Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-23
FOUGHT WITH A MANIAC.
Signal Mans Desperate Battle in q
Watch Tower.

Fighting for his life with a maniac In a
small signal tower with no help near, an
inspiration that came to him when death
seemed certain saved Charles Lynch, signal
man of the New York. New Haven and
Hartford railroad, at Rowayton. Conn,
yesterday. when Richard Kennedy, a
drink crazed giant. sprang upon him from
behind in the tower after locking the door
and throwing away the key.
For twenty minutes the two men rolled
over and over in battle for the mastery.
The lunatic proved the victor and he was
about to choke Lynch when the latter
called out that he was friend and could
save his foe from the blue devils that
were pursuing him.
released his hold and began to beg that
Lynch drive away the blue devils and
reptiles that he said had chased him to the
tower. The maniacs prayers for deliver
ance were pitiable
The exhausted signal man staggered to
key, saying. Il will kill them by electric
currents Then he wired this message to
the New York office:
My life is threatened by a maniac who
stands at my side He Is delirious from
drink. What shall do?''
In few minutes this answer came back:
Stand by your post. Signal the first
freight train in either direction and get
help. Stand by your post
Glaring at him as he received this stern
command was the maniac. His clothing
had been torn to shreds by the briars during
his wanderings in the woods. His trousers
hung in tatters. His face was covered
with a growth of five days beard
Lynch pointed to the air above his head:
''They being killed. he said. See a
snake died there just a minute ago. The
electricity in the air is killing them fast.
Stand quietly where you and all Of
them will die. But it takes time. You
must not move, for some of them will fas-
to in | q fri
and will not leave you. You should have
told me Of it when you came in
The lunatic nodded gravely, and then
licked his dry lips with his swollen tongue.
He a pitiable looking object and. In
spite of his danger. the signal man felt a
thrill Of sympathy for the wretch as he
stood against the opposite wall of the sig
nal tower, waiting for deliverance from the
reptiles and blue devils that he declared
were writing in the air about him.
There Is one now, a great big oner' he
shrieked, starting back shudderingly, just
after Lynchs assurance. 'Ah. he is shriv-
cling. The current has him. He is gone
to nothingness but there are more. Kill
them all, ALL air.
The last ALI was said in wild yell Of
fear, as the stalwart Kennedy, Weighing
over 200 pounds, covered against the wall.
Thus by sheer force of will and by con-
slant assurances that the reptiles would
be all slain, Lynch held the wild man In
subsection until tie arrival of a freight.
tower in obedience to the signal. The crew
a few minutes later battered In the door
leading to the signal tower and overpow-
cred the maniac, who fought with fury. 1t
took four men to subdue him. When he
was bound with ropes he grew quieter
Lynch, overcome by the long mental
strain. fell faintlng the keyboard
From broken sentences dropped by Ken
nedy it was learned that he had been re-
leased from the United States Marine Corps
in Brooklyn on July % last. He had en-
listed and deserted twice since then to in
dulge in his Unsuitable desire for drink.
For five days he had wandered in the woods
near Rowayton.
In all that time he had eaten only q few
berries that he found In the woods, though
he had consumed the contents of a quart
flask Of whisky. When he reached the sig
nal tower he was running to escape the ser
penis that he said had pursued him for
miles. With the cunning of maniac he
locked the small door at the base of the
narrow stairway leading to the tower and
dropped the key through a knothok so
the devils could not find 1t"
He assembled the stairway with the soft
ness of a cat and pounced upon Lynch the
moment he entered the door. He is being
guarded by three men In the county hos
pital