The daily gazette., 1882-05-05
A HORRIBLE MURDER.
Fearful Case of Matricidc-A Human
Brute Beats His Mothers Brains Out
with a Hammer.


with Hammer.
PHILADELPHIA, May "A brutal tragedy
was enacted, this evening, in an old three
story tenement house on Samson street
below Front, Mrs. Susan Davisson, an aged
woman, being killed by her son,
Mrs. Davisson, who was about 60 years
of age, lived on the third floor front, with
her son, John Davisson, aged SO years, and
his two small children. Both the mother and
son were said to be of incorporate habits,
and the police had been frequently called in
to secure peace. Mrs. Davsson was known
to have sum of money coming TO her, and
she and her soon often quarrelled about
this matter Yesterday afternoon Davisson
went home drunk and renewed the quarrel
with his mother about her expected money,
which he said she ought to have had long
ago. He threatened her that he would take
the matter in his hands and soon get the
money, and then left the house.
Shortly after q O'Clock he returned and
going up stairs to the room occupied by him
and his mother he began fighting with her
again about the money One of his little
boys was in the room at the time. He told
the child to go out and bring his brother
there and pushed the little fellow down
stars. The mother and son then then en-
gagged in violent alteration and spoke in
loud tones.
Mrs. Henry, who occupied the room over
head, heard the disturbance, which was even
more violent than usual. 81 was sitting in
the entry sewing carpet rags" she said,
when ! heard the Davissons quarreling
They were very violent and l was afraid.
| heard the old woman cry murder three
times, and then there was a sound as of
bones crushing. | waited for little while
and then went down stairs. The door of the
Davissons' room was open. The oldwoman
was lying on the floor with her blood stream
ing all around her. John was kneeling
over her with q hammer and was pounding
her head, saying all the time, Now what's
the matter with youl' He never looked up
as | passed the door, and kept chopping
away at the old woman's head. l hurried
down stairs and was so frightened that
could hardly tell murder had been COM
mitted up stairs"
Davisson went down stairs after the mur-
der, but was Immediately arrested by the
police, who, upon going up stairs, were met
by ghastly sight. There, lying on the
llOor, with her head not more Chan three feet
from the door, was the old woman. She
was literally covered with blood. She was
| lying on her face, and ON the left side of her
| head, behind the ear, was a deep hole from
which protruded parts of the brain. The
| halr was matted with coagulated blood;
streams of blood ran from the clothing and
| trickled over the floor; spattering the white
| bedsheets in corner of the room were drops
| Of blood which had evidently spurted from
the body with each successive blow. Beside
the body was found large carpenters
hammer still wet with blood. Life had evi.
IDENTIFY been extinct before the murderer had
| finished with his victim.
When taken to the police station, Davis
son was still under the influence of liquor,
and did not seem to realize what he had
done. He was very boisterous, and KEEP
| ton" He was locked up, and soon hat
fallen off into a drunken stupor He 1
| well known to the police, although neve
before arrested for anything except drunk
enness lie is regarded as somewhat weak
minded, is subject to commissions, and il
| greatly affected by liquor.