Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1888-08-18
A WILD WOMAN.
CAPTURED IN THE WOODS SIX
MILES FROM WACO.
Brought to the City this Morning
and Placed in Jail. She is Sus-
pected Of the Murder Of
Her Child.


Prather farm, six miles from the city,
were startled bv a creature springing
up before them from some dense BUSH
es and scurrying away with the speed
of the wind. 1t was the figure of a
woman, dirt begrimed, nearly nude,
and with the fear of wild animal in
her mad flight frem the presence of
man. They caught but glimpse but
that was sufficient to show that it was
a colored woman and had child in
her arms. In the chase she tore
through the bushes like deer and it
was impossible for them to even get a
good view of her, much less effect a
capture. The men came back and re-
ported what they had seen and the
whole community was greatly excit-
cd over the affair and all were on the
look out to catch sight Of and capture
this ebony creature who had turned
away from civilization and was rum
ming wild in the woods like an ami
NAL. Mr.. w. c. Edwards was among
those watching for the wild woman.
Soon after he arose this morning
he was surprised by seeing the wild
female in an out house about q hum
dred yards from his residence. He
Immediately proceeded to the spot and
when in close proximity, the wild
negro seized heavy plank and drew
it back in threatening attitude, APP
rently ready to make battle. Mr..
Edwards says the woman presented
terrifying picture with the plank
raised over her head and her eyes
cleaning like wild beast at bay.
The woman's mouth was filled with
a lot of sulphur and some old feathers
and trash which she had found in
the out house and which she was ev-
identity eating. Her appearance was
enough to appall anyone, but Ed
wards was resolute and determined,
and finally by resorting to strategy,
her capture was effected and IN a
little while she became quiet and do
ellie. Being questioned by him the
woman said in a gutteral, hardly dis
tinguishable voice, THAT she came
from the Majors farm" which is
down the BraZos river about five
miles from Waco; when asked what
she had done with the child, which
the men had seen with her the day
before, she said, "that she had sent it
to heaven" This answer necessarily
excited suspicion and after the woman
was secured search for The missing
infant was instituted. In the search
some old clothes were found a short
distance away, in the woods. near a
large tank and close by was also dis.
covered q short, thick stick, which
was smeared with dried blood, and
the conclusion was that the deranged
creature had murdered the child with
the stick and thrown its lifeless body
in the tank, as search for the missing
babe proved fruitless for 1t has not
been seen or heard Of since the first
day in the woods. After the search
was over Mr.. Edwards hitched up his
buggy and assisted by the neighbors,
bound the wild woman and placing
her in the buggy, brought her to
town to turn her over to the authori-
ties. She was seen by a reporter of
this paper on Third street near the
city court building, where Mr.. Ed
wards was consulting with city Off
GERS. She presented an appearance
not SO revolving as might be expected
and seemed rather idiotic than fierce.
But the savage life of the woods
showed plainly, for once or twice she
seized a handful of dried grass which
lay in the bottom of the buggy and
ate it, chewing and swallowing with
as much relish as would gramnivor-
Gus animal. The reporter attempted
to question her, but her language
was cultural, forced and mostly in
coherent. He gathered however, that
she said she was the wife of man
named Pope Majors, and that
was all he was able to CLEAN
from the poor unfortunate creature.
The woman is about medium height
and weight, and presents very pit
liable aspect. Her features are not
much distorted and the eyes, which
is the never failing index of the
brain, do not appear so very wild,
hut have that macmillan uanant stnro