Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-05-12
Sheriff FarrQr Has
Struggle With
Desperate Lunatic

Sheriff Polk Farrar had very un- !
pleasant experience with a crazy ne
10 en- MIR. Dowule's place near Cilt- |
Jnvllle yesterday.
viii keneh, negro about 80 years |
of age and weight about l10 pounds,
mas ueen known 1or long time to
pe OF unsound mind, but was never
considered dangerous until Wednes-
Gay when he stopped a morse ridden
py httle ten year old daughter OF
Mr.. 1aimadge kite, who was gong
from her fathers place to Mrs. Cum
ningham's distance of a mile or
more and threatened her. The incl
dert occurred in the Jim Creek
Swamp, about half way between the
places. After stopping the horse and
threatening TO klIi the enid with a
stuck he held in his hand, ne allowed
heh to proceed. Inc next day writ
of lunacy was sued out and the sheriff
telephoned for.
] The negro was in the field raking
hay when Sheriff Farrar and Mr.. Rite
went TO Mr.. Dowdles place for him.
Mr.. Dowdle called the negro in and
told him that he had been acting
crazy and that the sheriff had come
to take him to a hospital, where he
would be treated, and that when he
tgot well he could come back and go TO
work. He began Immediately to argue
the question, saying Boss, you know
amt crazy; don't do everything you
tell me, and as well as any OF the
other hands, Mr.. Rife then told him
stopping his little girl and he denied
having seen her. He soon broke and
ran and Sheriff Farrar fired several
shots to stop him if possible. The
negro ran across a pasture and stop
ped IN thicket, where he hid in a
alrch, Sheriff Farrar who followed
him found him lying there and walk
ed to within six feet of his hiding
place with pistol in his hand, calling
out TO him if he moved he would
kIil him. The negro jumped up sud
/ denly and made lunge at the sheriff
who put out his hand to stop him but
instead Of catching him by the throat
as ne intended put his hand in the
negro's mouth, whereupon he proceed
"a to bite the sheriff's thumb off, all
lhe time trying to reach the pistol
which the sheriff held in his right
h2nc Behind him. Finding he was
a being overpoWered the Sheriff shot the
negro in the side and he immediate.
/ " fell. Several Of the Sheriff's fjng-
: ers were cheNed up and his face
scratched.
Mr.. Rife, coming up the thicket in
+ pursuit from the opposite side became
y badly entangled in a mass of rattar
and vines and was DELAYED in arriv.
h ing on the scene early enough to as.
y slSt the sheriff in time to prevent hi.
|, being injured. But when he did ar
/ rive, the two got the negro to tn
oherlff's cay, and carried him {,
Chttonvillle, where they stopped fo
the sheriff to go into a store to hav,
something done for the wounds h,
= had received.
u 1t was thought the negro was Sc
e curelv fastened in the auto. and h
was left alone while Sheriff Farra
J. was having his wounds treated, bu
n soonl after the sheriff entered th
store, the prisoner managed to wor
loose ana jumped out and oyer fenc
and ran acr.ss the Cunningham pas
ture to the jim Creek Swamp.
posse Immediately went in rsuit
.r out Sheriff Farrar was suffering 8
l. much from his wound that he was oh
/ llged to return to town.