Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-11-11
horrible Murder and speedy Punish.
mput.

jackson county comes to the front
with one of the most horrible MUIR
dCrs in the criminal annals of the
State. Eight miles from Ripley,
ON Grass Lick, in an isolated place,
reside, Mrs. Edward Green, widow
lady, formerly Mrs. Francis Pfost,
mother of president Post of the
bank of Ripley, and also of DR.. Jas.
Post Of Spencer, and with her re-.
sided two grown daughters by her
first husband, aged respectively 26
aud - years, and also son James
10y her second husband. With the
family, until recently, resided John
Morgan, whom the family adopted
when quite young, but who recently
sought employment within two
miles of the Green homestead and
frequently called at the house.
Recently Mrs. Green disposed of a
horse, for which she received $50,
and Morgan knew she had the money
in her house. The horrible deed
WAS done ON "Wednesday morning of
last week and the facts were stated
ON the trial by Miss Alice Pruot as
follows:
My name i Alice Pfust and |
lived on Grass Lick with my mother
who is Chloe Green, my half-brother
and my sister. | have known John
Morgan for fly" years. saw him
last Friday morning. He stayed at
our house Tuesday night. Wednes-
day morning we got up little be.
fore O'Clock. My brother went to
feed the hogs. John Morgan fol-
lowed him and killed my poor little
brother, for he never came back
He (MOrgan) came in and talked to
my mother, while sister and | went
to get breakfast. John came To the
Kitchen where we were. He hit my
sister and tried to murder me.
had strength enough to get up and
run to Mr.. Chauncey's for help
Mother was in the bedroom when |
left. | think she was making up the
beds. | saw him going through the
door to where she was Could not
say what he had in his hand, or
whether he had anything in it as it
was after | was struck. thought
he hit Title with his hand. turned
and screamed when he hit her and
he started to run past her and hit
me. After | left the house heard
both mother and Title screaming
Tillie screamed to me, {" Do come
back and get the gun" | knew |
could not get to where the gun was,
knew | couldn't help her, so | didn't
go back but ran for Mr.. Chauncey. !"
Soon after the crime became
known Morgan was tracked to a
dense underbrush, near the scene of
the crime, was oVerpowered, bound
hand and foot and taken to the Rip
ley Jail. He had the money on his
person and his hands aud clothing
were covered with blood. The crime
was the most tiendiSh one ever com.
United in Jackson, and its second
murder in fifteen years. The vic
tins OF the murder were beaten in
such Il manner IA 10 be unrpcOgniZa-
BILE, and blood and brains were scat
tered all over the room. Hundreds
of people gathered in the town dur
ing the day, and the feeling against
Morgan was very bitter. He con-
fessed the crime and said his ONLY
motive was robbery. The murderer
is intelligent-looking and is about %
years of age.
The feeling of indignation against
the prisoner was SO great that il was
with great difficulty that Judge
Blizzard and other citizens could re.
strain the people from violence and
persuade them to allow the law to
take its course. The court being in
session al the time the case was at
once brought TO the attention Of the
grand jury and an indictment for
murder forthwith returned. The
prisoner was at once put upon trial,
and his case will go on record AS
probably the most rapid execution
OF Justice according to law in the
states history. Five hours from
the time the first evidence was taken
in the case before Judge Blizzard
the jury had returned its awful YER
dlct, and ii was only sixty hours
two days and a-half) from the COM
mission Of the crime until the death
watch was placed over the con-
demned man. His counsel tried to
show that the prisoners mind was
deranged but the plea did not avail.
Morgan was sentenced, Saturday
morning, to be hung on the 18th of
December.
AT the meeting Of the State Bar
Association last week mt Morgan.