Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1885-10-29
KILLED HIS BABES.
AN INSANE FATHERS DEED.
Gives his Four Children Arsenic and
Shoots Them-He Then Wound
Himself After Waftingi In Vain
to XIII His Wife and
Daughter.

SusQuEHANNA, Pa, October 24.r-The
crime Of John Howell in numbering his
four children and then inficting fatal in
juries upon himself, proves even more
horrible in its full details than the brief
announcement in last nights despatch
indicated, and accident alone prevented
the list of victims being swelled to eight.
For hours the solitary farmhouse was a
death-trap. where a murderer kept watch
beside his four victims, ready 10 kill any
who approached. Howell is prosper
Gus English farmer forty years old. His
farm lies in Preston township, about
three miles from this place. Howell was
known as an industrious, well-conducted
man Of excellent judgment and pleasant
temper. For o year, however, he has
been under treatment for Bright's disease,
and the melancholy so frequently attend
ant upon that affection unsettled his mind.
His mania took a murderous and suicidal
form, and it is now learned that for some
time he has been planning to destroy the
whole family.
His opportunity came yesterday when
his wife and eldest daughter were absent
making purchases for the household.
Howell was left in the house with his
other four children, ranging in age from
three to twelve years. The scheme that
the crazed brain of the wretched man had
conceived was to murder the four child
rem in the absence of the other members
Of the family, STAY his wife and daughter
on their return and then end his own life.
BY means not fully known he induced
the four children to take arsenic in suffi-
cient quantities to cause death, and when
they had fallen into a stupor, by way of
making his work doubly sure, he success
sively placed a pistol close to the fore
head of each and specdcd q bullet into
the brain. The murderous work was
ended before noon. and Howell seated
himself. cooked revolver in hand. To await
the coming of his wife and daughter.
About / O'Clock he saw his brother-in-
law approaching the house, but the lat
ter turned aside while still at a distance
and thus saved his life. Disappointed of
his prey, Howell again took up his watch
beside the murdered babes.
Shortly before A o'clock be concluded
that his wife and daughter had deter
mined to stay in town over night and he
shot himself twice and fell unconscious
beside the murdered innocents. A few
minutes afterwards the wife and daugh.
ter reached home. Entering the house
they found the four little ones and theil
father side by side, all apparently dead,
Poison was the first idea that flashed
across the minds of the horror stricken
mother and daughter, and fastening to {
neighbours they gave the alarm and calle(
a physician. When the doctor arrived
he pronounced all dead save Howell, ant
declared the fathers injuries fatal. Til,
house was in perfect order and tho mur
derer appeared to have done his awfu
work with great carefdlness.
Howell recovered consciousness thi
morning and was able at the Coroner
inquest to tell tho story as II is told above
He confessed that he had locked the doc
as soon as his wife and daughter drov
away, and that he called his childre,
from their play to be murdered. One o
them, o little girl Of six, was not full
under the infinonoo of thc drug whom Ia
shot her. and she made a fight for life
but he stilled her cries and sent the fata
bullet crashing into her brain. No on
holds the wretched man responsible, q
his insanity is generally conceded. 1t
thought he cannot recover. The fou
children will be buried tomorrow.
THE FUNERAL.
SUsQUEHANNA, October 25.-Thc joir
, funeral Of the four murdered Howe
children took place this afternoon. I'll
, scene at the little farm house, tire
miles from S~tarrucca, was one to affe'
the hardest heart. The four little bodi,
were stretched out upon a table in
. room adjoining that in which the woun,
ed father lay. Before being put in IL
: little collins that had just arrived, the
were carried one by one into their father
9 presence, he having expressed u wish
see them. He showed no emotion uni
the boy, his little Dennis, the last to |
, shown him, was brought in, when
CLEAN Of suffering intelligence seemed
+ pass over his face.
While the funeral was taking pla
Howelrs wounds were examined oil
dressed by DR.. Boatsen, who decid,
I that they were not necessarily fatal. /
will not be removed from the house
a his present condition, but an officer WI
9 be detailed to watch him. Though stoli
. he evidently feels the enormity of h
7 insane act, and he expressed a wish til
7 he might not live. The shock to II
a mother has been so great that she do
8 not seem to have sufficient reason left