A Circus Act Turned Deadly
Sounds like everyone’s worst nightmare, right? For a 13-year-old boy living in San Francisco in 1854, it was reality. On the evening of January 10, 1854, a small Spanish theatrical performance took place on Stockton Street. A boy named William Snyder, or William Bernard as some papers called him, was selling candy and peanuts when he was attacked and killed by a clown.
A Deadly Joke
For reasons unknown, a circus clown named Manuel Reys grabbed William by the heels and swung him around several times. Newspapers described Reys as “mentally defected,” though the meaning of that diagnosis remains unclear. By the time he let go, blood was coming from William’s mouth. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died. A coroner’s inquest determined the cause of death was a rupture of the left pulmonary artery. The death was ruled accidental.
Justice Denied
William was buried the next day in Yerba Buena Cemetery. Authorities arrested Reys for murder, and his case was sent to the Grand Jury. There is no record of further action.
Four years later, Reys was in court again. In December 1858, he was charged with assault and battery on a police officer. Witnesses claimed he had committed multiple murders, both in the United States and Mexico. In court, he slapped at his own face as if swatting away invisible insects and muttered incoherently. The judge suspected he was feigning madness but ordered a medical evaluation.
Mad or Manipulative?
In March 1859, Reys was declared insane and committed to Stockton State Hospital by San Francisco Judge M.C. Black. He was discharged just over a month later on April 15, 1859. Later that year, reports surfaced that he had avoided prosecution for at least two murders by pleading insanity.1Daily National Democrat | Fri, Mar 11, 1859
A Tragic End
Reys remained a free man for several more years, but in 1865, he was institutionalized again. His commitment register from Stockton State Hospital describes him as a Chilean native suffering from a severe mental decline. Though doctors did not consider him homicidal, they noted his religious hallucinations, his violent outbursts, and his tendency to destroy everything within reach. His record also states he was a zealous Catholic, a heavy drinker, and had shown no improvement. He was classified under “dementia” and received no treatment. He died at the asylum on September 27, 1865, and was buried in the Stockton State Hospital Cemetery.
A Grave Lost to Time…and Soap?
Visiting William’s grave is impossible. Yerba Buena Cemetery no longer exists. The land is now home to the Asian Art Museum and Public Library. In 1870, some bodies were moved to Golden Gate Cemetery, but whether William was among them is unknown. At the time, it was common for people to steal body parts from the cemetery to make soap. Many of the bodies had turned into adipocere, better known as grave wax.
Why Are Clowns So Terrifying?
For many, clowns are the stuff of nightmares. They are meant to entertain, but something about them feels unsettling. Was Reys just an unhinged performer, or did he use his act to hide something darker? If this story gave you chills, you are not alone. Why do you think clowns are so terrifying? Share your thoughts in the comments or tag me on social media. I would love to hear your theories.
The twisted tale of this killer clown isn’t the only haunting story tied to an asylum. At Pennhurst, the tragic history of institutionalized patients has left behind an unsettling paranormal legacy. If you’re drawn to eerie asylums and the spirits that linger, don’t miss my deep dive into Pennhurst’s chilling past.
“Grave wax”….and I thought the liposuction clinic raid in Fight Club was the ultimate in macabre- then again, there’s the story about the best laundering places being downhill from sites of human sacrifice. I understand the need for recycling, “waste not, want not”, but I’ll leave that aspect of it to the care of Mother Nature!