The San Francisco call., 1898-02-10
The Man Who Attempted thG Life Of His Wife Accused of al AtTOCiOuS Crime in the
 States Home for thG DGmGntGd.
John R. GIlthS, Discharged Patient Of the IlStltu- tOl, Claims the Oakland Prisoner Paid Hin to
 Murder the Woman Lynn AftGrWard Shot,

John W. Lynn, who about week ago attempted the life of his wife in Oakland by firing several bullets into her body. and who is now feigning in sanity in the Alameda County jail, is said to be the murderer of Peter Cama- rinos. who was an inmate of the Az news Asylum for the Insane. Lynn was employed by the relatives of the demented man as special guard ana attendant. Camarinos was brought from the Hawaiian Islands, where he was an extensive planter and fruit grower, by his brother, D. G. Camar1- nos, who conducted commission busi- ness in this city, and the demented man was placed in the care of friends in Sausalito. He was at times, how ever, violent and he could not well re- ceive the attention there that was de- sired, and arrangements were made TOT his treatment at Agnews.
 pr. SponagIe, the superintendent of the asylum, recommended that a spe- cial attendant be secured to care for the demented man, and Lynn, who did odd jobs about the institution, though he was not a regular employe of the place, was spoken of as the man to take care of his patient. He was sent to the relatives of Camarinos with the doctors recommendation, and he was engaged. He was paid $45 a month, and two rooms were secured at the asylum for the patient and his keeper at $25 a month.
 Camarinos was at the asylum nearly six months when his death occurred. All the notification his friends received was that his health broke down sud- denly and death occurred In few hours. All the time he was in the in stitution up to a day before the end came his friends know that physically he was in good health, and his sudden death somewhat astonished them. An other strange feature to the relatives was the sudden decomposition of the body.
 M. D. Vanvales, a nephew of the de- mented man, was notified by telegraph by the asylum physician at about 10 a. m on the day of CamarinoS' death that the insane man was very i'll. There was no train for Agnews until late in the evening, and shortly after noon Vanvales was debating whether he would go on that train or wait until the morning before going to the asy- lum, when he received another tele- gram announcing the death of his rela- tive. Vanvales immediately wired to have the body sent to him on the morn ing train, and when 1t arrived early the next day decomposition had so far progressed that it became necessary to dramatically seal it in casket.
 About the time Camarinos was ad- mitted to the asylum John R. Griff1ths was admitted as a patient. Griffiths is of a good family in the State, and he has two brothers prominent in busi- ness in Oakland and Fresno. He few years ago had the misfortune to meet with an accident in which his skull was injured, and at times whenever he in- dulges in liquor he becomes violent. A few days after the liquor is taken from him he becomes rational.
 He has several times been an inmate of the Agnews Asylum, but each time has been liberated after a few weeks treatment. He was taken to the asy- lum about the time Camarinos became an inmate of the place, and he occu- pied a ward close to the room in which the Hawaiian planter was confined Griffiths after a few days in the place became to all appearances perfectly rational, and, though he was not dis charged, he was given many liberties and made to assist in attending to the wants Of the special patients and theil special guards. In this way he became well acquainted with Lynn and his charge, Peter Camarinos.
 "One day" said Griffiths, T heard Camarinos complain to Lynn of the way his food was cooked. There was an angry retort from the attendant and the sound of a scuffle followed