Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-28
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
4 Maniac Murders His Two Children and Com.
mits Suicide.

Some elk months ago German,
l.. LApgbhem, accompanied by his
wife and two children, a boy and
girl, aged respectively six and four
years, took up his quarters On a
vegetable ranch owned by his
nephew, near Marsh Landing, a
place about five miles from Anti
och, Contra Costa county. Lang
hem and his family were fresh from
Fadsrland, and were quiet and In
dustrIous people. Lsngbhem was
usually worked on his nephew's
ranch, cultivating small fruits and
vegetables, which the nephew took
to Antioch and sold, and his
nephew boarded with the family.
While working in the fields Lang
bhsm was usually accompanied by
his two children, who whiled away
the time in playing and wedding.
At half-past four o'clock on Friday
morning last Langbhem got up and
prepared breakfast for his nephew,
- be was wont, and after the latter
left for Antioch with load Of
strawberries, he went to the field to
work. Soon after going to the
hsld his children followed him.
At about s O'Clock Lang
bhem was seen by Max Klein,
. neighbor, who was at the time
cutting potatoes in his barn few
rods from the Langbhem residence,
to tie the shoe lace Of the little girl.
He was then seen to take the two
children to the adjacent tules.
Soon after he was observed coming
out Of the tules without the chill
drsn, and walking rapidly toward
his house. Immediately after he
reached 1t, Mrs. Langbhem rushed
out tin an excited state, throwing up
her hands In despair, and talking
excitedly in German. This was
followed quickly by the discharge
Of = gun. The neighbors naturally
enough rushed to the scene, A Mr..
Fleekaman, next-door neighbor
to the Langbhems, reached the
house first, and entering 1t, he be-
held q horrible sight. Langbhem
was leaning against the wall, al
most doubled up, and dead, with a
double-barreled shotgun grasped
firmly in his hands, the muzzle in
his mouth, and his toe against the
trigger. The charge had passed
into the unfortunate mans head,
and spattered his brains all over
the reom. After partly recovering
from the shock q search was begun
for the children, who were missing.
About an hour later the two were
found lying dead, side by side, not
far from where Langbhem had been
seen to emerge. The little girls
skull had been smashed with q |
heavy, blunt instrument and her
throat cut from ear to ear, severing |
the jugular vein, aud piece
OF flesh had also been cut out of
one Of her hands. The boys body
bere no marks of violence, except
ing that his head was nearly sew
cred from the trunk. Near the
bodies were found the apron worn
by Langbhem at the time he
his children and a
heavy bludgeon, with which it is
supposed he beat in the skull of
his little daughter. Both articles
we're covered with blood. The
throats of the little ones are sup
posed to have been cut with q
scythe- blade or some similar in
as In each case the
frightful wound had been inflicted
with one blow. The little ones
were remarkably fine children.
was 40 years of age. At
the inquest Mrs. Lapgbhem testi-
fed that her husband had always
been affectionate and kind to her.
Dslf and children, and that they
had formed q happy family. He
had no financial troubles, ana was
tsmrerate In his habits. There
was nothing unusual In his con-
1uct or appearance when he went
10 work in the morning. A young
v brother Of her husband, she
Idded, is now confined in an in
'ane asylum In Germany. Other
acquainted with the de-
,eased testified that he was q sober,
Industrious and peaceable man. A
verdict was rendered that the MUIR
|erer and suicide was insane.