Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-13
German Crazed With Drink En-
cages Both Norrises In Des-
perate Struggle
TRIED TO LOAD HIS REVOLVER
Man, Came to the GrinnelI Law Office
to Tell His Troubles and Acted as
Tho He Would Kill Himself-Had
Gun and Bottle of Whisky-Was
Not Insane.
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| Special to Times Republican :,
Grinnell, March 13.-The busy law
office of Norris and Norris came near
being the scene of a tragedy last Fri
day morning when D. w. Norris and
P. G.. Norris, the latter powerful
young man of foot ball fame, were en-
gagged in desperate struggle with a
drink, was fourisling a revolver in the
senior Norris private office and
threatening vengeance upon all man
kind. The farmer was overpowered
and turned over to the town marshal,
and subsequently taken to the county
Jail at Montezuma, where he was ex-
amined by the insane commissioners,
but found to be merely drunk and dis
orderly.
Albert Ahrens, gigantic young
farmer, lost steer some time ago.
He claims to have identified the steer
in neighbours lot but the neighbor
denied the claim. He had been threat
ening to go to law for some time. Last
Wednesday he went to Chicago with
stock and returned Thursday in very
ugly mood. He is not known as "a
drinking man and has never been seen
drunk. He probably got to drinking
in Chicago, and was possibly drugged
That evening Andy Schultz made an
innocent remark about the steer, and
Albert attacked him and got licked.
or, T5',.;5ov r1,orntnp- he was yerv
violent. and after breaking about every
thing in the house that was breakable
he took the little boy George and
ance generally. He went to a drug
store and got a quart of whiskey, theli
to hardware store and bought a 3S
Smith & Wesson and box OF cartrid-
GEES He then went to the office of Norris
and Norris and paid in $500 on his rent
Mr.. Norris asked him how he got
bruised up, and he said he had had
fight with Andy and said that he had
attacked Andy first, and that he was
going to get even with all of them. He
staggered little but seemed to know
what he was doing, and Mr.. Norris
regarded the threat as an idle one.
Mr.. Norris then stepped into his own
private room, when "a relative OF All
rens who had been watching him, came
in and said that Ahrens' brother and
his uncle Fred, wanted to see him out
side, Mr.. Norris went down stairs ana
found they had followed Ahrens into
town fearing some violence.
Mr., Norris went back to his office
and found Ahrens swinging his bottle.
He had insisted that Mr.. Alfred Burr
oughs and Paul Norris drink with him,
and their refusal had not improved the
mans temper. Mr.. Norris called him
into his private room and began to
talk with him in a kindly way. lie
broke into tears and said every
body was against him, and he was go
ing to kill everybody, Mr.. Norris con-
tinued to plead with him and tried to
get the bottle, but Ahrenss held it and
kept drinking from 1t every moment or
two. Mr.. Norris then saw the man was
getting over drunk.
Finally he wrapped the bottle in
a paper and put it in his overcoar
pocket, and Immediately drew a re-
volver,. Mr.. Norris says his first
thought was that the man was about
to kill himself, and rot knowing
whether the gun was loaded he got up
and stood just as close as he could,
calculating to strike the revolver if amy
attempt were made to use it. 'Ahrens
was then sitting in drunken scupor,
He began to pull the trigger and as the
barrel revolved, Mr.. Norris concluded
it was not loaded, or at least wouldn't
go off. He tried to take 1t from him,
but was not able, Ahrens then pulled
out the box Of cartridges and under
took to open it, and Mr.. Norris kept
striking his hands away with one
hand, and with the other threw open
the door, when Paul Norris came to
his relief They could not wrest either
revolver or cartridges from his power
full grip, but Paul got hold Of the hand
that grasped the cartridge box and
held it, Mr.. Burroughs ringing UP the
marshal and at that moment Ahrens
relaxed his grip on the revolver and
Mr. Norris snatched It.
In a few moments the marshal APP
peared, and Ahrens was turned over
to him. He went peaceably, but near
ing the Jail he rebelled and got very
violent. AS soon as he got inside he
drew a large knife and Marshal Pig
man cheerfully gave him the whole
room to himself. He then proceeded
to demolish everything In sight.
This was kept up until late in the
afternoon, when DR.. Buck undertook
to examine him, with little success.
He advised that he be taken before the
commissioners of insanity. The sheriff
came up in the evening and undertook
to take him to Montezuma but missed
the morning train. He finally got him
to board the Rock Island and took
him to Malcum and then across by
team.
It is believed that he has brooded
over the loss of the steer until his
mind gave way, as his conduct is not
expIainable on any other theory. The
whisky aggravated his condition, but
did not cause it. as he has always been
a quiet, civil man.
NEW CASE OF SKIN GRATING.
Attempt Made TO Graft Live cuticIe
on Hand of Davenport Young Lady.
Davenport, March 13-One Of the