Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-26
Steamer Maiestic's Surgeon Has
Narrow Escape from
Being Murdered.
GOODNESS ALONE SAVED HIM.
Was Locked in Surgery With Madmnn
Third Officer Compelled to shoot
Man In self Defense.

New York, Sept, 26.-The white
star Line steamship Majestic, which
arrived at Quarantine safe last night
from Southampton. Cherbourg. and
Queenstown. brought the story OF a
desperate and almost tragic battle
that occurred in the ships surgery
one night during the voyage. DIT.
Riverdale French. the ships physician.
narrowly escaped death at the hands
Of mailman, one Of the stokers Of
the vessel, who locked both himself
and the doctor in the surgery and
finally had 20 be shot down by an Of
ncer from the ship. The stokcr, Pat
rick Sheehau. Will be removed to- n
hospital when the ship docks this
morning He is seriously but not fat
ally wounded.
MANIAC ARMS HIMSELF.
Stoker sheehan tried to throw HIM
self overheard shortly after the
steamer left Queenstown and Dr.
French ordered the man sent 10 the
surgery for an examination. Scarcely
had the mailman entered his office
when he quickly turned and double
locked the heavy door. Then he seiz-
ed a pair Of scissors as well as sharp
surgical knife which was hanging on
the wall All this was done In a
flash, the door being barred before the
sailor accompanying the stoker had
chance 10 force his way inside. The
sailor. however, gave the alarm. Capt.
Hayes, several under-olflcers ana
dozen seamen assembled at the surg
cry. and looking through the grating
in the locked door could see the mad
fa11lNtr standing
the doctor, a man of slight stature
who sat quietly In his chair. Indeed,
Il was the nerve and GOODNESS of the
surgeon that saved him from being
hacked TO pieces by the insane man.
violent onslaught on the door
would have signalled the doctors
death. and the men outside pleaded
with him TO open the door. but he paid
no attention to them He remained
by the door brandishlng the knife
and shears. Eventually the crowd In
the narrow passageway decided upon
a new plan of action. The lattice
grating in the top of the door was
slowly and cautiously unscrewed and
finally removed. To divert Sheehan's
attention, two Of the scamen continued
their pleadings In loud tones.
BLINDED WITH PEPPER.
A few minutes later the mad stok-
or was induced TO turn toward the
door whereupon he was blinded by
mass of pepper thrown fun in his
eyes through the opening in the trans
ON. Sheehan slashed wildly at the
doctor but the latter had slipped from
his chair and unlocked the door.
Sheehan. partly seeing and partly feel
ing his way. followed blindly. In the
passageway he was fioored by dozen
men. but he hurled them OF. A sec
oud attempt to subdue the maniac
was equally unsuccessful. This time
several Of the men felt the points of
both shears and knife, but none were
seriously cut. and the battle was con-
tinued In the narrow passageway. The
stCker started FOR Third OFFICER Nor
ris. trying TO stab him. In self de-
Tense. the officer was forced TO shoot
The bullet entered Sheehan's right
hip and lodged in the intcstines. He
was then overpoWered and carried TO
the hospital.
The bullet had completely subdued
him and he seemed to recover his rea-
son almost Immediately.