Democratic messenger., 1893-06-03
MURDER I!
JOhn Dennis Shoots His
Wife and then Muir
derS His Own
Father.


to the WOods-The Mans
Body Torn to Pieces
by the Shot.
John Dennis, colored man who was
born and raised i'm or near Snow Hill and
who moved To Wicomico with his wife
and aged father, year or so ago, muir
dcred both wife and father on Wednesday
morning. The lTicomico NGws gives the
following account of the airocious deed :
II will kill any one that follows me !"
was the last exclamation heard AS John
Dennis, colored, escaped from the house
of his father Wednesday morning about
i.30 o'clock, after having killed his
father and shot his wife.
From the appearance of the house and
surroundings this was the most cold
hlooded murder ever committed in this
vicinity.
Wednesday morning John Dennis left
the old Rider Farm situated about one
and half miles from Salisbury on the
Tony Tank road with load of straw
berries TO be shipped from that station.
While in town il is supposed he took
several drinks and when he arrived home
his father upbraided him for being so late.
a quarrel ensued and John told his
father, James Dennis, an old man Of -
years, that he was going to leave home,
and took his shot gun and ammunition and
started out OF the house. His wife follow
ed him and when across the road he
turned on her and told her 10 leave him
or he would kill her. She started 10 run
and when about twenty feet from her
husband he emptied the load of shot in
her back About ten shot entered the
small of her back and she fell in the road.
The mother Of young Dennis helped the
wounded woman in the house and washed
the wounds. In the meantime the old
man who was sitting in the house called
out 10 his son and told him he must be
drunk 10 treat his wife in such a manner
BY this time Dennis had reloaded his
gun. and entering the house from the
kitchen door, saw his father sitting in a
chair in the centre of the room. lie asked
his father, Are you ready?' at which
the old man arose from his seat, When he
had COTTON ssuarely on his feet his son
fired at HIM, the entire load taking effect
just over the heart. The gun was so near
the old man that his clothing was set on
fire. lie fell on his left side, and his wife
poured bucket of water ON the burning
garments TO extinguish the blaze. When
she reached her husbands side he was
dead. \ horrible wound in the left side
met heI gaze.
The old woman ran out into the back
yard, where she saw her son in the act of
eloadine his gun. She grappled with
him and attempted Ia wrest the gun from
him. To the information conveyed 10 the
son by the mother that he had murdered
his father, the murderer replied in an
unconcerned manner, Il can't helD II :"
ana started for the woods just back Of
the house. taking his gun with him.-As
he left hc said, Il will kill anyone that
follows me -
DIR G Gorge w. Todd. and G. W White
happened along short time after the
murder was committed and went INTO the
house but could render no aid They
drove To town and gave the alarm. In
less than thirty minutes -Vers reporter
was on the scene of action lie found the
old colored woman, Mary the wife of The
murderer. and his Twelve months old
laby together with Edw. Fooks,a colored
man who witnessed the shooting, under
"A tree short way from The house. They
SAID they were afraid TO stay in the house
as he might return and kill them
The Ners man entered the house and
found the old man living on his left side
with a pool oi fresh blood under him aud
another beside the chair where he had
fallen
Dennis Is about 30 years old and can
be easily identified on account Of having
his left hand cut of
Deputy Sheriff lIearn and posse of
men, started on the track of the murderer
a short time after the news was received
Later, about > 80 o'clock, the murderer
was seen at the n. Y, 7. & \. depot.
having walked from the scene of his
murder 10 town and was making his way
down the county road toward Pitisville
States Attorney Rider ordered jury of
inquest held and visited the scene in the
afternoon.