Evening journal., 1910-03-26
TRAGEDY DUE
TO INSANITY
Relative Of Double Murderer
Here to Identify Body
Say Bethea Had Cancer
BELIEVES BROODING
AFFECTED HIS MIND

The body of John H. Bethea, of Dill
Ion, $. c., who was shot TO death. after
he had killed two men on a b. and O.
train on Wednesday, was identified
this morning by the Rev. w. L. Nc
Laurin, Methodist minister. of Latta,
). c., his first cousin. Upon Mr.. Me-
Laurins direction the body was turn
ed over to James b. Martin and was
sent to Dillon on the train leaving here
at 1850 o'clock, accompanied by Mr..
McLaurin. At Baltimore the train was
met by porter of the New Howard
Hotel and the satchel left at the hotel
by Bethea before he got on the train
that brought him here on Wednesday
was delivered to his relative.
Mr.. McIaurin left Latta yesterday
morning. after receiving word that the
coroner would not surrender Bethea's
body until it had been identified. He
arrived here this morning at o'clock
and registered at the Hotel Whining
ton. After a few hours sleep he saw
the body and made ARRANGEMENTS with
Mr. Martin to have it shipped, after
which he went to the office of Chief
of Police Black and had his clerk tele-
phone to the New Howard Hotel, at
Baltimore. for his cousins satchel.
Undoubtedly Insane.
In an interview with an EVENING
JOURNAL. reporter, in Chief Blacks
Office. Mr.. McLaurin told of circum-
stances that can lead to no other con-
clusion than that Bethea suddenly be-
came insane through brooding over an
incurable disease.
My cousin" said Mr. McLaurin.
i'm his life, and his relatives and friends
in South Carolina were shocked beyond
measure when the news Of the tragedy
reached them.
'I}e had cancer of the stomach, over
which he worried a great deal. While
there was no indication that he was
insane when he left for the North he
was very nervous and irritable. and he
told one Of his brothers that he might
as well be dead.
1T was on account of his stomach
trouble that he had been advised to go
TO Johns Hopkins Hospital at Balti-
more. He had been there before, and
they had outlined a course of treat
ment and told him to return home and
be quiet.
ITO was not n great drin<er. Hs
drank heavily when he became wor-
ried and then he would stop. At was
OF and on. 1t was not a habit; ne
would simply try to forget.
"He was a contracting carpenter and
was prosperous. His family is one
of the best in South Carolina, and n,
was related to ex-senator McLaurin
of Mississippi. and the late Senator
Ansel aisb of Mississippi. He boarded
T,f. a-faf nd
Dillon. There is a brother, Laurin
at Latta and another, Alonzo, at Dill.
Ion. These are the only close rela-
tivcs.
Tragedy Shocks Friends.
when the news of the tragedy came
TO Dillon and Latta we were stunned
and yet we might have thought thai
John would break down. He was
lovable fellow and his outbreak wa
certain proof of his mental break
down
what can we say for those poor fcl
lows who were the victims of his in
sanity? His relatives deplore more
than his own death, the blight brough
upon the families Of those he shot. Thi
IS their greatest grief-that he should
have done that"
The condition of Park Guard Johi
L. Wiley. who was also victim o
Bethea's gun play, is much improved
The bullet in his groin was located b!
means of the X-Ray, at the Homeo
pathic Hospital, but was not removed
II is not expected to cause any seriou
results in the future.
Arrange the Wellman Funeral.
The funeral services Of Ora E. Well
man, aged 4S years, the conductor o
the Royal Blue express. who wa
murdered by Bethea after the latte
had killed the negro porter. will b
held on Monday from his late residence
No 1902 South Fifty-fourth street, Phil
adelphia. The Rev. Charles w. Afford
pastor of the Westminster -Greenwa.
Presbyterian Church, Fifty-sixth an
Woodlawn avenue. Philadelphia, vii
conduct the service and interment wi
take place in the Wilmington an
Brandywine cemetery, this city, tn
last rites on the body being performe
by the Rev. ]. w. II. Heintz, the chap
lain of the Fernwood Lodge Of Masons
No. 54S, Philadelphia.
A special train will convey the part
from the B. and o. station, Twenty
fourth and Chestnut streets, Philadel
phia. leaving at 2.15 p. m. This will b
furnished by the company out of re
spect for their employe who had Ion
been in their service.
on Thursday evening at Lul
Temple the members of Wellman'
lodge met and conducted memorial ser
vices.