Today in Wheeling History: October 27--John Josephs of Martins Ferry attempts to murder Dr. T.M. Haskins of Wheeling to cast off an imagined "hypnotic spell" (1903).
On October 27, 1903, John Josephs of Martins Ferry attempted to take the life of prominent surgeon Dr. Thomas M. Haskins. Josephs had visited Dr. Rudolph M. Rau earlier and claimed Dr. Haskins was using electricity to put a hypnotic spell on him, causing him distress. Josephs showed Dr. Rau a gun and threatened to kill Dr. Haskins to break this imagined spell. Dr. Rau warned Dr. Haskins that Josephs was coming for him armed with a gun. When Josephs arrived at Dr. Haskins' office asking for him, Dr. Haskins pretended to look for himself before knocking Josephs down and disarming him. Dr. Haskins threw Josephs into the street and called the police, who arrested Josephs and took him into custody. Josephs was known to have been behaving erratically lately, and was presumed mentally unbalanced. (https://tinyurl.com/yvemfun7)
On October 27, 1903, John Josephs of Martins Ferry attempted to take the life of prominent surgeon Dr. Thomas M. Haskins. Josephs had visited Dr. Rudolph M. Rau earlier and claimed Dr. Haskins was using electricity to put a hypnotic spell on him, causing him distress. Josephs showed Dr. Rau a gun and threatened to kill Dr. Haskins to break this imagined spell. Dr. Rau warned Dr. Haskins that Josephs was coming for him armed with a gun. When Josephs arrived at Dr. Haskins' office asking for him, Dr. Haskins pretended to look for himself before knocking Josephs down and disarming him. Dr. Haskins threw Josephs into the street and called the police, who arrested Josephs and took him into custody. Josephs was known to have been behaving erratically lately, and was presumed mentally unbalanced. (https://tinyurl.com/yvemfun7)
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