The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
WAS ORDERED TO KILL HER
EPISODE IN A FEUD BETWEEN VIEW
JERSEY FAMILIES.

Joseph R1orrisou swears That rive Relatives or
Mrs. Myers Toid Enin That ne Nest sheet
Her, and threatened 20 XIII His ~ ne
Renrsed-His Attempt 10 no Their RiddinE.
BRrpoEToN. N. j., July 10.-Joseph Morrison,
who It is said attempted to kill Mrs. Abbio
Myers. a wealthy widow living at Turkey Point,
yesterday afternoon, has lived hereabouts
several years. He struck her, Mrs. Myers, on
the head with q stick and then fred
q shotgun ut her. The woman man.
aged to strike tho barrel of the gun with
her arm before 1t went off and the charge went
over her head. Mrs. Myers still insists that
Morrison was hired to assnssinato her by enc
mics, who want to got hold OF hor
fortune, and Morrison, now in jail and
half scared to death by what he has done,
has confessed that he was induced to attempt
the murder by relatives Of the widow, with
whom she has been quarrollinE for q long time.
Hereabouts the quarrel between Mrs. Myers
and her relatives has always boon referred to
in q rather tocoso manner 40 'tho battle OF
Turkey Point" What started tho row nc
ono seems to know, but AZ long az any.
body can remember 1t has boon going
on. Tho three families concerned arc those
of William Woodlin, Thomas Lopez and
Mrs. Myers. At times tho contestants have
coasod maligning one another and the neighbors
would begin to believe that q peace had boon
patched up. After those periods Of calm, how
ever. the storm has always boon worse than bo-
fore, and a few months ago 1t took q vicious turn
when Mrs. Myers's son-in-law. Joseph Faoemiro.
WAS sent to prison on evidence furnished by
Thomas Lopez. Since thon tho atmosphere at
Turkey Point has been laden with trouble, and
Of some kind. That q deliberate attempt at
murder would DO made. however. mover entered
BY far the most interesting one OF those en-.
gagged in the quarrel 10 Mrs. Myers. She is 20
to take care Of her fortune, which is said to DO
quite large. She owns a great deSi OF real estate
been able to make It Uncomfortable for her nn.
friendly relatives, who arc ~back-woods families
sRs SSS Ss oTisssd G aS. the tr sS,l h for iasa on a,T is.aSSSt
occasions and every time that they have takon
matters into court che has routed them COM
Mrs. Myers is very much admired In this vi
cinity for hcr pluck, and her statement that
fact that she Is strong and healthy and good for
ten or fifteen more years on earth has found
lost his place on q farm and was without home.
Mrs. Myers took him In: She KEEP. him until he
ESH r,. n MgeFs d Rin''s' see 20 him Then again Tans an aTf frl aaS
afternoon when, as 1t is said, he tried to kill her;
.h IL WAS WAS s atGHt = n s,slof her M open M Doorway says; w Ssa
from behind some trees and and the he, widow :" who =
The man made no reply. but. walking straightp up
to Mrs: M Yer picked up z small Ml, stick e. from the
AohA uIiN Ilt hCE ' bho OoA ViNh III ~ Ao
shotgun which was standing in a corner against
the wall. He pointed 1t at her and pulled the
trigger. Mrs. Myers regained her feet just as
Morrison grabbed the gun. Sho struck up tho
barrel with her arm and sent tho charge flying
over her head.
Seeing that he had failed. Morrison dropped
the office of Justice of the Peace Pierce
and the Justice issued q warrant for Nor
rison's arrest. 1t was long after midnight
when tho constables who had the warrant
found Morrison. They lodged him In the town
Jail. whore, after a few hours of solitude, no
broke down and offered to tell who had hired
him to do the killing. provided he was not prose-
cuted. Justice Pierce declined to mako any
such promise. so Morrison decided to confess
anyway. He was taken to the Justices oflc e.
where he made an affidavit to the effect that
Mary Woodlin John Woodlin, Howard Wood;
Of whom are related to Mrs, Myers; had
set fire to Thomas Loper's house. He at first
kill him II he didn't, and SO he consented.
Loper's house was set on fro on Thursday, but
Morrison declared that 1t was not his work.
He says he told Loper what the Woodlins had
ordered him to do, and tonight Lopez told o
SUN reporter that this was true. Morrison II
said to DO weak-minded.
Mrs. Myers said last night that she could tell
the whole secret of tho assault on her II she
wanted to, but that she thought 1t better to
wait a while until some things were investi-
gated.
she said, IN do q whole lot of talking"