Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1905 — JOE MARSHALL GOES INSANE. [ARTICLE]

JOE MARSHALL GOES INSANE.

V- - . w Shoots Dr. Washburn In the Leg; Is Later Captured and Will Be Sent to the Asylum.

It can truthfully be said that there is scarely. a week goes by without something exciting going on in Rensselaer, and this week has been exception* to the rule. It is ‘a common thing for some of the keepers of alleged bawdy bouses to enliven the neighborhoods in which they are located by shooting at some of the more obnoxious “dogs” who get too obtrusive, and such things have grown so common that nobody pays any attention to them, so long as no one is killed. Monday night, however, a shooting of another sort place. Joe Marshall, son of Capt. R. W. Marshall, the attorney, opened the door and, unannounced, walked into Dr. Washburn’s home at about 8:30 o’clock, while the doctor and Mrs. Washburn were sitting by their fireside, and immediately raised a big revolver and fired a shot fit the doctor. The latter jumped to his feet as the shot was fired and the bullet lodged in the right leg a little above midway between the ankle and the knee, making a rather painful wound and shattering the frontal bone somewhat. Marshall immediately ran out of the house to the river near by, where he had a boat concealed, jumped into the boat and went down the stream. Dr. Washburn ran to a neighbor’s and gave the alarm and soon a number of men were out searching for young Marshall: One party drove out to the Lamson bridge, expecting to head him off there if he continued on down the river. Some time later it was found that he had discarded the boat near the cemetery and he was heard yelling in that vicinity. A search of the cemetery located him. unarmed, lying flat on his back, one hand grasping a corner stone of one of the cemetery lots | and the other a tuft of grass. His father was with the party that found him and he offered no resistance in accompaning them. He was jailed and has since been quite violent. He refuses to keep his clothing on, and has walked about his cell with nothing but an undershirt to cover his nakedness, recognizing no one, alternately cursing and praying. - Tuesday an insanity inquest was held by Squire Irwin and Drs. English, Miller and Kresler,

and he was pronounced insane and application made for his incarceration in the asylum. The is no doubt of the boy’s insanity, and people here who have known him all his life have always thought that he was “peculiar” and a little “off.” He is now 29 years of age, and has seen servioe in the Philippines and was also a soldier in the SpanishAmerican war. Lately he has been cranky on socialism and relegion, and the only thing that he could possibly have against Dr. Washburn was his delusion that the doctor and his uncle, G. E. Marshall, editor of the Rensselaer Republican, were trying to make a Catholic out of him. His father states that the first signs of mental aberration noticed by him was two years ago, and later some five weeks ago, but it was not thought that anything so very serious ailed him. Joe has worked considerably for his uncle, G. E. Marshall, during the past couple of years, in the Republican office, and has become a fair printer. His relatives and friends have the sympathy' of the community over bis present condition and it is hoped that he may not be incurable. Dr. Washburn is getting along nicely and the wound is not considered dangerous. The bullet iB lodged in the bone and unless it gives him some trouble will be allowed to remain there, it having been found somewhat difficult to remove it. The doctor thinks that had he not jumped to his feet, which fact no doubt disconcerted the aim of the insane man, he would have been shot in the breast and no doubt killed. The revolver was a 38-caliber one anc belonged to his father. It „ was found in Dr. Washburn’s yard where young Marshall had thrown it .ifter the shooting. While a great shook to the doctor and his wife, nq serious results are likely to follow, fortunately, and the wounded man, will soon be about again. Yesterday at the time of going to press no reply had been received from the asylum authorities and it is hardly likely that he can be removed before Monday, although it is possible that he may be taken away to-day.