The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-10-29
MURDERED AT BACK BAY.
An Aged Couple Murter,d and Their
Bodies Cremated.

Last Friday morning there occurred
on Back Bay a crime OF the most h0r
rible and dlabolical character, no les!
than the incarceration OF an aged cOu
pie In their own house.
For several years there have beer
living on Back bay, some three Or foul
miles from Biloxi, a Mr.. J. S. Park
hurst and his aged wife, quiet, retired
and kind people. The Parkhursts
came originally from Iowa, where the
climate was too severe for them, and
had secured for themselves a comfort.
able home surrounded with many con.
v%eniences, and there lived their quiet
and unobtrusiye lives. The property
was in a very isolated and unprotected
place, and as they were growing old
they were trying to dispose OF their
possessions and move to a more thick
ly settled locality.
When the news Of their having been
destroyed was brought to this city,
officers and relatives Of the deceased
quickly repaired to the place, where
1t was found the report was only too
true.
The house in which the aged couple
lived was wholly destroyed and only
the charred remains Of the unfort-
innate couple were found to tell the
tale Of their sad ending.
The alarm was first brought to
Biloxi about 4 O'Clock in the morning,
but a number Of parties have been
found WHO claim to have seen the fire
burning about 2 o'clock. The first
news brought was by the quarantine
guards, the line between Avondale and
Biloxi running very near where the
fire occurred.
When the people gathered there the
fire had practically burned itself out,
and nothing could be done toward
saving anything.
As usual in times like this rumOrs
began TO fly as to who done this foul
act, and many theories were advanced
in regard to the horrible deed. The
centre Of suspicion seemed to rest upon
ii. Gibson, who had been staying with
the couple some two or three months
and who had made a bargain to buy
the place. This man Gibson claims TO
have come from Philadelphia and re.
presented himself as having money,
but his actions have not sustained his
claims. Some two months ago Gibson
agreed to buy the Parkhurst property
ana gave in payment a check for $500
on a Philadelphia bank.
There are five persons under sus-
p!Cion, but The Times Democrat cor.
respondent mentions those now under
arrest and against whom all the evid-
so far adduced tends. These are
Gibson, his wife and one Volkes.
There are many suspicious things
connected with Gibson's actions. He
and his wife have lived with the Park
hursts for the past two or three
months, but last evening he sent her
to spend the night with some distant
neighbOr. When the visitors arrived
at the scene Of the fire this morning
he claimed to have been badly burned
and could not talk. This was soon
proven to have nothing in it, and his
injuries are of no consequence at all.
He claimed to have been aroused by
the explosion of cartridges in his
room, which had been caused by the
fire, and yet made M effort to arouse
the other inmates Of the household
until he saved aud carried beyond the
reach Of the flames every particle of
personal property. Among his
possessions, which are in the keeping
of the officers, was found a ~fully-load-
ed revolver. The theory of the rela-
tiyes of the deceased couple is that
the murder and fire were committed
obtain the deeds of transfer to the
property, which had been drawn and
These papers are missing to-
day, and Gibson claims they were des-
in the fire.
Gibson was sent to Jail at Mississip-
Di City without the benefit of bail.
Rabbit hunting as an Industry has
stimulated in parts of Kansas by