The daily sentinel., 1909-06-17

most thrilling and dangerous
struggle, lasting over forty minutes,
with maniac, whose natural
strength was increased by the
strength that insanity lends its vie-i
tim. was the fearful experience that
fell TO the lot of Charles F. Schrader,
sheriff of Mesa county, this morning
at the county Jail. Not until the Of
ficer. who is a man of splendid and
powerful physique, was almost eN-
hausted. did assistance arrive. IL
was one of the most terrific strug-
giles between two men. one endeav-
oring to kill the other While in the
throes of insanity and the other en-
deavoring TO protect himself and to
prevent the maniac from escaping,
that ever occurred in this section.
Last night either on Rio Grande
No. l or No. 5. trains from the east,
a young man, about feet tall,
weighing about $50 pounds, arrived
in the city. Presently he attracted
attention by acting strangely in the
waiting room of the depot. Two of
ficers were summoned and seeing
that the man was out of his mind, en-
deavored to subdue him and to take
him into custody. In a struggle that
followed one of the officers was
thrown down but finally the man was
was taken Immediately to the county
jail Sheriff Schrader was aroused
and the sheriff had the unfortunate
man placed in the second story of the
jail room. Only when the lower cage
is filled are prisoners put on this
second floor, unless there happen TO
be women prisoners in jail The up
per floor is an exact counterpart of
the lower cage, the same number of
cells, etc. The insane man had all of
this large cage, With its several cells
to himself.
The insane man seemed quiet
enough when locked up for the rest
of the night.
This morning, about o'clock. af-
ter he had prepared to go down town,
Sheriff Schrader decided to go up to
the second story of the Jail cages and
see If the unfortunate man was as
comfortable as the accommodations
would permit The sheriff opened
the steel door leading from the plat
form at the top of the stairway into
the corridor of the upper cage and
he saw the insane man sitting on the
side of his cot in one of the cells
near the front of the cage, The
sheriff spoke to him as he walked
past his door toward the water hyd-
rant to see If IL was working all
right. Evidently the insane man was
eyeing the officer closely and as the
latter got past his door. the insane
man. quickly got up and in his stock
ing feet started for the door of the
corridor opening out on the stirway
platform. The sheriff saw the move
and attempted to get to the door first
but the insane man beat him to it
The officer then demanded that the
man return to his cell, laying his
hand on his shoulder at the same
time.
Evidently in some movement of
Sheriff Schraders coat the insane
man saw that he had his revolver in
it's scabbard and on the belt around
his waist as usual.
Give me that gun, demanded the
demented man, and he made a move
as If to grab the gun from its scab-
bard under the coat of the sheriff
The sheriff told the man he could
not have the gun but that he must
get back into the cell. The insane
man refused and started toward the
sheriff and then began the terrific
struggle. AT this time the two men
were outside the corridor door ana