The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-25
IN HIS NIGHT CLOTHES.
Patient in Nervous Ward at Hospital
Eludes Nurse and Runs Up Street


The sensational episode of a man
clad in nothing but thin muslnl
night gown, running along on the sac
walk in broad daylight, occurred on
Thursday afternoon about 6 o'clock on
Vest Tenth avenue.
he had escaped the vigilance o. -
nurse in the nervous ward OF Cnrlst
hospital, where he was a patlept-
While the nurse was busy ABOUT the
room he had jumped from ms Deu'
dashed down the STEPS, and gos away
His name is Arden Lehman ne
has a sister, Mrs. King, who hVss a.
316 Kline street and he was trying
to get to her home
Lehman is a big strong man. aooot
q years OF age. Running fapluIy
across the hospital yard TO 1eLth
avenue he soon distanced his nurse.
who was trying to overtake MN anu ~.
call hin back. Turning east on InS
north sidewalk on Tenth avenue ne
increased his speed until he was Gov
ering space like professional
Splinter
The street was full of people re-
turning from their work down town,
and many of the residents were IN
front OF their homes The unusual
spectacle Of man dressed for BED
appearing in public in broad Daylight
was evidently so dumbfounding 10 the
most of them that they simply stood
and gazed az the man, making no
effort at all 10 stop him
Unfmpeded he kept on running. BY
that time several persons who saw
the nurse following him took in the
situation and gave chase. Lehman
redoubled his energies. Some men
coming west on Tyler street, seeing the
man running along, stopped IN 'front.'
Of him and momentarily divef1ea MS
attention.
Within few moments a number
OF men were gathered about and pre-
vented his further escape. Lehman
began to cry Il want to go to my
sister" he said. Her name is Mrs.
King, and she lives at S16 Kline
street. Z have been at Christ hospital
for so long that cannot tell the time.
But I am so lonesome out there. II
is just awful. They haven't let my
sister come and see me. and they won
let me go to my home to see her II
IS just awful to keep me out there
They are good to me, but I'm so
lonely I want TO see my sister
Won't some of you men take me down
there2 II you don't do that please
ask her to come and see me"
Dressed as he was in nothing but
short nightshirt, his eyes streaming with
tears and his face contracted with
anguish, Lehman made a pathetic pic
ture. His was the inconsistencies Of
child.
BY that time a man drove up with his
buggy. Lehman was wrapped up in
1aprObes, placed in the buggy and driven
back to the hospital He offered no re-
sistance upon the promise that he
should see his sister.
While being taken back he asked his
captors several times to release him. I
wish now" he said, that I had kept
on running. I wish I hadn't stopped.
Thy won't give me my clothes at the
hospital. know they will just make me
stay there, and they won't let me go
to my sister. or won't let her come to
me. Won't you people promise me that
I will get to see herr"
Lehman was returned to the ward
from which he had escaped. without Of
fsring any resistance He was pacided
with the promise of the nurses and doc
tors at the hospital that he should see
his sister
Mrs. King. his sister, who lives at S15
Kline street, felt very badly over the
episode. She said: My brother was not
we'll and seemed demented slightly. We
sent him to Christ hospital for treat
ment. We think that he can get well
there. He lived with me until taken to
the hospital. He was taken out there
four weeks ago, and I haven't seen him
a single time since then. DR.. Lindsay
would not permit me. But if my brother
IS so hDmesick, then 7 will Just insist
that 7 be given the privilege to go and
call upon him. He is not violent and
has always been well behaved ever since
he