Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-01-25
THE CHILD'S STORY.
MOTHER AND FATHER
BUTCHERED
Bodies Burned TO Ashe:
How BE Escaped the Lynch
eIS.
A STORY PATHETIC AND HEART
RESIDING.
VIII the Nation Hear-A Crime that il
the Blacklist Yet-What viii be
Done About It-Ohrigtendom
Appealed To


Saturday night, January IL, 1895,
witnessed another one OF those dam
nable outrages that have made the
parish OF Jefferson so famous in the
annals Of criminal history. The lat
est aud most atrocious of all is the
cold-blooded murder OF Pat Morris
and his wife, their homo being set on
fire and their bodies cremated at
Westwego, little place opposite the
upper end OF this city They " ere
very old and inodensive, harming no
one, but trying to make an honest
living.
DEsoLATE CONDITION.
The once peaceful and beautiful
Parish of Jefferson by unrestrained
mob violence has become a barren
waste, q scourge, place to be shun-
ned by all law abiding people. How
long will the good people permit these
outrages. at the very doors OF their
boosted civilization, to continue I'M
lchecked2
Below is the narrative of the son,
who escaped and lives to tell the tale
of the bloody deed.
The only SURVIVOR of the unfortun-
ate couple is an eleven year old boy,
who, for one reared in such circum-
stances, is exceedingly intelligent.
PITgFUL oBJEcT.
Pat Morris, for that is the name OF
the lad, is of small size, and his CHINA
mon features already show the marks
OF his great grief. While bis look is
sufficient to tell that he suffers, one
must talk to the unkempt and curly
headed boy before q thorough under
standing of his deep sorrow is OBJ
tanned.
WHERE He HAS WANDERED.
As he sat in the Office OF DR.. Clay, of
the Waits Home on Clio street, his
thin brown fingers playing with the
loose threads of his old trousers, not a
tear sprang to his small eyes, which
sat deep In the sockets. His piping
voice, which gradually softeued as he
told the tale, gave evidence that he was
KINDNESS ATLAsr.
Mrs Reames. the kind matron, ush-
cred the boy into the Office, and in q
gentle way babe him relate the de-
tails Of the horrible crime to those
present.
AT first Pat hesitated, but he was
assured that he would not be harmed.
IIt was then that he broke the silence,
and in plaintive tones said;
i A HOUSE on FIRE.
'sThey set the house on fire at IL
Io'clock last Enthusiastically night.
Our house was boat, s.sS it had been
raised on four posts. Yes, it was near
the levee, and papa raised it, SO that
the water would not get to it. Papa
said he was married to my mamma
eighteen years ago in Houston, Texas.
Mamma. you know, was a black wo-
man and about fifty years old just
the same age as my papa
WORKING COUPLE.
''In Houston papa worked in cotton,
and four years ago we came here and
papa got work on the levee at West
wego at trucking cotton. Now Idon't
remember when che boat was bought
but have been living. with them in
the bosthouse ever since / came here.
No sir. we have no relatives alive.
WHY THEY KILLED THKM.
"Well, mamma began to sell cakes
and coffee and lunch TO the men who
worked about with papa, and as John
ME Gassener only sold whiskey and
beer. and little other stuff, guess
he got mad with mamma He never
said anything to any of US, but about
three nights ago he came to point out
a spot to fire on the boat. He had
come one with him.
THE LYECHgRs NAMED.
Let me see-his name was Duncan
and he works on the railroad. John.
ME GasseneT made out ne was drunk
and when Duncan came on the GALLERY
papa meant TO knock him down with
ILL l. - L
Duncan, Johnnie Gassener yelled tina,
If he did, he would kill my papa. Sine.
then papa had no trouble with any O.
the men.
II THE FIEEDs' WORK.
"Well, about IL O'Clock, mamma
papa and i were sitting in the boat
house, talking Someone crawleC
down the batture and set fire to the
bow of the boat. where the front dool
was. As soon as we saw the flame
papa told US to get out quick as tn,
boat WAS on fire. Mamma went first
| and was next to her, with papa RICH
behind .. When my poor mammi
! got tc the door some one of the whit.
|, men fired at her.
THIS COLOR OF THE MURDERERs.
} Yes, they were white, because
could see them from the light of tn
fire. saw two men I knew; the
were Mr.. 1assener, who keeps tn
saloon, and officer Jerome. Both ha,
sguns and all the white men had guns
believe there were about twenty five
HIS MOTHERS DEATH-BLooD.
"Well, the bullet struck mamma i
! the right side Of the neck, and sh
! dropped back, dead. Her blood wen
: on my coat. Look. here are the stain
near Che button-hole. Don't you Sc
> the red2
IL Just a second later another sho
) was fired. and the bullet glanced owe
, my right leg, just above the knee, bu
3 Ididn't scratch me. This bullet hit pap
in the leg, and as he was then cripple
! he felliby mamma and both were burr
d ed up.
ell HOW he GOT AWAY.
II grabbed my pants, coat and shoe
because ] was in my night clothe
and ran through the house to tn
back door and got out. / ran aion
the batture to the Company cans
lo2fice, and after putting on my cIotht
Islept under the house I"
This ended the story, and no amour
: of questioning could break down tn
= statement.
al We are informed that Morris was
v white man and his wife respectabl
Icolored woman. This, we learn. Wa
the only oHense charged to Morris,
New Orleans Leade