The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-09-14
WASHINGTON COUNTY MURDER


arkansas .julU 81.
We gather the following particulars of
this atrocious homicide, frem letter from
Washington county, published in the Bates
News, Of the 18th instant;
"The most horrible murder, ever perpe-
trated in a Christian country, was commit
ted last Saturday night al Cane Hill, on Mr..
VIM Wright and four of his children. Mrs.
Wright states that soon after retiring TO
bed, she heard the sound of horsemen ap-
preaching the house; her timdity suggested
the apprehension that they might be hos t.
tile indians She awoke her husband and
communicated her fears, and both arose.
Mrs. Wright through crack by the door,
discovered three men walk up TO the door.
One asked if he could stay all night Mr..
Wright answered yes, and opened the door.
The robbers at that mement seized and
stabbed him TO death. Mrs. Wright fed
out Of the back door. A daughter (perhaps
the eldest,) rushed ont by the assassins,
while yet butchering her father. Mr.. Wright
being despatched, the fends commenced
slaughtering his dslenceless children. They
struck out the brains of little infant, on.the
door, and run their Bowie knives through
the bodies of three other children, as they
reposed in the embraces of sweet sleep.
The fourth, little boy flo or IL years of
age, with long heavy blade, the demons
at blow separated the crown from the mass
of his head, striking him into seusibiliy,
but not into death, as they supposed. For.
tunaely, two other children sleeping in an
outer apartment where not discovered.
Also little Morris escaped their observation.
This little child Of the tender age of six or
seven years only, had been placed at the
back side Of a trundlebed, thus hiding from
the eyes of the murderers. Little Morris
was awake, and with the wisdom of matur-
er years, lay in breathless Stiffness eyeing
from beneath folds Of the bed furniture, the
strange deeds of murder robbery and ar
son.
From this intelligent child we learned
that every eye beneath this i'll fated roof, as
they supposed, had been closed in death,
and every tongue silenced for ever, the rob-
bsrs preceded TO plundeI the house of all the
money, set it on fire and galloped off. Lit
tie Morris after satisfying himself that the
murderers were gone, moved from his hi
ing intelligence to rescue all from the ruins
Of the rapidly advancing flames. lie ran
and awoke his little sisters and hurried them
out OF the burning dwelling--returned and
found his wounded brother restored TO con-
sciousness. His feeble strength being une-
quail to his weight, Morris threw his arms
around the shoulders of his almost murder
ed brother, and tenderly drew him beyond
the influence of the increasing fire-retur-
ned, caught up the infant, and finding it
li(eless gently laid il down few PAGES from
the door, on the breast Of the father. He
then essayed 10 return for tho lifeless bo-
dies Of the others but the fire having now
| wrapped the door in flames forbid his en-
trance. Seeing his angel like purpose thwar-
ted, he with his little sisters and brothers,
sought such resting place as houseless
farm and cleai sky afforded. The daugh-
ter that escaped at the outset, took refuge
in the rye field. Mrs. Wright made her way
mile and half or two niles bareiooted
and in her night dress 10 her friends"