The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-10
INCITIYC TOMURDER.
Some Songs That Have Inspired Men
10 Kill Each Other.
Actual Records Of Homioides That
Have Recently Occurred From Sing
ing Popular Ditties-How Persons
Have Been Made Insane.

From the Plttsburg Dispatch.
Probably the most murder provoking
song that was ever written is the French
Marseillaise The idea has gone down
into history that the songs of a nation are
the greatest educative and ennobling in
fiuence of which human nature is capable.
OF course, it must be understood that hui
man beings have not yet entirely freed
themselves from sayagery, and war is
consequently still tolerated by civilized
nations. 1t is fact which cannot be con-
trOyerted that thousands of men have
been urged on to the cannon's mouth dur
ing the Napoleon regime by the inspirit-
ing strains of the above named battle
hymn 1t well known fact that rhythm
in music has a remarkable effect upon
the nerves of men about to engage in the
work of numbering each other and many
a regiment would have been routed be-
fore firing a shot had not the music of
some patriotic song or hymn inspired
them with renewed courage.
There are many songs in the history of
music which are especially adapted to
arouse men to deeds of valor Instances
of these we find during the late war
in this country Who can tell for how
many untimely deaths Rally Round the
Flag, Boys" is responsible2 Beyond
doubt, the song which has stirred up
more sectional hatred than any other is
Dixie" 1t conserved more fully the
thoughts of southern patriotism than any
other air.
CORRoBORATED BY RECENT DEEDS.
Even to-day slumbering memories are
crude combination of words and music.
These Illustrations will be sufficient to
prove in opposition to prevailing senti-
ments to the contrary that apparently
harmless songs under certain circum-
stances will stir up the most deadly
hatred of which the heart is capable.
The idea is Corroborated in most re-
markable manner by several crimes which
have been committed in the past few
months in New Work city and its vicinity.
Within three months three men have
committed murder and numerous assaults
have occurred because of the annoying
irritation of popular songs.
1t is curious fact that while popular
song is apt to create a favoPa BILE impress
sion when heard for the first time, when
it is repeated day after day on llmapner
of instruments it becomes not only bur
densOme, but positively unbeara BILE.
What is more common than to hear dis
gusted man exclaiming: When are they
ever going to stop playing that internal
tune!" Where is the metropolitan who
would not utter an expression of dissatis-
faction on now hearing "Annie Rooney"
or Down Went McGinty?n Even TIA
ra-ra Boom-de-ay,r which has scarcely
reached it's second birthday.is now SO
thoroughly obnoxious that it is no longer
played even by hand-organs, and my
Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon" has
jsined its wornout, popular comrades in a
musical grave.
SYMPATHY FOR THE GUILTY.
But while there may be some reason
able excuses in the minds of men for the
existence of so-called patriotic songs, the
constant repetition IN times of peace of a
senseless and hackneyed air certainly can
have no eXtenuating reason for its exist
ence. Consequently, while murders have
been committed by men made savage by
the unceasing repetition of an insane air,
there are thousands of men and women
who, while not excusing the crime, still
feel certain degree of sympathy for the
guilty man. 1t will be remem bered that
only a few months ago murder was COM
mitted in Brooklyn by man who is
awaiting trial in Raymond street Jail. 1t
may not be generally known, however. to
the public that the direct incentive for
the murder was the singing of a song. as
was shown in the preliminary examina-
ton in the police court
The murder was perpetrated on a Sun
day morning. Two laborers, jeremiah
Long and George Woods, had been carous-
all night long, and were still in their cups
at daybreak. They had been drinking
ane singing for several hours, Woods per-
sisting in singing the song Comrades, "
while Long wished him to change the
droning melody TO some other tune, but
Woods was either too drunk or too care
less to heed the constant warning of his
companion At last, in a burst of insane
rage, Long exclaimed:
stop, stop stop singing that song, or
I'll cut your thrOat'
THE SONG THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE.
His comrade persisted. A knife Law
upon the table which had been used by
the men making cheese sandwiches
Long, who is a Onc-legged man, seized the
knife in his ir6nAied grasp, hoped sud
denly to his foot, grabbed Woods by the
hair, threw back his head and drew the
keen blade of the knife across his throat,
seyering the wind pipe and the iugular
vein Woods was dead in less than two
minutes Long was too drunk to make
his escape. and even had he tried he
could not have escaped on account of the
wooden leg. 1t was proved beyond a
doubt in the preliminary examination bv
the police that the direct cause of the
crime was the singing of the song re-
fGrred to above.
A crime of more recent date was perpe-
trated on one of the east side piers in
New York city, the active cause of which
was the singing of the song He Never
Cares to Wander from His Own Fire
side" 1t was bright moonlight night,
and Mike Cronin, Tom Sullivan and John
Gonzales were rowing upon the East
river. Sullivan was pulling the oars asd
singing the sentimental words:
He never cares to wonder from his own fire.
side,
He never cares to ramble or to roam,
With his children on his knee he's as happy
can be-
For there's no place like home, sweet home.
When the boat arrived opposite pier 81,
which is opposite Market street, someone
on the pier shouted to the singer ito close
his face Sullivan hearing the ieer,
rowed to the pier and climbed up looking
for the man who, he claimed, had in
suited him. William Brewer, who was
one of the party upon the pier, tried to
act as peace-maker. There was quar-
rel and somebody struck Brewer upon
the head with an oar. The force of the
blow broke the oar, and it also broke
Brewers skull. He was carried to Gou-
yerneur Hospital, where he died a few
ours later from conclusion of the brain.
THE CAUSE FOR AN ASSAULT.
The latest popular craze, after the
Ball" is responsible for an assault in
William hTrc OO1V last 1uaaLy