The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-08

MYSTERIOUS MURDER - THREE PgRsoss Cur
70 PIEeRs WITH AN Axs--ONE Person KILLED
OUTRIGHT AND Two M Il DYING CONDITION.
IaE HoUsE RoBBEn.--A3 most fiendish muir.
der took place at Harrison's ford. In Prince
William county, Va, near the Stafford Hne,
on Thursday night last.l Ia q low and hum;
Ibtelooking house; or more properiya but,
not far from the banks of Cedar run, lives an
old man about seventy years Of age, well
known in Ehis county as one of its largest
l,ndsownsgs and Wealtkiest citizens, Jerry
Herndos, Snd his wifs, 8 little bic lunior.
Living with them as . farm.hand was a
black boy OF small stature, aged about eigh-
teen, named Jesse Fouks,, aud aelittler CO.
lored boy about ten years of age, named Ad.
Olson RUSSELL Fouks, had been hauling
wood, aud on, coming in at night was &C.
'cused OF stealing piece Of pork from bis
employer, which he denied, and a quarrel
ensued. The boy was ordered from the
house, and refused to 60 unless the meat in
dispute was given to him. Old man Hern-
don picked up an are and told the boy il
he did not leave the house he would knock
him down. Here the tale ends, until Friday
morning, when, about sun.up, Summer
field, son of the old map,. who hives q
short distance away, approached the house,
and on entering the yard discovered bloody
footprints, which he traced to the door, and
upon entering CHASTITY and bloody scene
was presented to his view, Upon a pallet on
the floor the little colored boy lay cold in
death, with his head rent in twain by a
single blow Of the murderous axe. Upon
the bed laid Mrs. Herndon, geiteringiD Der
blood. The father Is missing, and frantically
the son asks where he is, but mo one an
swers. A little later the old man is dis
covered In field about four hundred yards
from his dwelling, bareheaded and barefoot
ed, with his head and face cut and bleeding
In many places. Mr.. John Alexander a
neigbbsr,: who found him, asked who had
done the dead. 4 The old man, who seemed
to be bewiIdarcd, said he did not know who
bad done it; that he had been walking abeut
all night, and felt cold when he walked in
the water. q He was conveyed to his home,
and there told his story to justices Horton
and woodward. He told about the quarrel,
and s,id the last he knew or remembered
was ':that the boy started to the door"
The theory Is that if Fonks, the hired
man, 1is guilty, that be picked up new axe
hetye, one OF the instruments OF the bloody
work, and dealt the old man a murderous
blow, or perhaps several, and thinking he
had killed him, then took the axe and with
it killed the boy, and crushed the head of
the old woman. Surprising he had killed
all three, he left and went to the house OF
Mr.. John 81. O'Rear. After he had gone the
old man revived, land in delirium left the
house. 1t was POUNDS on searching, the
house that 1926 had been taken from the
drawer By the murderer. Fouks was arrest.
ed and lodged in jail, and will have hearing
before magistrate on Monday. It is the
opinion Of the majority of those who
know anything about the case that he
is the guilty party, and what gives color
to the suspicion OF bis guilt is that the wea-
pons used, an axe and an axe.handle, were
In the house before the murder, and if it bad
been done BY other parties they would have
taken the weapons of murder with them.
and would not have gone there before bed.
time, the murderous attack having been done
before the old folks had prepared for bed.
The little boy who was killed bad gone to
bed, and vas probably asleep when he re-
ceived his death.blow. The old lady was in
a dying condition on Friday evening, but the
old man, who is terribly cut about the head
and face, may recover, though his dying de-
carations were taken.-Adnasds (Va.) Ga
zeste.