Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-09
EFFIGY
OF DEAD WIFE
{. H. BURROWS GOES INSANE
THROUGH SORROW
RecIuse Who Lived in Rear of 916
South Hope Street Becomes Vio-
lent and Secret Is Dis
covered

Brooding over the loss of his wife,
who died two years ago, led e. H. Bur
rows, 55 years old, q lunch wagon
vendor, living in the rear of a house
at 916 South Hope street, to attempt
to substitute and commemorate the
one in whom his life was centered by
the construction of Gn effigy and, while
worshiping the image, he became vio-
lently insane yesterday afternoon.
For weeks persons in the neighbor-
hood OF the little shanty in which the
lunch wagon man lived heard him talk
ing in peculiar way at late hours
and wondered if he was in the habit
of talking to himself or was learning
some bit of recitation. No one ever
entered the small dwelling place and
no friends ever came to see Burrows,
so his secret was undiscovered until
it was too late to bring him into the
atmosphere of the living world and
save him from insanity.
Became a Recuse
People who knew him say that Bur-
rows never was the possessor of a
strong mind and at the time when he
lost his wife he began to act in a NOR
bid and peculiar manner. After taking
up his solitary abode in the little
shanty he remained a recluse from the
world.
The reason for his secluslon always
remained a mystery Until yesterday.
when, after several weeks of moodi-
ness, Burrows appeared i'll the yard
back of the house Of Mrs. Laura st.
John, 916 South Hope street, and be-
gan to yell and flourish a syringe from
which he squirted muriatic acid. The
frenzied lunch vendor threatened to
put some of the deadly acid ON the per-
sons of all whom he encountered and
he pursued a dog in the yard in an
effort to burn it with the fiery liquid.
While making his demonstration with
the acid Burrows called out warnings
and told how deadly would be the eff
fects of the liquid if it got on the skin
The police were summoned and Officers
Gardner and Harlan answered the call
and took charge of the maniac.
Effiqy Under Bed
Under the bed in the small room in
which Burrows lived there was q
mummy-like figure of a woman, and it
was dressed to fully resemble a living
form. The effigy of the woman
clasped a baby figure, which probably
represented the child which Burrows
had hoped to have to gladden. his old
age. A large coffin-shaped box made
to cover the figures at night was kept
under the bed and covered over with
a quilt to keep it from the sight of
possible prying eyes.
At night the lonely man took these
from their covering and fondled and
talked to them. This talking was what
the neighbors had heard and was the
cause of their wonder at the old mans
habits.
The room of the shanty was peculiar
In it's decorations, Bright-colored Ian
terms and queer color effects were in
evidence. A big organ was in one cor
ner of the room, and on this the insane
man often played weird and plaintive
melodies at a late hour of night or
early in the morning.
Mind Is Shattered
What strange mysteries and rites
went on In the little dwelling of the
sorrow-crazed man never will be
known, for his mind is now hopelessly
dazed and beyond recovery
At the receiving hospital Burrows
was pronounced hopeless and wonder
was expressed that he had not sooner
shown more violent symptoms.
The only clew as to how he came into
possession of the image of a woman
which was found in his room was given
by Burrows himself. who stated that
it was purchased from Bells Indian
Mystery
81 paid $40 for her because she looked
like my wife," said the maniac.