The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-30
DAILY. $40 A YEAR. 4
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WEEKLY. 81 % A YEAR. J
SLAIN BY HER CRAZY SON.
A Mothers Head Cut in Two With
an Ak While She Slept.


Wood and Left His Work without
Provooation to Commit the Bloody
Work-He was Weak Minded, But
Not Considered Dangerous.
Atlanta, Ga, June 29.--With all the aw-
full details Of the Julia Force double homi-
eide still vividly before the public mind,
Atlanta was shocked to-day by another
bloody deed which deserves to go down
on the erecord of horrors side by side with
that terrific event. This time however,
it was a keen bladed ax in the hands Of
a son that committed the bood-curldling
deed the most fiendish of all the foul
deeds of blood-a matricide.
II was about o'clock this afternoon
that Mrs. w J. Pagan, the wife Of "a
prosperous farmer residing about three
miles from the city, near Edgewood, and
the mother Of nine children, four boys
and five girls, entered the sitting room to
take her usual after-dinner nap. She
had left her eldest son, Thomas, n sturdy
looking young man of 10, chopping wood
in the back yard, while in room across
the hall the girls OF the family were sew
ing and attending to other household
duties Never for an instant suspecting
the horrible fate that awaited her, the
good wife and mother prepared her pallet
and was soon fast asleep, her head rest
ing peacefully upon clean white pillow.
ENTRANCE OF THE MURDERER.
Mrs. Pagan could not have been long
asleep when the sturdy son whom she
had left splitting wood near the kitchen
door abruptly dropped his work, and
shouldering his keen -bladed AK walked
swiftly toward the house. AS he started
of "A little brother called after him to
know what he was going to do with the
ax in the house. 'l'm going TO put 1t
up" replied tho young man with
out pausiug or turning his head
He was evidently actuated by some deep
purpose, for the little boy said he went
straight as a line TO the hall door, with
his head erect and the AK firmly grasped.
without noticing those In the opposite
room, the young man opened the door OF
the sitting room, where his mother lay
sleeping. With firm hand, once inside,
he closed the door behind him safely and
in a moment the children in the room
across the hall heard the sound OF heavy
blows descending. but no screams or up
raised voices accompanied them.
BRoTHER's NARROW ESCAPE.
AS they sprang up the young man came
| quickly out of the room where he had
done his iendish work aud walked to-
wards the back door. He caught sight
OF one of his little brothers and started
TO chase him, but gave il up after few
| quick strides and proceeded on his way
back TO the woodpile, where he had been
| at work. There still holding the AK
which was dyed red with blood half way
| up the handle he sat down in an old chair
| seemingly unconcious Of having done any
| thing unusual. When a crowd OF neigh
| gathered, he still sat by the wood
| pile holding the bloody AK, and
when spoken to only laughed Some one
asked him why he had killed his mother.
! With broad grin on his face. he replied
that a negro had told him to do It. Then
after q moment ne said: mo, the negro
did it, and he continued TO laugh and
point to the house, with an expression of
amazement on his face, as the crowd gath
cred about him until officers arrived and
| took him TO the county jail.
AN AWFUL SIGHT.
When themurderer's sisters rushed into
the room where their mother had gone
| to rest her weary eyes in sleep, it was
an awful sight that met their gaze The
| keen-edRed ak had severed her head
| from her body and a second stroke had
! split the skull in two pieces, one piece
having been knocked entirely across
the room. The pillow was saturated
with blood and great pools OF
| the crimson life fluid ran out
upon the floor until the children almost
| trampled in it in their fright. The death
blow had been struck while the tired
mother slept. She did not utter sound
when the fendish son entered the room,
and the peaceful sleep which had closed
her eyes saved her the great horror OF
recognizing her murderer.
Al the time of the tragedy MIR. Fagan
was away at store TO purchase pair of
shoes for his wife, whom he returned to
find a corpse, his eldest son a prisoner and
his little children frantic with horror and
grief. Young Pagan has always been re-
garded as weak minded, but none who
knew him ever suspected the extent of
his deranQement He always showed
extraordinary attachment for his mother,
and his father said he would do anything
10 crafty her slightest wish. Yet in the
moment of his insane frenzy he turned
upon her and slew her while she slept.