Smyrna times., 1882-08-02
The Forest Murder Case.


The ChestertOWn Transcript, at which
place Joseph Morris, Jr., is in Jail for
the murder of Mrs. Turner week before
last in the Forest, has had an interview
with the prisoner (the latter declaring
the shooting an accident) and gives
the following account of the parties
and the region they inhabit:
THE NORRIS FAMILY.
Joseph Morris, Sr., the father of the
man now in jail, was twenty years ago,
a respectable, a well-thought-of, and a
well-to-do citizen. He owned a we'll |
improved farm in the upper district of
this county, and several lots and houses
in Galena. He had two sons and a
daughter. His eldest son, Simmonds
Morris, killed Il schoOl-fellow by strik-
ing him in the forehead with a stone.
The occurrence was claimed by young
Morris to be accidental and was so
thought to be by the community, but
he afterWard turned ont to he dread
fully vicious fellow, and a terror to the
whole section in which he lived. Kate
Morris, the daughter, is said to have
been a beautiful girl when she first
grew up, but very fast. and as far back
as she can be remembered, her charac-
ter has not been untarnishcd by suspi-
/ ciom. Joseph Morris, Jr.. the man now
imprisoned on the charge of murder,
was not Il particularly visciOus boy.
The elder Morris lost all his property,
and with it. seemingly, all his pride of
character. He went to live on the
outskirts of the forest, and both his
son and daughter came to be the lead
ers of hard gang. Joseph Morris, Jr.,
has been tried and convicted before
the Kent county court for unlawful
sale of whiskey, and was also tried for
selling alcoholic liquors without a
license. He has been suspected of
illicit distilling, and the general char
acter he bears is not an enViable one.
THE TURNER FAMILY.
The Turner's were scarcely known
outside the vicinity of the forest, until
Mrs. Turner became a witness in the
trial of Murphy for shooting Daniels,
which came off in the Fall of 1880
She at that time attracted attention a
being rather II handsome woman
! Mrs. Turner has not borne Il character
beyond reproach. Among other mat
tiers, there has been rumOred Illicit
intimacy between her and Joseph Nor
ris, Jr. However, in forest society
I Mrs. Turner stood among the mos
highly-respected, and her untimel!
taking off has eccasiOned a widespread
! resentment against the cause thereof
It THE FOREST.
n What is known as the "Kent Forest
: is said to contain a thousand inhabi
tants. In some places it is thickl
l. dotted with houses, and the way-farin
e man with a pocketbook mad alway
V rather take another road than on
,e leading through the forest. Notwitf
standing this bad reputation, the crime
d and misdemeanOrs committed by th
d foresters are generally among and VI
n on each other. 1t is seldom that a
outsider suffers from them, either
ID person or property. They are pc
he pie to themselves, having little intin
acy with the outside world. The
ne once in while go in large body {
a an excursion, and they take wares
market in the towns and villages, b
en their social life is bounded by Il
es forest. They raise little patches
corn, grow some poultry, and in Il
of Summer season the huckleberry cr'
be is considerable source of revenu
so In winter they find plenty of rabbit
~ raccoOns and oppOssums, and it
possible that they work enough to ca
Up money to buy their bread, though ii
on is doubtful point. In any case t
ac- foresters lead for the most part an id
reckless life.
he P. S.-H. w. Vickers, Esq, Stat
lb- Attorney for Kent county visited
EEK scene of the tragedy on Monday, a
'an gathered much useful informant
bearing upon the case.