The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-16
QUEER OLD MAN
E. A. CHENOWETH, WHO HAS
BEEN IN MANY ASYLUMS,
VISITS COUNTY.
Wanted to Work for CommiSsi oneI
Smith, but Changes His Mind and
Suddenly Disappears.

White haired and bent with the
weight Of 70-odd years, E. A. Cheno-
weth who can probably boast of hav-
ing been in more insane aSylums in
his life than any other man living, is
at present somewhere in Walla Walla
county after a short sOjOuTn al Steil-
accom-. The old man who is a char
acter and with a reputation extending
up and down the coast for playing
crazy that he MAJ be sent to an asy-
lum showed up at Commissioner Frank
Smiths farm east of the city last Fri
day and asked for work. Harvest
does not commence Of the commission
ers place for some time yet, but the
old man was so sincere in his request
that Mr. Smith promised him a job
and told him he could make himself
at home around the ranch until har-
vest commenced.
The chronic longing to wander.
however, became too strong for the
old fellow ana Sunday, after returning
from a drive, the commissioner found
his farm hand missing and a note
placed on his desk where it could be
easily seen In a scrawling hand the
known. Never Both Chenoweth. For
God is one. l am that | am" and
signed e. A. ChenOweth, Christ
Jesus" Commissioner Smith who was
in the city last night said he did not
know who Chenoweth was until he
found his note and then it dawned on
him that his new farm hand was no
other than the old man who has been
committed to no less than three insane
asylums within the past two years.
ChenOWeth who is an eX-preacher
came into prominence in Eastern Ore
gOn two years ago by going crazy"
and terrOrizing the neighborhood in
which he resided. Officers succeeded
in placing him under arrest after a
three-days' chase through the noun
tains and he was started for the
asylum When within an hours Jour
ney OF his destination ChenOweth sue
ceeded in eluding his guard and Jump
ed through a window Of the car. He
was apparently unhurt and completely
disappeared for week. He was fin
ally located in small settlement in
the mountains miles away from where
he had made his dangerous escape and
after hard chase he was recaptured
only to make his escape from the small
jail in which he was placed. He re-
manned at liberty for a month after
that, appearing only AT farm houses
ana small villages at rare intervals for
something to eat. He was finally cap
tured and taken to the Oregon asylum
months stay at the asylum CON
WINGED the authorities that he was
perfectly sane and he was discharged
In less than month he was crazy
again. and after hard chase was cap
tured and returned to the asylum
only to be discharged soon after as
cured. He has since been in the
Medical Lake asylum and in Stella
COON. He had lately been released
from the latter and came to Walla
Walla. The old man it is said plays
crazy when he gets tired of working
in order that he may secure a home
for tine. 1t is said that he has a
FAMILY somewhere in Oregon. but ne
has abandoned them for the fascinat-
ing life of getting into insane asylums
Commissioner Smith last night said
he did not know where the old man
had gone