The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-01-23
A GENUINE Hell ION.
kn Interesting Interview With Rich.
.ards, Nebfaska's Pet Monster.
He Recounts the Incidents of the
Killing of the Haralson Family
With Evident Relish.
And Says He is Willing to Abide by
The Consequences Of His
Crime.
A GENUINE HELlIOk.
EEBRAsKA's PET MONSTER.


The monster Richards, who has just beer
convicted Of murder and sentenced to b
hanged, is now lodged in the Nebrasks
Penitentisry, as the telegraph informed III
yesterday. He confessed to numbering
eight persons, and shows no signs OF regret
for what he has done. The Lincoln Jo-rna
Of yesterday morning contains
A LENGTHY INTERVIEW WITH HIN,
in which he recounted his numerous mur.
ders with as much coolness and uuconcern
as though he had been recounting the kill
ing OF SO many hogs. The account of his
murder OF the HARRISON family-when be
murdered mother and her three children
while in their beds-is given by the Journal
as follows:
He said he murdered them in the morning,
when they were sound asleep. In answer
to our question Did you have any diff
ficulty with Mr. Hsralson? he quietly re-
marked, "none whatever" When We asked
him If he did not regret numbering the wo-
man and her three innocent little children,
he said, mo, can't say that do" When
We asked what his motive or object was in
killing them, be replied, Il don't know |
determined to kill them several days be-
fore, and had prepared a grave Tor the re-
ception Of the bodies"
HOW HE KILLED THEM.
He ssys he killed the mother and her
three children With an axe, and that neith-
er OF them, to Use his own language "ever
whImpered," after he had struck the fatal
blows. The mother and Oldest girl were
sleeping in one bed and the other lwo chill
dren In another bed 10 the same room. He
killed the mother first, striking her on the
side OF the head with the fat side of the
axe. She moved and seemed TO grasp, but
did not utter word. He then dealt her
the second blow, which, he says, caused in
stant death. The daughter lying by her
side was also killed in the same manner,
with two blows of the axe. He then visited
the bed where The two innocent little chill
dren laid, and
WITH TWO MORE BLOWS KILLED THEN.
He then dragged the woman to the grave
he had prepared, and then he carried the
Oldest girl and threw her on top Of her
mother; then retracing his steps he carried
the remaining two, one under each arm,
and dropped them into the grave. Alter
the four bodies had been placed in the hole,
he covered them with loose dirt and spread
some loose straw and hay over the dirt, and
went quietly to work getting his breakfast.
He declares that g man named Brown, now
in Texas, was in the house with him az the
lime he killed the HARRISON family, but
that lie took no part in the murder, though
he knew what was going on.
AFTER THE BODIES WERE BURIED,
Brown, he says, left him, and he was alone
in pos ssion OF the property, and monarch
OF all he surveyed. He remained in tie
house sometwo or three weeks after the fam
lily had been disposed of, and would have
remained longer, only the neighbors we're
getting too inquisitive as to the where
abouts OF the missing family. During his
recital of the above facts he never by word
or action expressed the slightest sorrow for
what he had done and frequently during
the conversation INDUCED in laugh
ter. In answer TO the question: (which
one OF
THE MANY MURDERS THAT YoC HAVE
COMMITTED,
do you regret ?" he replied. ~ can't say
that | regret any of them" and looking us
square IN the face, he said, "do / look like
a man in mourning? No sir, have killed
these people and don't regret it. have
good appetite, can eat three square meals
day, and sleep j1st as soundly asyou do
| considered the matter well before | CON-
mencei, knew the consequences if discover
ed and captured, and am now ready and
willing 10 abide by them"
THE DAY OF EXECUTION,
strange to say, takes place on Saturday, the
Goth day OF April. The law, We believe,
provides that perSons doomed to death must
have one hundred and one days TO live be-
tween the dsv of sentence and the day Of
execution. Judge Gaslin evidently did not
wish to prolong the monsters lie week
longer than necessary, and hence gave him
Just the time allotted by law, rather than let
him live six days longer, and have the
hanging on Fridny. Richards will be twen-
ty-three years old on the 18th of March, 40
that at the time he "shuffles of these NOR
tai coIls," he will be twenty-three years,
one month and eight days old.