National Republican., 1884-09-11
AFTER THE MURDER.



The inquest on the body OF officer John II.
Fowler, murdered by Guinea Langster, was
held at the seventh precinct station house yes.
tcrday morning. The jurors were Daniel She
han, j. Fred Kelly, Henry II. IIoff, c. d. shet-
tlc W. o. Patton, and Charles spehb Before
the jury was summoned Iangster had been
removed from the Hfh precinct where he
had spent the night to the seventh. He had
been quiet all night, but early in the morning
began TO sing. and laugh and otherwise con.
duct himself like crazy man. He had stuffed
mp the keyhole Of his cell door with bits of
paper and of his breakfast. He has talked
quite freely, and one of his stories now is that
while the officer was trying to shoot him he
Struggled to prevent IT, and in that struggle
the pistol was turned, so that when II went off
the ball struck the officer, who himself pulled
the trigger.
on the way between the station houses
Langstcr's picture was taken at Davis's gal
lery. Langstor had to be held down in the
chair while his picture was taken.
There Is sOmo method in the madness which
LangstCr il now presumed to be assuming.
The insanity plea will have strong support,
from the fact that Langster was confined in
st. Elizabcths insane asylum from Sept, %,
1883, until January 1891, us mn insane man.
Previous to his confinement in the insane asy-
lum he had served four mounths as Il private
in company II, 9th cavalry. A large part of
the remainder of his life has been spent in
reformntOry and penal institutions.
When Langster was taken before the coro
ncr's jury he wore nothing but pair of
drawers, one part of his insane capers being
to tear up his shirt. His bare arms and breast
showed that he was powerful man.
Thorton Chcsley, boy, was the first wit
ness. He described the scene In the alley be-
fore the shooting, but he did not see the shoot
ing. Fowler had told the negro he was
friendly toward him and did not want to
shoot him., Langster said, 'iou will have to
shoot me-"
W. r. Clark, of AS D street. sworn that he
saw Langster with his arm around Fowler and
the pistol in his hand. He saw Langster shoot
Fowler while they were in that position.
A. Hamilton saw the two men struggling,
but did not see the fatal shot fired.
John q. Crogan was In the alley and heard
the shots. Running up further he met Fowler,
who stood with his hands on his hips, and ex-
claimed, I'm shot; Guinea has done 1t for
me this time The negro stood there with
Henry T. Houck heard the shot, but did n ot
see them fired. lie helped to take Fowler to
the station. All he heard Fowler say was !:
MY wife and children" At the station Fow-
Ter inquired for his wife.
Alfred S. Wilson. another boy, described the
struggle between Langster and Fowler He
saw LangsteT.get possession of the pistol and
shoot three times at Fowler. only the. third
shot was effective, Fowler staggered and
said,. "oh, let inc lie down on the grass and
die.h
This witness told of colorcd man who was
helping Fowler, but who ran away when
Langster got the pistol. Robert Jackson, the
man referred to, interrupted and said he
wanted TO say something while all these
boys are talking" He was given the oppor-
helped the officer according to the latter's di-
rections Langster got the pistol and tried to
shoot the witness. The ball went over his
head; "1hen," said he 81 jist banished up
de alley, but didn't run away
W. $. Chesley, another boy, gave unimpor
tant testimony, and Officer Boyle testified that
Langstcr had said to him that God had told
him to do it," and 1t was only necessary for
him to have one shot as he was good marks
man, having been in the army; Langster,
when he found there was another load in the
pistol, said, with dirty oath, that he was
sorry he had not used it to shoot the man who
looked under the bed for him
Robert Jackson was called to the stand again
and began to describe the shooting. Langster
sat near him and glared at him with most
malignant and devilish expression on his face
Several times he muttered, you lie" and
finally he started up and toward the witness,
to whom he said, with vile epithet, You're
II liar, and I'll slug you"
The threat was not executed, however for
Lieut.. Kelly threw both arms around Langsters S
neck and forced him back into his seat The
movement caused a sensation and some fear
in the immediate neighborhood of the prisoner.
DR.. Hnrtigan gave the results of the autopsy
made the previous day and said that death
resulted from hemorrhage. The jury then
brought in the following verdict: THAT the
said John II. Fowler came to his death be-
tween 10 and IL a. m., Sept o. 1884, at the
seventh precinct station, corner of First and +
streets northeast, city of Washington, ID. c.,
from pistol shot wound of the abdomen, in
ilicted with pistol in the hands of John
Langster, alias George I. Hudson"
Langster was at once taken TO his cell, and
soon aiterward Lieut.. Kelly with Officers Har-
lowe and Boyle took the prisoner, manacled
hand and foot, in the police wagon to the Jail,
He had been provided with suit of old
clothes from the reform school.
On the wall of his cell was found written in
a good, clear hand by the prisoner himself
John Langster, murderer of Policeman
Fowler"
Above this and also in another place was
written, "Miss Katie King, 1859 II street north
east"
Langstor had also again stopped up the
keyhole of his cell with paper wads
The funeral of officer Fowler will take place
tomorrow afternoon at o'clock from the resi-
dence of his iather-in-law No. 2i3 Eighth street
southeast. The services will be conducted by
Rev. Father Sullivan.
Fowler was n member of the Grand Army of
the Republic, Meade post, No. 5, and the men,
bers Of the post and of the order here will at
tend the funeral tomorrow afternoon, expect
ing to parade five or six hundred eX-soldiers,
TO do honor to their comrade, who died In the
line of duty. Comrades Pustis Matthews,
Carroll Dillon, and Rothing are arranging for
the turnout, and the department of the Poto-
mac officials are assisting.
Another red hot pame Mt Canitol mark this