A FEARFUL STRUGGLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1918, Page 6

A FEARFUL STRUGGLE.

WITH A MADMAN. Sydney, Jan. ft. A terrible struggle between a man and his demented son took place in Ballarat last Sunday. The man c-.-capod, but the struggle was almost immediately renewed between the ..madman and the police, and was a rather dreadful affair. Gitsham, a oab proprietor, had retired to bed, and was awakened by the click of the electric light in his room being switched on. He saw a man, brandishing an axe, standing beside his bed. and he gave an involuntary yell. The man sprang back and Gi'tsliam sprang* from his bed and closed with him. He reepgnised the man as his own son, 24 years old. Both are strongly-built men, and a terrific struggle ensued, in the course of which they worked their way out of the bedroom. Mrs Gitsham in an adjoining room-, had been awakened by her husband's scream., and in her night attire, she raced through the streets to a nearbypolice station. A constable immediately ran back to Gitsham's house, getting another man from the beat as iie went. They found Unit the madman had dropped the axe. and was prowling about the yard. When the constable approached, he backed into a corner and I put his hand in his pocket. The constables rushed him. one on each side, and tried to handcuff him. He produced a keen-edged butcher's knife, with which he slashed at them. He attacked each policeman in turn, cuttilig their hands most severely, and displaying terrible strength. One constable miraculously escaped a furious upward slash at. his stomach, which ripped open his tunic. I At last they knocked the knife out of his hand. By this time the handcuffs were on one wrist, but the operation was not completed without a most, desperate light. Finally, the eonsta.bles overcame the madman, and Gitsham then harnessed a horse and drove into Ballarat. At the station here, the struggle was renewed. It took a number of constables a long time, and all their strength to put a straight jacket and "kicking trousers" on the maniac, who bit at the rougli canvas until his mouth was cut and bleeding. j Two of the policemen had to have surgical attention afterwards, the wounds in the hands of one being serious. It was ascertained that the unfortunate young Gitsham had been for .some years in a lunatic asylum, but had been recently discharged as cured. Two doctors had no hesitation now in'declaring him insane, however, and he was sent hack to close confinement