Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-02
A DESPERATE woMANs REVENGE.
Senator NEOrgan's Son Shsi by Miss
Horton



There was great excitement about half-past
three O'Clock yesterday afternoon en- G'street
between 9th and 7th streets, in consequence Of
the shooting OF John II. Morgan, son of Senator
Morgan, of Alabama, By Miss Lucy Walton Rhett
Horton, young lady from Dayton, Alabama.
Not long since. through her counsel, she filed
suit in the Supreme Court of this District against
Young Morgan, charging him with breach OF
promise of marriage, and laying damages at
$4,000, as mentioned in THE STAR at the time.
1t appears from statements OF persons who
claim to be cogniZant OF the facts that yesterday
afternoon Morgan, In company with gentle
man friend, was returning to his fathers resi-
dence, at the corner OF 4th and G streets, and
neighborhood of GheeR'sgtables, they were met
by Miss Horton, and
took place. The ball took effect in the left
shoulder Of her victim, and It is represented by
spectators that she was within few feet Ct him
at the time, and was prevented from striking
him in a vital part by his friend, who knocked
her arm up as she fired the pistol. She at once
started up 9Th street and took an f street car
going east, and was pursued by large crowd,
several persons persuading ner to effect her
time young Morgan was assisted to his hosae by
fsiehnS Officer Joseph Carter, who was first on
the spot, followed the car to 9Th street, when.
understanding that 1t was man who had fired
the shot, he proceeded to the car and was about
to arrest man inside who was pointed out by
some one as the right party, wien he was in
forEned by another officer who arrived that it
was woman who was wanted.
MISS HORTON ARRESTED.
Miss Horton at once rose up, remafking that
She was the one wanted, and left the car, sur
rendering herself to Officer Carter, who turned
her over to Officer Britt, of the 5th precinct, and
started to look after the wounded man; Mr..
Britt In the mean time escorting her to the 9Th
police station, on 10th street In the mean time
Miss Horton had turned over her weapon to Mr..
Carter, who took it to the 18th precinct station.
A very large crowd followed the officer and
prisoner to the station.
Miss HORTON
is of small stature, OF dark pale complexion,
dark hair and eyes, dresses in black and is very
neat and trim in her general appearance. She
states that she is eighteen years OF age and
Morgan thirty-five years old. She was not
locked in cell, but took seat in Lieut.. Ke1ly'S
private office, where soon afterwards her coun-
sci in the breach Of promise case, Col. VIM. A.
Cook, called and held brief conversation with
her.
HER STATEMENT.
Miss Horton did not seem to be excited in the
slightest degree after the shooting and talked
freely and quite as calmly as upon any COM
mon place subject, stating that Morgan had
deceived her at her home in Alabama, and had
tried to blast her good Eame in this city, and
that through him she had been dismissed from
the Treasury depar tment by the circulation OF
lies as to her reputation until the head OF the
bureau she was In was compelled to take notice
of it; that she was without friends or home in
W.
taken her own life had her shot at the destroyer
OF her happiness proved fatal. This isprobably
true as Lieut.. Kelly took from her vial contain
ing three grains of morphine, which she said
she intended to have swallowed had her shot
been fatal to Morgan. She states that her
father and Senator Morgan were law partners,
were both officers in the rebel army, and were
fast friends during her fathers life time at
Selma. At this time she became acquainted
with John Morgan, she being young and mex
perienced, and it was not long before they were
engaged to be married; that he took advantage
of her. and after betraying her, refused to keep
his promise. In the meantime her father
died, and she had no one to appeal to for
protection, and to yndicate her honor.
away She finally appealed to the law, and had
him indicted for seduction, which case is still
pending in Alabama. John Morgan accompa-
MED his father to this city. Her situation being
come tow ashington too, and seek some repara-
ton. and the suit here for breach of promise
was the result. She states that she has abund-
ant proofs to sustain the charge and many let
tiers Of his, which he and his friends have been
for months trying to get from her, but she has
perSiStently held on to Them She states that
Morgan and his friends have promised to keep
her in lucrative employment II she will relin-
quish these letters; but threaten, on the con-
trary, that If she does not give them up they
will starve her out, and thus it was that she has
nor home since her dismissal she has been liv-
ing at the Christian Home, an institution sup
ported by the Episcopal church, located on H
street. She named two men whom she said had
been active in this persecution OF her, having
been employed by Morgan. Under this state OF
things she had been wrought up to state OF
having no money nor friends. She
has been used to shooting she said, as most
southern women are, and, having this pistol,
she carried it with her for protection, and meet
ing with him yesterday she made use OF it.
THE PISTOL CONCEALED IN A SILK BAG.
As before stated, the pistol was taken to the
In ct OF jG q arrin ortn h
ardson revolver, manufactured at Worcester,
Mass, and of 80 calibre. 1t was concealed at
the time of the shooting in bag made of
gentleman'S silk pocket handkerchief, and she
must have held it in the bag when the shot was
fired, as there was gOod-siZed hole burned
through the bag. Soon after her arrival she
called for paper and pen and wrote to her mo-
ther, Mrs. II. f. Pegram, at Dayton, Alabama,
for money to help her in her distress, stating
the circumstancesin which she was now placed
After this she called for something to eat, and
and coffee, which she ate with good
appetite.
Mr.. MoRGAN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Morgan was attended by physicians who
wound very serious, the ball having passed
through the fleShy part OF the arm. His YER
sion OF the shooting Is that he and his friend
passed Miss Horton on G street. and he had just
to his friend that that was the woman
who was suing him when he heard the report
OF the pistol and felt the sting OF the bullet;
that she fired at him from the rear, and he
turned and caught her by both hands, He
states that he had known her since 1871 having
first met her at Selma, Ala; that he was an Off
Ger In a military company, and she frequently
visited balls given by his company; that she
was only casual acquaintance, and as for her
story that she was an acquaintance OF his
family and her father law partner of Senator
Morgan, it was untrue: that he had come to
Washington to live, and she sent him letter in
which she threatened to enter suit against him
unless he kept his promise to marry her; that
he did not reply TO this letter. and several others
followed; that in 1878 she came TO Washington
and visited him at his fathers Office, and drew
a pistol on him, but he quickly disarmed her;
that she repeated her threat to bring suit, and
he told her ..to go ahead and sue;;H that she
brought the suit, and he has been in Alabama
three times to stand trial, but the plaintiff
failed TO appear each time,
Senator Morgan Is absent from the city, haIT-
ing gone to Alabama to attend the fupefal of
the late Senator Houston. His son, John II.
Morgan, who was shot, Is clerk to the Senate
committee on rules.
THE SUIT FOR BREACH OF PROMISE
was filed by Miss Horton-MeSsrs. W. A. Cook
and Shellabarger and Wilson appearing as her
attorneys-on July Sth, last, under the name Ct
Morgan for $50 GG damages for breach bf prom
Sumated in October following. The service was
made On defendant on the same day and Mr. L. G.
Hine entered appearance for him August eth
following, and filed plea that he never
promised TO marry plaintiff or that he ever by
word or act gave her any reason TO DelleVe tnat
he intended to marry her. Issue was joined
August 18th and the case calendared for trial.