Arizona republican., 1907-11-01
BLOODY DEED
 OF A MANIAC
At the Insane Asylum Yes
 terday Morning
The Life of Dr. Fergu- son Saved by a Hairs breadth.

Dr. Ray Ferguson. superintendent of the territorial asylum. was yesterday morning attacked by an inmate of the asylum. Jeff Woods, who with an axe struck him on the head one or more blows. inflicting very dangerous wounds. but which it is thought will not terminate seriously. Drs. Foss and Redewill were summoned and after administering an anesthetic found 1t necessary to take about thirtyfive stitches in the scalp. which on one side of the head had been torn badly. There was also a bruise on the fore head. one in the back part of the head and one on the shoulder. such as might be inflicted with the pole of the weapon. With the latest report last night the physicians thought that the doctors recovery was certain and possibly he might be able to be out in a week or ten days.
 There are many conflicting stories as to how it happened. as there was Considerable excitement at the time. The patient had until this spell always been considered tractable and harm less. Yesterday morning. however. he suddenly became violent and started out as he said to clean out the entire institution. Dr. Ferguson thinking to quiet him easily went to the rear hall way. where the maniac was. Woods immediately whirled on him and as the doctor stepped out on the rear porch he struck him on the head with t,t t,1 ( at,xs tla .@f the affair. disagree. some. stating that after the first blow above the temple. the doctor reeled and the maniac again hit him in the back of the head. the blow glancipg to the shoulder. Others present claim that he was struck but once. The doctor fell down three or four steps, striking his forehead in the fall.
 There were very few who saw any l thing of the first part of the trouble. but when the maniac started for the others, there was a rapid retreat in all quarters As soon as possible. real
 izing the great danger in allowing such madman to pursue his course of destruction, several attendants at the asylum procured shotguns. Woods tried to make his escape but a well directed shot by one of the guards, who turned both gun barrels loose, quelled the patient almost instantly. Woods was at such a distance when hit by the fusilade that he was pun ished only with about 150 punctures of the hide. His trousers were riddled almost to the point of annihilation-
 Before the maniac could resume fighting several attendants rushed to him and he was taken to a cell and locked up. He was not chained as it was not deemed necessary. The phy- sicians who attended pr. Ferguson picked out more than 150 shot from Woods back to his ankles.
 Dr. Fergusons wounds consisted of a cut over the left temple. the bruises on the forehead, the shoulders and back of the head. When reached by the physicians he was very weak from the loss of blood and the shock to his nervous system. No bones were brok- en and the skull was uninjured except for the bruises. The nearly fatal To- cation of the blow was apparent. Had the axe hit an inch lower in the tenn pie. or had the blow in the back of the head been a little lower down. death would have probably resulted instantly.
 Woods was brought here from Mo- have county and is about 3S years of age. Because of his form of dementia not being considered dangerous and his disposition quiet. Woods was given the freedom usually accorded such pa tients of the institution. The inmates are always under the eye of the is not known.