The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1879-01-28

Why Ke Murdered the Haraleon
Family.

!. Why Re Murdered the Harslsou
Family.
4 Pen Picture Of Q Most Remarks.
BILE Criminal
81
, Richards. the Nebraska murderer. has
been sentenced to be hung on Saturday,
April 18th, just lOl days after bis sentence.
, the shortest possible time affixed By Law.
, Ibis hend incarnaie certainly carries Of
the palm for being the bose butcher Of the
west. He killed Anderson, be Gays, in self
defense, and the murder Of Mn. Har.lsou
AMI her three children was committed With.
out the slightest cause in tine world. When
asked What his object vas in taking the
live" OF this woman and her b~bes, he re-
piled. Il don't know. I determined to kill
them several days before. and hsd prep.r-
ed . grave r the reception Of their
bodies." He has been interviewed by
newspaper reporter, and the following IL
the result:
He says he killed the mother end her
three children With IN axe, end that pei-
thes OF them. to uss his own language.
"even whispered" after he struck the fatal
blows. The mother and olde-s girl were
sleeping in one bed, and the other two
children in another bed, in the sam. room.
He killed the mother 6rss, striking her on
one side Of the head With the Cat side Of
IN axe. She moved and seemed to gasp.
but did not inter word. He then dealt
her the second blow. which. he says, caused
her instant death. The daughter lying BY
her side Was also killed in the came man.
ner. With two blows Of the axe. He then
v,sited the bed where the two innocent
children land, end With two more blows
killed them He then dr.gg,d the woman
to the grave he had prepared. and then be
carried the oldest girl and threw herr ON top
Of her mother, then re'r.cins his sseps hs
carried the remaining two, one under each
arm, and dropped them into the grave.
After the four bodies had been placed in
the hole, he covered them with loose dirt
and spread some loose straw over the dirt,
and went quietly to work getting his
breakfast. He declares that man named
Brown. now in Texas, vas in the house
with him ct the time he killed the Haral-
son family, but he took 10 part in the muir.
der, though he knew what vas going on.
After the bodies were buried, Brown, be
says. left him, and be was alone in posses
sion Of the property, and monarch of all he
surveyed. He remained in the house some
two or three weeks after the family had
been disposed Of, and would have remained
longer, only the neishbors were getting too
~ to the Whereabouts Of the
missing family. During his recital Of the
above facts. he never BY word or sction ex-
pressed the slightest sorrow for what he
he'd done, and frequently during the con.
versation he INDUCED in laughter. In an
'ver 10 the quibtion: (which one Of the
many murders that you have committed do
you regret% he replied: II can't ssy
hat regret any Of them" and looking %
'quare in the face, he said, do look like
J man in mourning! No cir, / have killed
hese people end don't regret it.
rave . good appetite and can eat three
quars meals . day. and sleep just -
oundly - you do. / considered the mat.
er veil before i eommesesd, knew the
il discovered and captured,
md am nov ready and willing to abide BY
hem" His previous hissory d veil known.
10 wss born and raised in Ohio, has
ather, Eve sisters and one brother. He
I'D been raised Christian and before he
anne West vas . regular sstendsnt Q
hurch and Sabbath School. Back hone
o vss considered . good upright boy;
ut when he crossed the Missouri river,
boat three years ego be became changed
Ian. From . meek and unsasuming
IAN he has changed to . reckless dare
evil. HIS 6rss victim vas killed in West
m Nebrsska, close to the Colorado line.
he murder, be eaya, was also committed
D self defence. The victim. whose name
e does not give, stopped him on the road
nd demanded his money. Instead Of the
soney he pulled from his pocket, . six
hootes, and killed hin on the spot. This
'e ssys occurred about tvo ysan ego. His
'ab'ta. he says were always god. The
rss drink Of Intoxicating liquor that he
yer took VS. over bsr in Ksssney last
lsreh. He never played . game al cards
'ntil be came wess. Bot nov, b said,
.uehinsly. ! propose to quit al ny bed
'abisa and By the sven,y-siz,h Of April
the day set for hia exscution) will b
reformed.
Richards 10 . most remarksble man. He
, . big fellow, six ises too iaehs. high,
'sisht 206 Pound~ and i deep cheated,
old, powerful built man. He - not
read shouldsrsd, however, and stoops
title, 20 that be 10 not real veil proprsioaed,
ut nsverthsless shows powerful strength.
10 has good eOmplexioa, good features,
xeept that his nose u almost too closely
ut. HE head u not IN excellent one.
liz forehead retreats slightly and the cere-
ellum Is very small. His eye are light
rown and someiimes appsar blue, gray
nd green. HE eyebrows are heavy and
mite and he wears . reddish brown niue
.chs and thin vhiskess. His hair IL dark.
lie hands and feet srs we'll shaped and we'll
TO his sise. HE teeth are
ound, white and the almost Constant smile
o bis lips. reveals them eoatinuslly. His
Dice 10 pleasant. He hes . very slight
sp, end b drsvls tri6s. His language
good. He would smile and somslines
lneh. when he Vae talkinR ahouf hrninina