Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-01
TOLD STRANGE TALE
G. 3. M'cUNE ASKS POLICE PRO.
LECTION FROM MOB.
MIND is EVIDENTLY EERANGED
Man Giving Home as Columbia, Mo,
Rushes Into Police Station Last
Night and Tells Wild Story of Per.
ecution-WaIked From Eldon.

With perspiration dripping from his
forehead and showing signs of great
fatigue, a man giving his name as
G. B. McCune and his home as Colum-
bia, Mo-, rushed into the police sta
ton last night about o'clock and
asked to be locked up for protection.
1t was strange tale that the man
told and it is evident that his mind is
temporarily deranged. He said he
walked from Eldon to Ottumwa to es-
cape mob that wanted to hang him.
Letters were found on his person from
a sister, Mrs. Mary ]. Richardson, Of
Columbia, Mo. The authorities will
communicate with Mrs. Richardson at
once.
Claims He Was Chased by Mob.
Mayor Picker, Chief of Police Gray
and Officer Maloney were in the sta
ton when the man rushed GREATNESS
ly in and after he had been assured
that no harm would come to him he
told a story that left no doubt in the
minds Of his hearers that his mind
was deranged. He said that he was
charged with assaulting some women
whom he had never seen and that he
was chased by mob. "The mob
wanted to hang me-" said McCune,
glancing furtively about meanwhile,
but then they electrocuted me and
know that was in the other world
for five minutes as | never felt so
good in my life.
"Given Ninety-Nine Years"
"Then they took me in box car
and ripped me open. They stuck
knives in me until l came to. The
car was full of coal and the coal turn
ed into men. The judge gave me a
sentence of ninety-nine years and then
they let me go and walked to Ottum-
wa" The man said that he had been
working on Rock Island grading
gang for some time, but it could not
be learned just where he had been
working.
Has Been Badly Frightened.
1t is evident that the man has been
badly frightened in some manner. A
theory has been advanced that he
must have encountered the mob in
Davis county which has been for sew
eral days on the trail of the man
thought to be Dee Martin, wanted for
horse stealing Another theory ad-
vanced,, and one that seems more
probable is that the man fell in with
tramps in box car while stealing a
ride and a kangaroo court" was held
over him. The commissioners of in
sanity have been notified and it has
been decided to hold him few days
until his relatives have been COM
municated with 1t is thought that
with a few days of rest and quiet his
mind may be restored.
Melissa Gets Ten.
"We only had one can of beer,
jedge," said Melissa Booz when ar
raigned upon the charge of intoxica-
ton last night in police court JUS
tice Campbell, who presided in the
absence Of Police Judge Moon, made
| it ten days for Melissa, however. Kit
tie Gleason was also up before the
court, on the charge of assault with
intent to commit murder, but her
hearing was postponed until this at
| ternoon at o'clock in Justice Camp
| bells court.
Parkin Gets Twenty Days.
VIM Parkin, who is said to have
playfully thrown beer glass through
| the large mirror in the rear of the
| Calumet bar, was given twenty days
this morning, ten for malicious mis-
chief and ten for intoxication. w. v.
| Silvers who owns the bar, levied an
attachment on the cash found on the
prisoners person, amounting to about