Connecticut western news., 1881-04-27
SAVED FROM THE GALLONS.
Shooting his Sister to Death to Save the Honor of his Family-Touching Death-Bed Scenes-The Romance of his Prison Life.

At Danville, Va., the trial of Thomas Dejarnette, for the murder of his sister in July last, was given to the jury and after being out twenty minutes they brought in verdict of not guilty, by reason of insanity at the time the deed was committed. After the verdict was announced there was Q demonstration of applause in the court room, which was promptly suppressed by the ser geants. The verdict seems to meet the approval of the community.
 It was on the night of July 8, 1880, that Dejarnette's crime was committed. At the time he was depot agent at Brown Summit, in North Carolina, about twen- ty-fve miles from Danville. That night he came to Danville and went at once to a house of i'll repute known as "Blonde Hall." He knocked at the door and asked if Miss Molie Dejarnette was in, and that young lady being called he went up stairs with her. The in mates of the house had no idea that the young man was the girls brother. As soon as he entered the sisters room De- iarnette locked the door, and, drawing pistol, began firing at her without saying word. The first bullet entered her breast. She ran behind the bed and threw up her arm as though to ward off another shot, and with cry for mercy crouched behind the bed. Her brother fired again, this time the ball shattering her arm, and he sent three more bullets into her body. Po- lice officers, who were near, broke down the door and rushed in. Dejarnette stood with the pistol in his hand and was looking sternly at his sister, who lay 1 crouched between the bed and the wall covered with blood. The young man was cool, and said he had shot his sister because she had brought dishonor upon the family by leading life of shame, and he would rather see her dead thar lead such life. Mollie Dejarnette said she knew that she would die, and
 begged the officers not to arrest hel
 brother. She did not blame him, fol
 she knew she had disgraced the family
 The young woman fingered eigh
 days. Her brother was taken to SCI
 her every day, and 8 short time before her death she raised herself in bed ant said to him Brother, embrace me
 and give ma farewell kiss" He stoopet | down and kissed her, saying: "Yes F the kiss of death." Until this time h. 3 had displayed no emotion when talking 3 to her. He did not,. from first to last , say anything which would lead to tn ] belief that he regretted the murder c
 his sister. She died after protesting re
 ligion, and earnestly begging that he
 brother be lightly dealt with. Dejarnette's parents were formerl wealthy people of high standing in Mort Carolina. He was tried in August last f found guilty of murder, and sentence to be hanged in October, 1880, but tn , Supreme Court granted hlm @ new trial ! There was quite romance connecte
 with his prison life. It seems that whe < he committed the crime he was alliance f to Miss Murray, who lived near Sum
 init Depot. As soon as she received ill , telligence that her lover was in jail sh
 came to Danville, and her devotion t him during the time of his first tria ! was commented on. The young woman
 however, had two other admirers, an
 about six weeks ago astonished the con
 munity by marrying one of them O the day that she had fixed to marry tn ! Othar