Bio: Burns, Ed (insanity commitment - 1915)

Contact: Ann Stevens
Email: sdann88@yahoo.com

Surnames: Burns, Handke, Shean

----Source: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 3/18/1915

Burns, Ed (insanity commitment - 15 MAR 1915)

About ten days ago Ed Burns was committed to the county jail from Colby to serve out a 30-day sentence for vagrancy. Monday Burns developed an acute form of insanity and was committed to the Mendota Hospital where he was taken Tuesday by Sheriff Handke and Otto Handke. He is violently insane, but during lucid moments he claimed his name was Ed Shean and that his mother lived at 1660 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. What is particularly more startling, however, is the fact that he is said to have stated Monday that he had committed a very grave crime, but the nature of it could not be ascertained from him by the officials, neither could they get anything definite as to his former residence or occupation. Sheriff Handke wired to Chicago and the police there located Mrs. Shean and the officials here are now waiting to hear from Chicago again.

It is thought very probable that Burns or Shean has committed some crime and that it has weighed so heavily on his mind that he has gone insane over it. There is considerable mystery attached to the circumstance which it is hoped to clear up within a few days.