The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-23
John SHOWERS REMORSE.
THE nlN VINO MADE A DEITH-BED
CONFESSION or FOUR MURDERS.
what those who Heard u now Have 20 Say
sope or the shocking Detniis-The Victim
Whose Body wa. Burned In ~ Lime n lin
..,,,tcn. of SIN Another Murder.

su.utttcus OF Sill Another Murder.
NvrusrowS. Pa, May 22.-,John Showers
,.,t.ssion Of murder continues TO be the topic
otn,rvorsation throughout the Lebanon valley.
A. already tclagraphed to THE Sun. Stoever.
.ho WINS q well-kuown lime-burncr OF
,f,crstown q small station near Reading con-
fsssol on his death bed to George HcfHelnngcr
and Pcr'yal Daub. that during the last twenty
1--WE years he had been concerned in four muir
ders Ilo was man OF some property. He
died before he could give full details Of these
four murders. but enough was revealed to re-
ileyc his mind Of the weight OF guilt silently
borne all these years. Some years ago boat
captain in the employ Of the firm OF william
Eckcnroath 4 Brother was missed while
on trip up tho river. which crcum-
stance Ia we'll remembered in this COM
munity. II has always been suspected
that he was foully dealt with for the reason
that he nearly always carried considerable
sum OF money with him. Stoever confessed
Tint lie helped to kill this man. and that $500 in
money was taken from his person. His body
was thrown into the canal MS was also that OF n
little boy. who. to prevent him from being n
witness TO tho foul deed. was sent to n store
close by but returning in time to discover the
crime and the criminals. was struck on the
head with n Ratchet and killed. One OF his
other two victims was thrown into n brick kiln
and his body burned To ashes. and the other
WINS laid beside limo kiln 80 as to create the
theory that while sleeping near its mouth he
WAS suirocatcd by liz deadly gas.
Tho request Of the dying man was that after
his burial the confession should be given to the
public. but II was kept secret until. "A fcw days
AGO. one Of the witnesses, relative Of Stoever
said to resident Of Myerstown that he could
not endure II any longer and revealed the awful
Onc Neal McTague was a Captain in the
employ Of Eckenroth d Bro, and on n certain
o'c,sion during the war had been on n trip
To- NV York. WHORE. having disposed Of his
hi@ rcturn TO Philadelphia his boat was lcft
lying ut the wharf. and upon his disappear.
nnrn tho report was circulated that he had
nlr'0ulcd with the money. u story convenient
in 'losr hnye. and that he had enlisted and got
killed. Mr.. Philp Board. then In his employ.
stN- tlnt n" saw him cross the wire bridge Mt
l1e IA rmouni Park dam, and that that WIS the
Mr.. and Mrs i.folnnGcr. to whom tho comics.
son WIS made were visited this afternoon by
THE SUNS correspondent. Thoy live several
mii.s outside of Mvcrstown In n modest one
an! a huli-story stone house.. They had re-
iu-sd - state ANYTHING concerning the confess
s."n - their friends and .ncichbors. Mrs.
1l"ieiH."r WIS ny stairs sick. but consented To
cpl' town and state what she know about II.
Sa' i lightly built woman. about 80 years 81
ag' with light brown hair. She had care
WON. troubled look She said:
"p ou'r are 'alkinG u great deal NOWADAYS
about that John Harris Showers confession.
Tho more they talk about II tho more thcrc is
added 10 H. | was with Harris tmenning
Slower. who WINS known principally as Harrisl
dueins 'h' week that he lird. | heard n greal
deal that h. said. hut so far ms | remembered he
mentioned no names of persons who helped to
TONED the name Of Loeb. but did not say he
helped 10 X lll nnvhody He said Loeb was. with
him on the hont the time the hoy was killed. hut
that tNe killing of the boy WIS accidental. The
boy climbed ON tine side " the canal boat. and
WIS mashed VIII ~ the bont ran against the locks.
Harrs mentioned no other names thnt | re-
member Hs spoke mnny times about the kill
Ing OF the mon. lut meyer sad anything about
court. because | don't know much that | can
say. helped TO wait on Harris. He was my
H. said that one, Of the men thew killed
they threw. into. the una. tmranng stove
kind cfan ufa. can't rcmeInber that he men,
toned any namcs at al of the men he killed
mentioned who helped him to do IL. II he did ]
don't know anything about il. j have not n
good head 70 remember things. | heard Ilar.
rs pray. H. srrmrd 10 hive a great deal 81
trouble. ] mink that Prrrival Dauh knows all
thing down. think there is more fuss made
about this than IS necessary. What was done il
thought Hurts was out - lis mind. IL was
weak. md j may be that the strnag medicine
he took had some Eject on him. Dr. Devices OF
Mverstown and other ito tors attended him.
They can tell You more thHn | can nbput that
namcs that Har ~ mi,entioued / am not in
good health and IL the officers Of the law think
i necessary to cNlmnc. mo any further | wish
Mr.. Hcysnnsor is probably 80 years Of age,
and has fun throat beard, dark eyes, and
Wore an nnyiou- utl p'rpleXed look He said:
WIS M Hnrriss house several days before
he dled. II" talked about having helped - Kill
people. hut what nppiHs 10" mentioned can't
rrmrmbrr. About tLat matter my wife has 'old
you all. am not trying Ia ct out Of answer
ing your questions. ! hoard him pray. lie
townrl the ceiling. H. had great trouble. lie
would iay his thin han'l on lis left breast and
r!ing: III ~ ll"w nil call on God To help him 10
wutn"irth. Ti"n h" would sny that all tfat
ha,, 70 comr ont. II. said thcy burned
on oi The murdered mems bodies in lime
I'm. nri,'r. / th"n asktd him what they lad
C0aFtlui ior. and he replied because they were
drans. i any names were mentoned did
not hear them. would toll you If had. |
know mat Harris did speak about murders,
put De ~ not say, that rccol!ect. who helped
him 20 DO IT, Harris died down stairs, and !
slept NJ stnirs. am n plastercr by trade, and
nm worhng az the residence OF Tnrrs5 widow;
DID a9% S9@yrr Us s2 ,, PGonls S Sa hGT o
climate ciIl. lie first took his mothers name.
stfyrr nt sulscguen,ly she married a man
uMr Harris, the s,epfnther. lives with tho
gTilow sioe'"r n MODEST tive, story, frame
H'wn. ad ming s'hoolhouse. The front part
olihe Nnins is topsy turvy. and carpenters
are hus y a,w work making repairs. The widow
VA w her ear. IN washing. but took time 70
t'li nal Size knew about the cA-e. she is q small
Womni win brown hair. dark eyes. md IL
about ~ years oi age. She said TINT the Heifel .
hners a'o,e named had attended her husband
N my INST InyS. MS sh" WIS worn out. and that
her aushani evidently had something on his
MN which b" would not tell her. The old
mar Harris is hard OF hearing. and said no
Know nothing Of The cnse excepting that which
wa told 10 him by HeffclnnGer aud Daub
ne, prevailing opinion in Myerstown IS
tlt Harris was connected not only with
Ws murders he re'ors TO-. but also with
3aer crimes; but it is not supposed that
a!s confessions implicate any persons as
t.~9ssorlrs. There was story anoat yes
wrdiy that Harris and a companion in
Myerstown. had laid In ambush one night to
meet M old and respected citizen Tor the pur,
pose Of robbng him. They did not succeed
uu-cause the Old man was not out that night.
Hatlls was quiet man. who, did much think
ins ana kept lis own counse He spoke Ger
man Principally, ~ do nearly all the persons
CONNECTED with the cnse.
:. Loeb. while admitting that he went on several
ulps On Ga" canal with StocVer. positively de-
n.es k4ow,edEr Of any murder. His manner
"a masking the denial was confused and fright
ontl IL d"mund- an investigation.
,Dtu9, u whom Stoever confessed. has made
"e !oAow!ng affidavit:
b.naH 'ona'Y, q" Ny name is Percival Dauh; reside
is"H,.-rN" NMn-hlV Lebanon county. Fenn-NlVanih.