The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-30

INSANE THROUGH FEAR.
Stranger Who lmagines Himself Pur-
sued by Strikers.
When Saturday nights eastbound
Northern Pacific passenger train ar
rived at Laurel the conductor sent
message ahead requesting that an Off
Ger be at the station on the trains
arrival here to take charge Of a man
who acted in such a manner as to indi-
cate his insanity. The request was
complied with and when the train ar
rived the supposed insane man was
pointed out to the waiting policeman
and taken in charge. The man gave
his name as Charles A. Johnson and
seemed to he rational on every sub
ject, except that he harbored halln-
cination that he was being pursued
by lot of miners who were bent upon
taking his life. He was taken to head
quarters and locked up, much to his
satisfaction, saying he was now safe
from his pursuers.
Sunday morning he was questioned
by Chief Morse, to whom he related
his story. Johnson said he had been
a sailor during the Spanish-American
war and subsequently had worked for
the govern ant in the Philippines as
packer. He said his discharge had
been stolen from him in the islands
and consequently could offer no proof
IN substantiation Of his claim as as
to naval service. After leaving the
Philippines he said he went to work
as a miner at Shasta, Calf, where
strike was in progress. Not being
a union man, he claimed the strikers
set upon him one night and almost
beat him to death and ordered him
to leave the state. He said he worked
his way in to Washington where he
secured employme on ranch. At
ter working there short time he
said he became afraid of the miners,
! whom he believed We're still after
him, and taking the money he had
bought ticket to Billings, expecting
to obtain work here and earn enough
money to take him back to Iowa,
where his home is. When almost
here he became frightened and said
he asked the conductor to telegraph
for a policeman to meet him at the
depot, for he knew the men who had
been pursuing him would be here to
head him off.
After hearing the mans story Mr..
Morse laid the case before Mr.. Par
ller, chairman of the board of county
commissioners, and it was decided to
try Johnson before lunacy commits
/ sion. Further talk with him convinced
both officials that Johnson was insane
only on the one subject and they con-
cluded to send him to Casselton, N. D.,
| where he claimed to have friends.
AS he had no money, Mr.. Parker
| bought a ticket for Johnson at the
county's expense and last night he was
sent east.
When informed OF the decision
reached concerning him Johnson
| broke into tears and could not express
| his gratitude. He continued to be
beset by his fear and said that at the
first station this side OF his destina-
tion he would ask the conductor to
telegraph ahead so that he would
have police protection upon his ar
rival.
| 1t is believed that either the beat
| ing about the head he claims to have
received from the striking miners
or the fright given him at the time
affected his reason and made him in
sane on the subject of futher violence.
He spent his time in the city Jail read
| ing a magazine and conversed sensibly
| of every topic save the one.
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