Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-04-13
SAILOR GOES CRAZY
AND ATTACKS CREW..
John l. Larsen of Schooner May A. Hail. Develops Blood
THIRSTY Mania And Sidshes Andrew NJ JOhnsOnLGter He
Leaps OverbOard And 1t Is Supposed Is Drowned TX

John 4. Larsen, q N NOfWeRlhA salAON'
went crazy aboard the three -masted
schooner Mary A. Hall as she lay on
Halls dock in the Sound Saturday
night. After the crew had all retired,
and when Captain Haskell was ashore
in this city, Larsen was seized with a
man-killing mania. He found razor
and then attacked the crew. Andrew
M. johnson was slashed about the
face and body, and is now in the
Marine Hospital, Stapleton, s. l., bad
ly disfigured and painfully cut. Lar
sen later dived overheard and it is
supposed that he was drowned. The
maniac was unknown to any OF the
crew but his union card showed that
he had served on freighters on the
Great Lakes.
The schooner had cleared from Port
Reading with coal for Mayport, Fla, {,
and had dropped anchor in the sound
opposite this city expecting to sail
early this morning. Captain Haskell,
when he went ashore, left mate Luther
Pearce in command. The crew of
even retired early in the forecastle.
None of them, however, had gone to
sleep, owing to the queer actions OF
Larsen. Through the dim light the
sailors watched him crawl out of his
bunk, partly dress and then crawl
back again. This he repeated several
times, during which he secured a
razor.
The crew was not kept long in
suspense. Larsen went forward in
the quarters of the crew, and singing
out Johnson made lunge at him with
the weapon. The rest of the crew
tumbled out of their hunks. Larsen
continued to slash johnson about the
head while the latter, to protect him
self. took a bed quilt and held it
about his head. The rest of the crew
became terrorized and hid under the
matches and other dark places. john
son finally managed to escape from
the maniac and running aft to the
ships cabin he broke into mate
Pearce's room with Larsen following
close behind. Johnson was bleeding
freely from his wounds and he was
exhausted as he tried to tell the mate
what had happened. All the while
Larsen was in the room muttering to
himself and brandishing the bloody
razor. Pearce realized instinctively
that something must be done quickly
and he grappled with the maniac. He
soon saw that he was no match for
the demon, and he broke away from
him. He seized an axe and struck
Larsen on the head with it, telling
him to the floor. For few moments
Larsen lay as if dead. Mean while
Pearce secured piece of rope and
was in the act of binding the maniac
to the floor when he came to and yell
ed, "I'm shot. -
johnson, now thoroughly frighten-
ed, had locked himself in the mate 8
room and by a singular coincident
during the mixuD Steward Roberts
was locked in his room by the open
ing of the cabin door.
Larsen brushed the mate one side
and made his escape out of the cabin.
Rushing to the forecastle again he Sc
cured two knives and began to rave
around the deck daring the crew to
fight him. Then without any warming
he leaped upon the rail near the ships
cabin and dived overheard. AS he
went down Roberts said he heard
Larsen call "Charlie. - There is no
one by that name aboard the vessel.
Officers Jensen and Long boarded
the vessel at the request of Pearoe.
Long found the haggled razor lying
upon the deck. The officers took the
injured man ashore and DR.. Ramsay
dressed his wounds. At two O'Clock
yesterday afternoon he was taken to
She Marine Hospital.
Larsen's body has not been recover
ed but his effects are now at police
headquarters. The boats sailing will
be delayed until tomorrow as Captain
Haskell will have to send for two
more men to make up his crew.