Andrew Pedroti

Andrew Pedroti was a man who attacked August E. Muenter, a California State Senator, at his home near Lathrop during the early morning hours of 2 March 1902. Some newspapers reported, sensationally, that Pedroti had been driven insane by research into perpetual motion and that he sought to assassinate Muenter over a conspiracy to prevent him from registering a patent for his design, while more sober reports claimed Pedroti had simply broken in while on an alcoholic binge.

Press Coverage

• "ALLEGED INSANE MAN.", Evening Mail (Stockton, Cal.): 8, 3 Mar. 1902, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/609646248, "Andrew Pedroti, supposed to be insane, was brought in from Lathrop last evening by a Constable and taken to the detention hospital. Sunday night he broke into Senator Muenter's house and demanded that everybody else leave, declaring that he owned the place and everything in it. The man was so violent that it was found necessary to put straps on him. This morning he broke the straps in a frenzy and another pair was put on him. He was brought before Judge Jones this morning and his hearing set for Wednesday. The man is a powerful fellow, and looks like an Italian. His name, also, would indicate that he is a son of Italy. Those who heard his broken, excited talk, thought him Italian, but he finally made it understood that he was German, so Carl Salbach was called in from the Clerks office to interpret what he said. The man declared that he was all right, but said that he had been drinking heavily for several days, and his stomach had been deranged. Salbach said the fellow used a sort of German lingo difficult to understand." 
• "SENATOR MUENTER FOUGHT FOR LIFE WITH A MURDEROUS MANIAC - Thrilling Encounter at Muenter Resident, Near Lathrop, In the Early Morning Hours. With Mrs. Muenter's Aid He Succeeded in Binding the Man's Hands and Feet After a Desperate Struggle.", Stocking Daily Evening Record (Stockton, Cal.): 1, 3 Mar. 1902, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/609542915 
• "STRUGGLES WITH MANIAC IN DARKNESS - State Senator Muenter Victor in Thrilling Combat. Gigantic Madman Invaded His Home Near Lathrop at Night. Wife of the San Joaquin Statesman Assists In Conquering and Binding the Murderous Intruder.", San Francisco Call (San Francisco, Cal.): 1, 4 Mar. 1902, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19020304.2.11&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1, "From papers found in his effects it was found that the man's name was evidently Andrew Pedroti. At the Detention Hospital he had to be put into a straitjacket. He was a magnificent specimen of physical manhood, and the wonder expressed by the officers was that Muenter had been able to overcome him." 
• "FIERCE FIGHT WITH MAD PROWLER. Bravely Defended His Family and Overpowered Armed Maniac.", Evening Sentinel (Santa Cruz, Cal.): 1, 5 Mar. 1902, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=ES19020305.1.1&txq=%2522Andrea+Pedroli%2522, "A crazy man, armed with a big knife, broke into State Senator August Muenter's home last night, and attempted to murder the Senator and his wife[...] It was learned here that his name is Andrea Pedroli and that he had gone insane attempting to invent a perpetual motion machine. He had his invention in his grip. He speaks Italian. He said Senator Muenter was preventing him from patenting his invention and that he intended murdering the Senator and his family." 
• "WAS SUFFERING FROM DELIRIUM TREMENS - Man Who Entered Senator Muenter's House Thought It Was His Own Home.", Evening Mail (Stockton, Cal.): 8, 6 Mar. 1902, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/609646563 
• "Discharged.", Evening Mail (Stockton, Cal.): 8, 10 Mar. 1902, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/609646910, "Andrea Pedrotti, the man who, while suffering from the effects of liquor, entered Senator Muenter's house at Lathrop last week under the impression that it was his own home, was discharged from the detention hospital Saturday, where he had been confined under the erroneous impression that he was insane."