Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-07
MORGANFIELD TALKS
INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH
THE CONVICTED TRAIx-ROBBER.
Says lie II the Son Of . Preacher
How He Met searcey, Against
Whom He In Very Bitter-Wants
to Live to Get Even.

FREDERICKsBUR0 VA. My O.
Especial )--Morganfield the condemned
Aquia-creek train robber. was taken
from the jail here this morning at 6:3o
o'clock and hurriedly driven to the Rich
mond. fredericksburg and Potomac rail-
road depot. In charge Of Sheriff Kennedy
and his deputy. Mr.. Harry Lightner. At
$40 o'clock he left for Richmond, to be
incarcerated in the State prison for the
term OF eighteen years. which punish
ment was imposed upon him at the Feb
ruary term Of the Stafford County Court.
At the depot he nodded pleasantly to
all who spoke to him. and seemed In the
best OF humor. It IL said. however. that
on leaving the jail he paid his respects
to Searcey by throwing a large lump OF
coal at him and using some very choice
language.
Having been informed yesterday that
Morganfield would be taken away to-day,
! asked of the authorities permission to
interview him. Permission was readily
granted and during the two hours or
more / was locked In his cell with him
he related in an interesting manner
many OF his exploits.
HIS FATHER A PREACHER.
At the conclusion Of this narrative ne
said II want to give you some facts
not yet made public, and Will not give
them to any one else. for your reports
have been fair and impartial.
"Morganfleld or Morgan Is not my
right name. and l do not intend to d.
vulge what my right name Is, because
| would rather suffer eighteen years In
the penitentiary than have my people
know the predicsment / am In. My
father is a preacher. and stands high In
his community. as do the remainder OF my
family. My mother IL dead, but my
father married the second time' anu IL
was for this reason that tweiVe yours
ago | left home. This action | have re-
GREETED more than once. / left because
/ heard him promise my sainted mother
that he would never marry again
LARGE FAMILY.
mrbore were thirteen Of us by his first
uise hut only seven, SO far as l know,
are Iiying-four brothers and three SIS
ters. Two Of my brothers are lawyers.
one a physiclan, and the other connected
with the press. / also have near ieia-
| tive who Is q member Ct the present
Congress. and were | TO call MS name
| I, would astonish you. From any OF these
mentioned could have obtained ana nau
| I asked This | would not do' ana, De
sides. / had no idea or being CONVEX
| for I am innocent or the CRIME ,
only reason Searcey said ! was MS pal
was because he thought they would carry
him IN cincinnati to Identify me, anu
\ when once there would kick on requi-
sition and probably escape
RITTER AGAINST SEARCEY.
"Had he been brought there he never
r,ouid have identified me. After ne san
No chance of escape, and knowing that
he would receive clemency. he OF course
uo,,d not 90 back on what he had saiu.
| Tb,s ,s the second time Searcey mas
caused me trouble. The hrst was III
Texas town. where by his taisehoou'
lost over 500. Hts acquaintance Win me
| was due to my being professional sn,n
through the country ] stumbled on NM
several times. AS to being intimate WIN
him I never was but knowing me- anu
seeing a chance for escape, he Is iiiah'n5
| me s,,ffer TO shield others, and ne anu
| the Pinkertons know II. ,,.
| "The mast five months have been ne,
| time 10 me- The moment j was arresteu
every one was prejudiced against lhe.
| was advertised as wild Desperate anu
80, ond when I came here people
| looked at me as IL / had been born IN
t,a bamboo thickets Of Louisiana anu
r.ised i'm the canebrakes Of Arkansas
| while on the contrary, l never was pc
tore n Jury until this time In my h1e'
and bevond a misdemeanor was never III
court. Not satisfied with accusing me 0!
all sorts Of crime. they even woulu no,
give me crutches when the docto' s"N
they were necessary.
HE is SARCASTIC.
ITO those who kept them from me
only have to say that they should Ill the
chief offices of the humane society. AS
- Sergeant Fdr,ngton and his assistants.
| thew have been exceedingly kind. ana !
| sincerely thank them for 1t. Senator Lit
lie and Colonel Shay. my attorneys, were
| more than kind, and left no stone I'M
turned to prove my innocence, put as
| thew had TO fight a big corporation.
great detective force. and pubic PrsJ,-
dice. they were powerless or course 90
not expect to live to serve out the zen
| tence but would just like to live long
| enough 10 get even with Searcey. and II
| fate should permit us 10 meet, one ana
| nossbly both, will never again see sun
| light" o.,
During the interview Morganfeld most
| eercely and In no mlstakab.e lang age
vent for Searcey, the Cincinnati Post,
the express people. and the Pinkertons,
| and now and then gave the police iorce
| of Cincinnati. and especially Deteetlve
witty, a slap. AS to how he feil from
the train, he said: Il went out OF the Ia,
dies car to go to the smoker. and as
started to open the door lost my pa :
ance and fell. At that time i was on
| my way to Neillsville. No. "here III
| tended to sell some property.
| found the prisoner to ne an eAcep-
| tional,y good conversaticnalist ana a man
| who has no doubt travelled considerably.