The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-22
MANIAC TRIES TO
MURDER A JUDGE
Brooded Over Lost Estate and
Held Judge Cutting Resp0n-
Sible for 1t.
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE
ASSAIIANT DREW REVOLVER
AND FIRED AT HIS INTENDED
VICTIM WHEN WITHIN TWO
FEET OF HIM.

Chicago, Dec. 2f.--An attempt was
made by Frank F. Ellerbrook of this
city to assassiIate Judge Charles S.
Cutting of the probate court. The at
tempt was almost successful, and it is
difficult to understand how the judge
escaped injury.
AS the judge entered the court
building on his way to his chambers.
Ellerbrock, who was standing in the
hallway, stepped forward and when
but two feet distant drew a revolver
and fired point blank at the Judge.
Judge Cutting instantly turned and
struck his assailant heavy blow in
the face, almost knocking him down.
Before Ellerbrock could recover.
Judge Cutting grabbed him by the
throat and threw him backward over
q steam radiator and held him, de-
spite his desperate efforts to escape
Deputy sheriffs who had heard the
shot fastened to the assistance OF
Judge Cutting and took the revolver
from Ellerbrock. Judge Cutting then
allowed Ellerbrock to rise from the
radiator, and the man attempted to
attack him once more. The two men
struggled back and forth across the
hallway, and the Judge with the assist
ance of the deputy sheriffs hurled Ell
lerbrock to the floor. The man still
continued to struggle and fought until
exhausted. He then commenced to
beg for mercy, saying: Don't hurt
me. please don't hurt me-
He was lifted to his feet and taken
into the Office of a deputy sheriff,
where he refused to give any informa-
ton regarding himself He was taken
to police station.
Ellerbrook was frequently about the
probate court. and for some time la
bored under the hallucination that he
was deprived of his rights to share
in the estate of his sister, who died
several years ago. He claimed the es-
tate was closed up without proper no
tice to him, and repeatedly appealed
to Judge Cutting to reopen the case.
Judge Cutting told him that II he
would furnish proof that the estate
was improperly closed he would re-
open it at any time. This was unsat-
isfactory to Ellerbrock, who repeated
1y accosted the Judge, demanding that
he be paid what he considered his
share of his sisters fortune.
At the police station Ellerbrock
talked in an incoherent manner about
the money he should have received
from Judge Cutting. He said the ma
ter was taken up before Judge Kohl
saat and Judge Patten, both prede
cessors Of Judge Cutting, and tina
they also denied him satisfaction.
Judge kohlsaat told me that | was
drunkard. and good-for-nothing,
said Ellerbrock. THE others told me
the same. and it angered me. / could
get no satisfaction in the courts and
decided to kill the judge before whom
the matter is pending"
In the next breath Ellerbrock said:
81 did not mean to shoot the judge.
1 only wanted to have him put on trial
himself. / pulled the trigger twice.
Once the bullet failed to explode, and
the other bullet struck the floor. I
did not aim to shoot the Judge at all"
The police declare that Ellerbrock
is undoubtedly insane and will take
steps to have him sent to the asylum.
II guess had a pretty close shave"
said Jadse Cutting after reaching his