The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-07
WHEN CLOTHING STORE
DOUBLE CRIME.
The Bodies of the Murderer and His
Victim at the Morgue.


1lSIOl-fA PREVIOUS IFdgeuJs
ST. LOUIS, Feb. Gin the course of the
coroner's investigation of the Parker mur-
Ger and suicide, Mrs. Craft testified that
Mrs. Parker was ignorant of the fact that
her husband had pistol. The Republicans
report of the scene at the morgue says:
No one could see her as she lay there with
out pity. There was an instructive move
ment on the spectators part to uncover the
head. She was plainly dressed in some brown
stuff and wore black cloak with "a fringe of
beads The face was that of woman of 25
or 26 who had seen the hard side of life The
lips were smiling, but there were lines around
the corners, sloping downward; dowdward
lines around the eyes and burrows jdst begin
ming to show in the forehead, above which
appeared from under the bandage fringe of
chestnut hair. The face was pleasant one
an attractive one, even in death and any
one looking at it would have thought the
statement that it was not the face of good
woman a strange one.
The dead face at her side was of different
type The hair was darker, the eyes gray, the
nose sharp, the lips thin the upper one COW
cred with a dropping mustache. 1t was a
haggard face, and there were lines in it drawn,
it was not hard to guess, by Sickness dissi pa
tion and crime. Both care and crime set on
1t bitGiI CiOOkeu duIOSfdt)ls 1ueFG WAS u
horrible discoloration a ound the right eye;
horrible hole on the right side of the head
from which the eye turned with relief. The
body was dressed with some approach TO
neatness, for Parker in life and at liberty was
generally careful man in his dress. With
all its responsiveness now in life and health
his face would have been considered a hand
some one.
Immediately after the killing there was a
great deal of mystery, especially in regard to
the pistol and the manner in which it was
procured.
Judge Van Wagner adjourned court short
ly after the shot, and as soon as the bodies
were removed the janitors came with their
buckets of water and mops to scour up the
blood in the lury-room, and on the carpets of
the courtroom, where it had dripped from
the stretchers The crowd from the court
room followed the bodies, and there only re-
mained group of attorneys and officials.
who discussed the tragedy. Mr.. Jones went
into the jury-room and illustrated the man
ner OF its occurrence giving the position of
the parties
Then the conversation turned on the wo-
man, and Mr.. Marshal F. Mcdonald men
toned how she had taken leave of her baby.
''She went there to die" said Captain Ben
Finney, "and there are 5000 women in st.
Louis who would do just as she did, Men
are brutes; but if | had to respond to the
toast OF woman at the St. Patricks banquet.
/ would want no better illustration of her
unselfishness and devotion than this given
here to-day by this poor little. ignorant laun-
dress. As for her husbaSd-him," said
Captain Finney, who is never profane, but
whose feelings could find no other vent
now s'# ~
Sunday afternoon the wife called at the
Jail and had an interview with her husband
twice as long as usual 1t lasted for two
hours. and Head Guard Mcmahon noticed
that Parker appeared to be begging her to
give her consent to something, She wept
and sobbed as he pleaded with her. but
finally became calmer and went away, On
returning to her home that evening she was
very much depressed. To Sarah Welsh,
girl twelve years old who lived with her, she
said that she was tired of going and coming
to and from the Jail 'Oh, | am so tired OF
it," said she, but Johnny would do the same
for me-" Kissing her baby and sitting down
by the stove after she had placed it in its
cradle, she said: "Its no use, Sarah, I've got
to die"
When the little girl asked her why she had
to die she looked confused. but answered
that it would be better for her to die as she
was not we'll
The child in its cradle crowed and kicked
UP its feet She burst into tears and taking
it in her arms exclaimed: "Oh. no, l can't
die; can't die and leave my baby"
When the baby went to sleep she resumed
her conversation about dying, saying that
she belonged to lodge which, on her death
would pay her baby 81 600 and give it good
maybe the child would never be
worth that if.sne lived, she reasoned.
A PREVIOUS MURDER IN THE SAME PLACE.
This, the second great tragedy in the Grim
inal Courtroom, recalls the first-as great
sensa ton in its day as this. 1t was March
H. in the year 1875, and Judge William C.
Jones was then OH the criminal bench A
negro bov named Charles Woodson was on
trial before him for the murder of a boy
named Boatwright, son of detective, who |
died of an injury caused by brick sup
posed to be thrown by the little darkey while
4 fight was going on. The brick crushed the
boys skull so that he died. As Woodson
was sitting before the bar r. p w. Boat |
wright, the boys brother passed HIM, saying
as he did so; "You killed my brother, =
you, and now | will kill you" From the
bench Judge Jones saw him drive a knife |
into the prisoners abdomen as he spoke.
3oatwright walked on toward the door when
Judge Jones followed and overlook him.
You needn't make - fools of yourselves"
said Boatwrght, Pm not going to try to
get away" He was tried for the crime, but
the insanity plea and technicalities saved him. !