The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-25
Lay Death
to Moon
Lunar Madness Blamed
for Tragedy of Girl in
Forest Shack.
BY PAUL OML FRENCH
limited Press stan C~orresnond.nt

oL raul OOMLI fhENLH
United Press stan Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25.-Else
l. Flothmeier, beautiful 22-year-
old daughter Of a Lutheran clergy
man, whose nude body was found
lying face downward on the floor
Of a deserted forest shack, late
Wednesday, died of exposure, after
having been driven insane by the
rays Of a full moon, according to a
theory advanced today by a promi-
nent Philadelphia psychologist.
The hypothesis of moon mad
ness" DR.. Thaddeus Bolton, head
of the psychology department at
Temple university, told the United
Press, long has been accepted by
psychiatrists, and is soon to have a
serious effect on the minds of per-
sons afflicted with nervous disor-
ders.
Miss Flothmeier possessed a tenn
permanent which apparently made
her susceptible to this form of in
sanity, in the psychologists opin-
ion.
She suffered a nervous collapse
in 1922, while visiting in Germany,
and had been Of a neurotic DISPOSE
ton ever since.
Apparently she wandered aim
less about in the heavy woods near
Fox Chase, mentally dazed by the
full moons light, knowing not
where she was or what she
was doing, but completely be-
meath the spell of the lunar rays
EXAMINATION of The circum-
n stances of her death indicate
to DR.. Bolton that the theory
meets with no conflicting facts.
It does not conflict with the theory
of police that Miss Flothmeier died
from exposure.
The girl had gone with her
father, the Rev. Frederick Floth-
meier, to the home Of a parish
oner, but upon reaching their des-
tination, she decided to take a
walk.
When she had not returned Fri
day night, a search was started
Two boys came upon her body
Wednesday in the shack.
Her clothing had been hung
neatly on the branches of a
gnarled berry bush.
There was scratches on her body.
indicating that she had stumbled
about in the heavy bushes before
reaching the shack.
DR.. Bolton learned that the
night had been cold and crisp,
with a clear, full moon.
GCIENCE, he said, does not know
- what effect the moons rays
have IN particularly susceptible
persons, but he said the idea is an
ancient hypothesis.
The theory" he explained, SIS
based on observation of a natural
condition among near-insane and
nervous persons.
The attacks of extreme nervous
ness usually reoccur at regular in
tervals - about twenty-eight to
thirty days apart.
Coinciding a they do with the
full moon, it has long been thought
by many that the moons rays are
responsible.
Even the word lunar which We
use in referring to the moon has
grown into the language as lunacy
which proves that for many years
the effect of the moon on nervous
and insane persons was an &C
cepted belief.
Il understand that Miss Floth-
meier was of a nervous disposition,
that she worried over her studies
and over her failure to pass her
examinations.
MAYHEM she left her father and
wv started to walk through
the woods, it is possible that she
became more agitated, thinking of
her school work.
Then, as night came on, she be-
came lost. and with the full moon
shining over her head, completely
lost her reason.
The rest follows. She undressed
under the delusion she was pre-
pairing for bed, then lay down in
the cold.
Since 1t was bitter cold Tuesday
night, it is not difficult to see how
quickly death came"
DR.. Bolton said that he has OBJ
served that recurring fits of in
sanity do not always coincide with
the full moon, but that many of
them have no relation to the lunar
stage.