Mexborough and Swinton Times August 6, 1886

Strange Freak of a Madman at Mexborough
A Denaby Main Dataller Conveyed to Wadsley Asylum.

Yesterday morning, about a 2:15 o’clock, Mr. Jos. Beaumont, fruiterer of high Street, Mexborough, was awakened by hearing someone in the streets shouting and calling him down. Hastily looking through the window, he saw a man in the road gesticulating wildly and acting generally as if he was not in his proper senses. When Mr Beaumont asked him what he wanted, the man shouted “Police!” several times, and finally, looking up at Mr Beaumont, asked him to come down, at the same time brandishing in his hand an open clasped knife.

The conduct of the man so alarmed Mr Beaumont that he shouted for help, and shortly afterwards the man who keeps the Lodge at Mr Waddington’s glass bottle works, accompanied by several other men, appeared on the scene. In the meantime, the maniac, for such his general behaviour left no further room for doubt, proceeded up High Street, followed by the man who had been aroused by his cries. But when no further than the shop of Mr John Stables, tripe dresser, who he contrived to get out of bed also, he then returned, and stopping, opposite the Montagu arms, began to shout and threaten that he would stop the first man that came near him. He said that he had seen his father (who had been dead seven years) down Denaby pit, the night before last, he had heard his voice, but that his voice had got down his throat and was nearly choking him. He also said the previous day, while he was having his breakfast, he had seen his Satanic Majesty, who was sporting four claws, 4 feet, and was dancing like a monkey.

This strange talk some more alarmed the men who have followed, grave doubts of his sanity being entertained, and as the man proceeded to threaten them again, they closed with him, got him down on his back, and there held him whilst one of the number run up to the police station and fetched inspector Barrett. By the aid of Henry Chambers, John Stables, Mr. Beaumont’s son, and a man named Edwards, inspector Barrett succeeded in getting the man to the police station, where he was lodged.

When he got there he said his father had appeared to him in the pit naked, and the workmen laughed at him. His father’s voice went down his throat and therefore he could speak his voice after that. He said he went home and had some Yorkshire pudding, but it smelt of sulphur, and under the table there was the “old man” whose appearance had already been described.

During the morning it was discovered that the man’s name was Daniel Hughes, who lived with Richard Oakley, brother-in-law, who is a deputy at Denaby Main colliery, residing at Number 1, Cliff View, Denaby Main. Hughes is a dataller employed at the colliery, and worked up to the night before his escapade. He is 25 years of age in the last three months have been attended by Dr Smith of Mexborough, who, however, was not treating him for insanity. About three months ago he complained to his brother-in-law of the appearance of his father in the pit, but since that he has given no symptoms of mental arrangement. The real thing which seem to prey upon his mind was that his father, who had been a publican at Hanley, in Worcester’s, and left him some money, but that his sister had got it, and it is suppose that the poor fellow wandered into Mexborough yesterday morning in order to lay his grievance before the police.

The asylum order was signed during the day by Rev. H. Ellershaw (vicar), and Dr. Sykes, to whom he recounted his wild stories, and later on he was conveyed to Wadsley asylum in charge of Messrs. Asquith and Cochrane, the overseers, and Police Constable Cade. He is not very violent, and is strongly imbued with religious ideas.