The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-25
The rerrap,a Neck Tr.seay.
FURTHER PARTICULARS CONCERNING THE ARREST
AND EXECUTION OF THE MUKDERERs.


From the vicksburg Times.l
In yesterdays paper we gave brief account
OF the arreet, by Deputy Marshal j. w. Resor, OF
the murderers Of Henry Keenan, and family, who
resided on a point of land known as Terrapin
Neck, about forty miles above this place, on the
Mississippi river. We have since that time re-
ceived additional particulars concerning one Of
the most brutal and cold booded murders ever
perpetrated. Most Of our readers viii recollect
that the murder was accomplished on the llth
inst. The citizens living in the vicinity Of the
scene, including Gen. VIM. X. Peck, Capt. James
W. Cavalier aud George P. Deweese, Immediately
telegraphed to this city, requesting that Deputy
Marshal Resor be sent TO investigate the matter.
and If possible, bring the guilty parties to justice.
Taking the first boat, he proceeded TO Omega
Landing, within mile or two OF the neck, and
there obtained information which convinced him
that the criminals had crossed into this State
In skif and were making their escape in an
eastwardy direction. Accompanied by Gen.
Peck and Capt. Cavalier, Resor crossed into Mis-
sissippi, aud by great energy and perseverance
succeeded in coming up with the fugitives on the
second day. Four negroes are supposed TO have
been implicated In the matter. Two, who are yet
at liber y, planned the murder, and the two who
were burnt at the stake executed the hellish act
The two arrested were taken singly, the first one
acknowledging his guilt at once and inform.
ing on his accomplish. From the confession
made by both soon after the arrest,
ii would seem that Keenan,, who sold wood to
steamboats, had been singled out as victim seye
raj days before the plan was put into practical
operation, The negroes were waiting until he
disposed of, and received the money for a lot of
wood be had piled out on the river bank and
ready for sale. On the llth inst, a passing boat
landed, and took the wood. keenan, staid at the
landing until the boat left, and then as he was re-
turning to his cabin, was shot with an old musket
in the hands Of one Of the negroes. Hastily
searching him, they discovered that he had no
money with the exception of single three-cent
piece. Concealing his body with leaves and I'M
deTbrush, and Infatuated AZ this disappointment,
Che demons then proceeded to Keenan's house
intent on completing their work OF death. At the
door Of the house they met Keenan's wife, and in
an iDsolent and threatening manner demanded
something to eat The woman replied that there
was not much in the house, but that her husband
would return in the course Of few minutes, and
such as it was they could have portion. One of
the negroes then remarked that she need not wait
for her husband-that he wouldn't be there that
they had " fixed him." The woman became Sc
riOnslv alarmed at this stage of the proceeding,
feeling that she was in immediate danger, and at
tempted 10 seize spistol lying on the mantelpiece.
She was rudey pushed aside by one OF the fends,
while the other with a blow from an axe he car
Iied, stretched her bleeding aud half dead on the
floor at their feet. Attempting to RISE another
blow almost severed her head from tho trunk of
her body, and she fell back second tina, her
head in the fire blazing on the hearth. The
eldest child, boy some ten years of age, stepped
into the house at this time, and seeing the position
of his mother, ran forward to extricste her from
her apparently painful situation, when the axe
was again raised and the boy sank beside his
mother, killed at blow. The second child, a
girl some years younger than the boy, was sleep
ing in a bed, and being awakened by the noise,
began 10 cry and call fol its mother. To have
treated il as they did the boy would have been
an act OF mercy. They set the bed on fire, aud
binding the child on il, burned her alive The
arresting party secured the prisoners. and on the
following day the 10th, delivered them to the
proper civil authorities at Omega landing. Hav-
ing confessed their guilt and waived examna-
ten, Judge holland committed them for trisl, and
placed them in the hands of his constable. to be
conveyed up TO the parish seat for Imprisonment.
The constable took them in charge and started on
his journey, but had only got a short distance,
when crowd OF negroes overlook him, de-
msnded, and then took forcible possession OF the
murderers, and building huge fire, deliberately
burnt them at the stake Both met their fate
without protest or expostnlation, and were ap-
parently convinced that they fully merited the
terrible death which they finally suffered. While
the burning was in progress, and thinking to pre-.