Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-01
MURDERED BT 4 MANIAC.
An Old Man in the Berks County Pa Aims
honsc killeA ia HIS NIrep.


house Killed in His sleep.
A Reading Pa.) special Of July 30th says:
The BerkS county alms-house WAS the scene
Il a terrible and brutal murder early this
morning. John Flowers. one OF the IN
mates. deliberately killed Thoma, Louth. =
r1em-matc, by crushing hi, head and beat
ing il 10 Jelly. Flowers, the murderer,
Louth. his victim. and another man, named
David Roth, occupied room No. s. to-
gether in the hospital building and facing
the pnor-hOuse lane. George Wi>ner is
Superintendent Of this department. Each
Of the men had = separate bed. Louth's
was situated with the heai-board toward
the window and the two others at the other
end OF the room. with an aisle the width OF
the door between them. fheir room was
very tdily arranged. They apparently got
along very well together. Flowers a
times appeared out OF hi' MIND, but was
not violently insane. Louth was old aud
d,crepit, and Roth is a gOod-natufed Old
German
After the inmates had been served with
breakfast. Flowers approached Supcrln-
tenGent Wisner and asked him TO come 10
his room. rs he wanted 10 show HIM some
thiag. aud Mr.. Wi>ner promised 20 do so
later in the day, not SUSpcct!ng the sicken-
ing nascdy that had been committed.
Flowers appeared satisfied and walked
away. Subsequently Roth m,de the same
request Of superintendent Wisner. and the
latter repeated the promise that he had
made to Flowers. Subsequently Roth came
running up to superintendent Wisner and
informed him that LOuth was dead and
had been killed by Flowers. 4 rush was
Immediately made for the room. The sight
that met the eyes Of those who went there
was sickening in the extreme. Louth was
found living at full-length on his cot His
Jaw was broken and his teeth and cheek
bone. were battered in. His eyes were
almost bursting from their sockets. lie
had been murdered while asleep, and must
have died without a struggle.
Turning to Flowers, superintendent
Winer demanded to know why he had
killed the harmless old man. A complete
change seemed 10 have come over the muir
derer since last evening. His eyes appeared
wild and staring and he exhibited all the
symptoms Of a raving maniac. Flowers
replied that Louth had killed his daughter
and that the Lord had commanded him 10
sNcnce her murder. Flowers was then
locked up IN an iron cell He is a man OF
lfbhb i'lAe- .Nai's AsA7 Ns'' 'i'-''
lack mOustache. When asked about the
murder he replied:
"Well, sir. could no more help It than
you could il you were in my position. Ihe
old man killed my daughter"
Tins is all diseased Imagination OF the
insane murderer. His victim had been an
inmate Of the almshouse about two years,
and was about seyenty-tiye years OF age.
\ few nights ago Flowers escaped from
the building, and could not be found until
the following morning, when he was no.
ticed in thick woods back OF the poor
house. He was returned after great din
Guilty. He said he was looking for car
| from heaven 10 take him there.
The coroner was notified Of the murder,
and Immediately held an inquest. The
| jury rendered a verdict, and censured the
State Board Of Charities for Withholding
! the power from the steward OF removing
insane persons 10 the insane department.:
4 warrant was sworn out for the arrest OF
Flowers by direction OF the district attor::
ney, and he was brought to Reading and
lodged In Jail.