Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-26
MURDER MOST FOUL.
DETAILS or A HORRIBLE AFFAIR IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
Killed with iiatchet and Buried III
Tobacco Uarn-The
Theory.
rn.cIAl telerram 70 tho DIapalch.l


Rur1cu. \. C.. November PA murder
most horrible in character has been COM
United in Chatham county az point
where Wake and Durham join II, and John
A. Horton was the victim. lie roomcd
with j. -. Davis in an upper room IN
house owned by an aged ana dear woman
who was it's only other occupant. DAVIS
and Horton occupied the same bed' a. tney
had done for a long time. Last Saturday
wool Horton was missing. Davis said that
the previous night Horton had gone 20
neighbours house TO PLAY the hddie nor
ton invariably when visiting. ~ Which ne
was fond. wore his Sunday clothes, ana
these were found in the house ! he old
woman ~aid that the night previous she
had seen Davis and Horton 60 10 iheir
room and she had locked the house-door.
n was found that Horton had not gone to
q neighbours house. This Jed TO deep slis--
picion against Davis, though be proies ed
TO be greatly greyed 40 Horizons disti-
pearance aud took an active part III tac
search.
TELL-TALE ruLoW-cAsR.
4 part OF a plllow-case was found IN
fireplace in their room. Davis said he WAS
reading with lamp hy the bedside when
the pillow caught FIRE, ard he threw }, IN
the fireplace. Blood was also found under
the bed. The country nearby was care
fully searched, the river dragged, aud me
wells examined. Traces of blood nearly
ohliteratcd by rain were found IN wheel
barrow in the yard, and burrY-tracks near
is invisible from the same cause were
traced from point in the rear or the
house to t0baccO-barn some distance
away.
A great quantity Of tobacco was found in
This house piled on the floor. All tins was
takcn away. though it showed no signs of
disturbance. Under IT were planks. ana
when these were removed the earth was
found 20 have been recently disturbed
This discovery caused great excitement
and digging at once began. Two fees uu-
der Tire surface the body Of Horton was
found in his night-clothes. with tLe hDai
wrapped i'm two old guIno-sacks. Nhen
fhese We're removed ii was found that two
heavy blows had been inflicted on the
back OF the head with the edge of "a
Ratchet and another blow with the back
of The samc making horrible wounds
Davis had previously been told'hat u Hpr-
ton was not found alive 10 would be be-
lieyed that me had murdered hm
ruuonY OF TIL MUHDEH.
When the body WAS discovered DO was
found that Davis had disappeared. j. is
believed that Davis killed Horton after the
/ latter had fallen asleep: had wrapped ius
head uD I'm the sacks and had rolled Nh"
/ bed 90 the window and thrown tho body
+ out: that he had thcu gone out of doors.
putthc bOdviu the viccibaTow and rolled
il 10 tho buggy. and had then carried e in
+ the buggy 10 The barn, whore hc bad spent
Saturday i'm removing the tobacco ana
buryiug the body and thon replacing tn'
/ tobacco II is believed that Oh" murder
/ was committed for the price of d hIc ot
F cotton which horton owned and lad sold
the day of the murder
The Durham police were put on Davis
/ trail and last Saturday captured hHu 90
+ Dauylle. Yesterday he was taken 60
Greensboro tor safe keeping. Tits believed
that Do viii require special care % protect
him from lyucmug. lha ca" causes great
/ sensation.
How Davis Was Captured-A Confession.
/ A special to thc D,p0'ch from UlnvlIe.
after giving substantially the same details
REGARDING the murder as does the above
Raleigh special. with the exception ihat d.
states that he old woman WITH whom iho
/ parties lived was Horton, mother and Da-
Wis was Horton farm manager, says.
Finally, however. Davis told the old lady
that Horton had deserted her and gone %
Washington ICrrltorv.
Tho Chief of Police 40 Durham te'c-
gTaphCd the authorities here to look out
+ for Davis, and Saturday night % Durham
7 policeman came here 10 ald IN tine capture.
The Durham policeman stopped at the
Planters Hotel. Yesterday while the
Chief of Police and the Durham policeman
were holding o conference 90 tle Planters
Hotel waiter came iu and asked tie pro-
priotor d. pee should wake hlr. Davis. one
! of the guests for dinner. The proprietor
roulied that Mr.. Davis bad come ln late at
night and requested that he De allowed 10
sleep during the day. The name DAVIS
aroused the suspicious Of the Officers pres
/ emit. and they determined to lnyc sugaie.
They went 10 his room, entered. and,
strange no relate. there ON % bed was the ODE
Ieet OF their Search. =. Davis.
A Confession,
The officers explained 90 Davis lo was
wanted for murder. ana me confo ed Dee
had killed Farmer Horton, hut that % was
done I'm self-drfonce. ic WIS clos IS Que--
toned and finally made "A full comics ION 10
the following TeyOltug crime. he had
/ been frequently sent 20 Raleigh with cot-
/ ton and other farm produce belonging 10
/ Horton. and finally conceived the idea OF
numbering ms employer convincing the
aged mother her son had deserted her, and
then hc himself would TIL the farm an
enjoy the fruits thereof that On the night
of November 18th Horton went visiting,
and on his return be Davis met hmm 90
the door, knocked him down with boot
lack. and afterwards beat his brains ont
lie threw the body out Of the window,
went down stairs, dragged the hie-ess
form 10 an old barn. and there buredu.