Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1909 — CHRIS WUERTHNER FOUND INSANE. [ARTICLE]

CHRIS WUERTHNER FOUND INSANE.

Eccentric Newton Township Fanner . Exhibited Dangerous Symptoms and Inquest Is Held. Christopher Wuerthner, who resides with his mother in Newton and who is a very eccentric man, wan declared to be insane by an inquest board that met at his farm a few miles west of town Monday. Wuerthner is well known in Rensselaer. He is a man about 40 years of age, always wears an almost white suit of clothes, has a first growth beard that is very fine and busby and is a regular attendant at church in this city. He is a very bright man literally and has been a student and extensive reader. He has held peculiar ideas for many yea» and some years ago he was a Darwinian student and an athiest. Later he embraced religion and he was a constant reader of the Bible. Frequently on Sunday morn* ings he would come to town before Sunday Bchool time and either set on the church steps or the court house steps and read his Bible. He was thoroughly versed in it and save for

his oddities was very Interesting. Recently he has exhibited some more peculiar symptoms, and for three weeks he has refused medical aid for his aged mother, who has been quite ill. Monday Dr. Washburn was called there by Wuerthner’s sister, who Is the wife of her uncle, Ehrhardt Wuerthner, sr. He responded but Chris refused to let him do anything for her, and even ordered him out of the house. He said his mother had sinned and that her sins had brought this affliction as a punishment and that she must bear it. His sister came to the house while the doctor was there and he at once accused her of having sent for the physician. When Bhe admitted that she had done so, he commanded her to go home and wash her body and the bodies of her children to cleanse them from unright-

eousness. Dr. Washburn decided that there was no doubt of his insanity and had the inquest called. In the afternoon himself and Drs. Merrill and Cwin, accompanied by Justice of the Peace S. C. Irwin, Sheriff Shirer and Marshal Parks went to the house and made the examination. The doctors did not render their docision until after their return home, and Wuerthner was left there with hie mother. She is German and In her native tongue begged for water to drink. Sheriff Shirer understood her and got her a glass of water, which she drank ravenously. Wuerthner 1 feared that medicine might be in the water and he sought to restrain the sheriff from placing the glass to her parched lips. Last Saturday Chris was in to pay his taxes and he complained about them being too high and laid the blame at the feet of Treasurer Allman, to whom he addressed a powerful chastisement, calling him a hypocrite and a Pharisee. Thus, it may be seen that even the life of a county, treasurer has its troubles. The board rendered an insane verdict after arriving in town and it was decided to leave Wuerthner on his farm until admission can be pjpr cured for him at the asylum. This looks like a dangerous proceeding, for he is regarded as being dangerous and there is no telling what will be the consequences. He is said to have pushed her mother down just before her sickness because she was about to bake some unleaven bread during Lent, and he is also said to have struck and beat his sister.

Deputy Sheriff Oliver Robinson, Marshal "Billy” Parks and Ed Duvall went oat to the Wuerthner home this morning and brought Chris Wuerthner back with them, he being the man the inquest had pronounced lneane. Chris was plowing when the men reached there and he put up a hard fight against being taken. He not only struck and kicked' bat tried to bite and his three husky opponent* found him mighty hard to handle. He was finally downed and handcuffed and brought to town and lodged In the padded cell at the jail. He says be is not crasy, hut he has an idea that every other person is. He ate n hearty dinner after being brought to the jail.