Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-12-17
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Religion Naddeus Man and he Com
mits Triple Murder.

utis Il tEipie 1AututE.
ST. Louis. Dec. 7.-Intormation Of 4
most horrible triple murder committed
by an insane man. this morning, near
Chester, Ill, has been received mere
1t appears that Il young man ~ years
Of age, named Louis IockStein, living
i short distance from Chester, became
insane few DAYS ago, from religious
excitement. Yesterday he VAS taken
before court, 10y Il deputy sheriff, and
adjudged insane, and placed IN charge
Of 2guards. TO be takento the asylum I
Jacksonville. The guards took the
man to Il hotel III town, and remained
with him AL night About six o'clock
this morning he called for water u
wash himself. One of the guards
brought him some in basin which he
took and Immediately flung 1t into the
the guards face. He then dashed
through the front window of the room
and ran down the road leading out into
the county, the blood streaming from
his face and hands from cuts made by
the broken glass.
About Il quarter Of a mile from town.
in the house of Thos. Ryan, an old
man of Us years, with whom lived his
widowed daughter, Mrs. Smith and her
little girl of l. years, Lockstein, who
had stripped himself naked on the
road, rushed wildly in and ordered the
inmates Ito knell down and pray, say
ing they had but Is minutes TO live.
They all obeyed, but the little boy,
who escaped from the house and ran
to the neighbors and gave the alarm.
When friends arrived ut the scene they
found Ryan and Mrs. Smith dead with
their skulls smashed in by an axe, and
the girl lying headless on the floor, the
maniac having chopped the child's head
completely off, Having finished his
bloody work Ut this place, he seized
the bleeding head Of the innocent child
by its long ilaxen hair, and swinging it
over his own head, he dashed down the
road again. About a quarter Of a mile
beyond, he stopped at the house of
DR. Gordon. He entered and found
only servant girl; he ordered her AS
he had the Ryan family, To kneel and
pray. The girl screamed, which
brought 4 hired man from the
stable and Doctor Gordon an
peared III the same time.
After II fierce and desperate struggle,
they overpowered and bound him with
rope He was then taken to Chester,
his wounds dressed, clothes put on
him, and lie was placed in charge Of
persons who brought him to East St
Louis tonight and took MIN thence to
the Jacksonville asylum.
ST.. LOUIS, Dee. S.-Louis Iockstein,
who literally butchcred the Ryan FAM
iIy at Chester, Ills, yesterday, was Il
farmer, living near Chester, His, and
one of Il family ofsix brothers and sis
tiers. Louis had been Il strong Catho-
lie, but of late had attended meetings
Of other denominations, and under the
strong excitement occasioned, became
insane, but not violently his mind
running mainly to asking persons Go
pray with him. On Saturday last he
made his two sisters knCcl down and
pray with him III the street. and eN
pressed the opinion that the Norld
would come to nm end in few days.
Ills story is that at the hotel from
which he escaped, parties We're trying
TO mob him and he had to run away;
that when he neared the Ryan house hC
discovered it to he ON fire and rushed
III and saved all the inmates with the
exception Of the little boy who he
maintains persisted i'll the flames. lie
says that while saving the Ryans from
Il death from fire his own clothes were
burned off him and that he himself
was badly seorched. Thos. Ryan WAS
an old man between 20 and 50 years,
quite feeble and unable to defend him
self against the attack OF the maniac.
His daughter, Mrs. Smith, was Il young
widow and kept house for him. They
were old citizens and highly respected
people. Great excitement existed
among the citizens when the butchery
became known and II strong DISPOSE
ton was manifested to lynch Lock-
stein, Notwithstanding his insanity.
There is feeling SO strong that the otli-
GERS were obliged to take Lockstein
across the country in wagon and
board train for East st. Louis ut 4
small way station