Evening journal., 1894-04-20
QUEEN ANNE'S MURDER.
George J. Leager Killed BY
His Colored Farm Hand.
BIS SON SERIOUSLY WOUNDED
The Excited People Threatened to Lynch
the Black Brute-Is Now Confined IN
Centreviile Jaii-Not tho First Man He
Had Ever Shot.


Centreviile Jaii-Not tho First Man He
Had Ever shot.
CENTREvLLE, Nd. April 90 The
brutal murder of Farmer George J
Leager, at his farm on Chester river, in
Queen Annes county on Wednesday
night has Mortified this neighborhood
Mr. Leager's IA year-old stepson, Nathan
B. Crossley, is still lying at the point Of
death from the wound he received from
the smoking revolver sof the murderous
negro farm hand, William Jackson
The Apparent Cause Of the Trouble.
The first Of the trouble which resulted
in the death Of the farmer and probably
fatal shooting Of his stepson occurred at
noon Wednesday. Mrs. Lesger asked
Jackson to bring her tub OF water from
pump near by. This he refused to do,
and commenced TO curse her Mrs.
Leager picked up a small stick 20 protect
herself If necessary. The negro said II
she struck him he would have her soul
Ia hell before sun down. Mr. Leager
was away at the time, having gone TO
meet the train. When he returned
Mrs. Leager told him of the affair.
Her husband at once started of for an
officer to have the man arrested, but was
advised, by friend whom be saw on the
road, to avoid any trouble, pay the negro
off and discharge him, which he said he
would do, aud returned home for that
purpose About o'clock Mr.. Leager and
his son were unloading a fodder cutter
and putting It in the loft of a barn, when
jackson came IA from his work He was
called to assist with the cutter, which he
did, and Immediately walked of from the
barn 20 pump about thirty feet distant.
Not word had been sa d Of the difficulty
between Mr.. Lsager and the negro.
Murdered without Uttering "a Word.
jackson called TO Mr. Leager to come
down from the loft that be wanted him
Mr.. Lesger came down, having in his
hand hatchet which he had been using
In the barn. Without word Jackson
| dealt the unfortunate man a blow with
his fist, which staggered but did not
knock him to the ground. Leager re
covered himself and struck at the man
with his fist Young Samuel Crossley
who had witnessed the affair from a
point only a few yards away, said, Il
do net think my father struck him. "
The negro drew a pistol and shot Lsager,
| who fell The next instant another
shot was fred, which missed its mark
Nathan Crossley the fourteen-yesf.old
stepsou Of Leager, ran from the barn
toward his father. carrying a pitch-fork
in his hand, and when within a few feet
of his father Jackson fired at the boy
Samuel, the boys seventeen-year-old
brother ran behind the barn for safety,
the negro trying to head him of. Ma
than made his escape TO sneighbor's and
gave the alarm.
While the dying man was on the
ground after first being shot the negro
grabbed the hatchet which lay near, and,
with a desperate blow, nearly severed
the hand from the arm at the wrist
The CoIored Brute's Goodness.
jackson calmly and deliberately
walked two miles 10 q negro settle
ment, ate his supper and prepared t.
retire. He was captured about p. m.
and lodged in jail
About o'clock last night there wa:
considerable excitement in the neighbor
hood of Church Hill, and fears Of lynchinl
were entertained jackson came to thi.
county last January, and claims to b
from Pulaski county, Ark When cap
tured five shooter and about fifty car
tiidges we're found among his effects
jackson is reported to have said to thl
constable on his journey to Centreville
that Mr. Leager was not the first whit
man he has killed This is the seconl
negro now in jail charged with murder
List January negro named Leste
killed a colored boy for his boots whil
I f..H . . aN....