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John Brady

Posted 2017-12-02 by Judy Wight Branson
Prescott Journal-Miner, Prescott, Arizona
Sunday, November 3, 1912, page 5, column 3

Violent Dementia Ends In Death

One of the most unusual cases of insanity and its final ending in
the short duration of only a few days, overtook John Brady, at Mint
Valley yesterday evening. The case is without parallel in this
section.

The dead body was found by Joe Roberts, in whose employ the
unfortunate man had been for less than one month, and by Dr. Looney,
who were summoned from this city by the arrival of Albert
Stringfield, a neighbor, who rode horseback for medical aid.

On arriving at the house the body of Brady was found with life
extinct and in a nude condition. Leading up to the belief that
something was wrong a the farm, Mr. Stringfield stated that he
noticed the team horses grazing on the land that contained crops not
yet harvested, when he sent John Shivers, Fran Alred and a Mexican
employe to investigate. The trio entered the building and were
horrified to see Brady crouched behind the bedstead with a box over
his head, and without having any clothes whatever on his body. The
interior of his room was a wreck. The stovepipe was torn from its
mooring, the dishes were smashed to pieces, the mattress was torn to
shreds, the windows were smashed in, the fact the interior was
demolished of everything movable.

To add to the horror of the scene Brady was found gasping for
breath, and after considerable effort was removed from under the bed
and placed on the floor and covered over with quilts. He had not a
stitch of clothing on his body. He endeavored to say something, but
it was a futile effort.

At this time it was deemed advisable to summon Mr. Roberts and Dr.
Looney, but about an hour later he passed into convulsions and the
end came. It is believed, however, that not over three days
duration of the dementia. An investigation made of the interior
showed the tracks of the man barefooted leading away from the ranch,
and into the rocks. His body was bruised from on end to the other,
his feet being particularly being cut up. Neither his shoes, hat,
or coat or vest were recovered, which leads to the supposition that
in his wanderings he must have been a considerable distance from the
place when he discarded his clothes.

Mr. Roberts is speaking of this unfortunate occupancies after his
return last night stated that Brady was formerly employed at the
ranch and was reinstated only last month, having been an inmate of
the county hospital in recovering from a broken leg in a runaway
accident. He was in town after supplies last Monday, and said he
was feeling better than in many years. He was alone at the ranch,
and the last time seen was on Wednesday when he was pursuing his
accustomed work in looking after the horses and attending the crops.

He was a man of small stature. He was a farmer by occupation, of
the age of about fifty years. He has no known relatives in this
section.

Transcriber's note. Mr. Brady is buried in an unmarked grave at the
Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona.




Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.

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