Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1892 — LAVED IN HIS BABE’S BLOOD. [ARTICLE]

LAVED IN HIS BABE’S BLOOD.

Horrible Butchery and Sickening; Spectacle Attendant Upon IllnesH. William Loch, aged 34, has been ill with typhoid fever several weeks at this home near Reading, Pa. The disease made him insane, and within the last few days his mania turned to religious topics and ho decided to make a sacrifice of one of his family. He got out of bed and beat his aged mother terribly, breaking one of her arms in two places and bruising her body. In the night he became wild and wanted to sacrifice his eldest son, and he was locked in his room. His ravings soon attracted the neighbors, who gathered around the house nearly one hundred strong. Mrs. Loch, weak from fear and illness, and nursing a 3-weoks-old infant, called upon them to do something to quiet her husband, but they seemed paralyzed with fear. The oldest child was locked in a room next to Mr. Loch’s, the windows of both opening on ?. porch roof. Loch climbed out on this roof, smashed the window of the child’s room and jumped in. Ho reappeared with the ohild in its night-gown. He held the child up in full view of everybody and, with a razor he had prooured. cut the infant’s throat, nearly severing the head from the body. Throwing the body over his knee, he caught the dripping blood in ills hands and said: “And now I will wa9h my face in the blood of my child,” and did so. People beheld the ghastly sight by the light of their lanterns. Several men climbed to the porch roof where the tragedy took place, but Loch, with bloody hands, forced them down. At last constables came and forced him back.