Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-27
Insane George Ford Cap
tured at A|Stead, n. H.
In pitiabIe Condition, Crippled,
Wounded and Hungry.
Claims TO Be Ruler of Earth. --Baen Twice
in Insane Hospitals.

Alstead, n. H., oct. 26-Suffering
severely from the pangs of hunger
caused 10y Il fast of As hours and also
from severe bodily injuries caused by
birG shot and bruises, George Ford
who shot and seriously wounded Fred
ShortClecve at Il hotel here Tuesday
night. was captured i'm the woods to-
day. half mile from the scene Of the
shooting. He was lying PROSTATE on
the ground and members of the posse
vino had been following him for &c
hours effected his capture. He was put
into wagon and brought here for
medical attendance and later was re
moved to the Jail at Keene.
Fold's physical condition was pitia-
bic. Numerous bird shots from the
guns of the farmers on his trail arc
lodged in the side of his head, chest and
arms, and there are hundreds of these
shots in his back. In addition to these
injuries. Ford was suffering from d
diSlocatcd hip. a broken rib and a
broken wrist, the last-named injuries
being sustained in his leap from the
window of the MOTEL, where he had been
imprisoned throughout Tuesday night.
Ford. according to his own statement.
went to Il barn owned by Herbert
Greene, at Cold Hill, last night after
Re had found it physically impossible
to get further away from his pursuers.
His injuries made sleep an Impossible
itv and he suffered severely from the
cold.
This morning he dragged himself out
irto the sunlight and as he lay on the
ground warming his body in the rays
of tho sun. ne was discovered by Ralph
Robbins who Immediately called to his
assistance other members Of the posse
and Mr. Green, the owner of the barn.
All We're armed and as they APP
preached Ford they ordered him to
throw up his hands which he did. max
ing not tho slightest protest at being
captured. His captors Immediately
searched him and took from him a 81
calbre revolver fully loaded and :;
3ordly supply of cartridges.
After giving the prisoner a substan-
tial breakfast his caEtOrs drove him TO
this place where DR.. oliver dressed his |
wounds and bandagcd his wrist. sid" !
ana hip. after which the prisoner was
sent to the Kocne Jail.
Ford, according to his own statement |
has been an inmate of the Worcester |
asylum for the insane and also the |.
Gardner asylum for the insane III |
massachusetts. He escaped from the !
lattcr institution on May 18th. last, and /
worked his way from Gardner until he |
reached Alstcad. spending most Of his !
time on the way at farms He reached |
here two weeks ago ard since that time |
has been engaged in an unsuccessful /
search for work, his inability to secure !
which il is believed, made him temper |
arily insane. Ford is labOrinG under ,
he impression he is the ruler of the |
earth but that the hand of God has =!
been turned against him.
He was quiet ana subdu"d when piac- |
cd under arrest and talked nationally
on every subject but that Of the power :
which he believed he was capable Of
welding To the reporter he made the |
following statement:
81 am the God Of all earth. Every |
thing lives by me. | am the genuine |
ruler Of this earth and God is jealous |
Of my power and has turned every one
against me and every one tries to in |
jure me. | can disappear and re-apprar
but God is jealous and will moi allow
me to use my power in this line. And
that is the reason | went out Of tie
window. If | had gone through the
door they could not have caught mo. ,
but God said: Take the window,
which | did ami this is tho result. |
broke ny rib when fell on tho piazza
roof and spraincd my hip when | struck
on the ground.
"They have tried to hang me. They
have tried to shoot me. They have
tried to poison me. but to no avail for
have eternal life. I stayed on the road
till dark. last night. and then l went
into the barn. | did not slccn but God
gave me rest This morning | went out
into tho sunshine to get warm. God
has withheld my power and ruined my
life for l should be at this time ruling
the Garth.
"My time will come and then will
he all powerful"
Ford is IS years old. Five years ago
he says. he was taken from his home,
Townsend. Mass, and placed in an
asylum in Worcester. on Aug. ], 1904,
he was sent to the asylum at Gardner,
Mass, from which institution he cs-
capcd on May Is last, while engaged
i'll repairing a fence on the farm.
The shooting of Shortcleeve resulted
from an impression on Ford's mind
that he had been insulted. After Short
c,eeve was wounded Ford went to his
room on the second floor. where he
barriradcd himself and defed small
force of deputies who surrounded the
hotel and guarded his door. During
the temporary absence Of guard who
had been stationed beneath his window,
! Ford Iearcd from his room and in do
ing 50. received the injuries which
made his further progress into the
f! woods impossible.