The sun., 1897-12-16
THE MURDER MOST FOUL.
George D. Farra Killed by a
Negro Preacher.
HEAD CRUSHED WITH WEIGHT.
The Man Who Took His Life Was Fed
at His Board and Slept Be-
meath His Roof
HEAD CRUSHED WITH WEIGHT.

George d. Farra, farmer near the
city, was brutally murdered at his home,
Tuesday night, by his employe, Charles
Thorn, a burly negro. .Thorn's motive
was robbery and he secured from the
pockets Of the dead man S.. 10.
After committing the deed, the fiend
endeavored to conceal his crime by set
ting fire to the building.
The murder was discovered yesterday
morning by Farra's daughter when she
came down stairs to prepare breakfast,
and found her father lying on the kitchen
floor with his skull crushed and his jaw
broken.
George D. Farra lived ON the farm OF
Mrs. Nellie Bradley, near the intersection
of the New Castle and Farnhurst roads.
Charles Thorn, a farm hand employed
by Farra, boarded with him.
Tuesday night, after supper, Farra
threw himself on couch in the kitchen
and Thorn came in the room, and plac-
ing his feet in the oven of the stove,
took up book and was soon deeply in.
terested. FMra's two children, Willard
and Mabel, were also in the room; but
about $50 they both retired.
On Tuesday evening Mr.. Farra gave
his son Willard pocketbook contain.
ing $1.10 with which the lad came tc
Wilmington to make some purchases.
He returned to the house in very short
time. Only small portion Of the
money had been spent and the balance
the boy handed to his father.
About the same time Edward Murphy
who lives in q house nearby went to Mr..
Farra and spaid him 81 on account Of a
bill for feed which Mr.. Farra had sold
him. Thorn was a witness to both trans
actions.
He apparently paid no attention at the
the time, but in his busy brain must
have lurked the fendish project which
later in the night he so terribly carried
out.
When the children left the kitchen
they went to their room, which is in the
front part of the house, and which is
quite distance from the room in which
the tragedy was enacted.
The boy, Willard, was awake until
midnight watching fire which he had
built in the stove in the bedroom. He
heard nothing that was in the
least suspicious, during the time that he
was awake and it is thought that the
negro was watching the children and
hat he did not make any move to ac-
his fiendish work until he was
sure that they were asleep Nothing was
heard during the night by either of the
children and they did not know
what had happened until they
came down stairs in the morning.
The daughter, Mabel, was the first to
each the ground floor, as she was used
% doing. 1t Being somewhat dark in
he kitchen the girl started to go after a
match. In crossing the room she out
ined in the dim light OF the morn
ng the form of her father lying
lpon the floor near the kitchen stove.
Recalling the fact that she had left her
ather sleeping on the couch when she
etired the night before, Mabel thought
hat he had remained there all night and
lad fallen from the couch in his sleep. As
he drew closer this theory was dispelled
S she noticed that coat belonging to
he negro Thorne was spread across her
ather's head and he was lying in
eculiar position.
Removing the coat, the poor girl
allied in a moment that the PROSTATE
IAN was dead and had met his death by
)ul means.
Throwing herself across the form of
er murdered sire the daughter screamed
ntil her brother Willard arrived to view I
1e horrible scene.
He notified the neighbors and they 6
sent word to the police and
} Deputy Coroner Chandler. Word of c
,e murder was telegraphed to all the l
Joining cities and towns, and Officers
anc and Maloney We're sent to the {
ouse. Deputy Coroner Chandler WIS c
ready there as were the relatives of t
le dead man. |
The scene was terrible. S
On the floor, with the head near the I
one, was the body OF the murdered Q
IN. Around the battered head was a S
D1usd mixed WV he brain v