arrest Thursday evening
Cook wanted to send telegram to his
father. The message. however, was re- n
fused at the Ferguson office. 1t was
worded as follows:
~. e. Cook. Independence. Iowa
Send to your Inflated son $50 of his
money or take the consequences. II. j.
Cook. Des Moines."
Sheriff Shoemaker will leave with
Cook for Independence Saturday morn
ng