The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-23
MOORE TELLS ALL.
Feared For His Children's
Futura-The Mothers
Grief.

Mcpherson, March 23-John A Moore
who murdered his five children at
Hutchinson, and who was brought here
as precaution against a threatened
lynching, confessed his crime last even
ing before a notary public.
The prisoner stated that he had quar-
relied with his wife and that a separa-
ton was talked of, in which event he
feared that his children would come un-
der the control of his WifeS family,
whom he dislikes- 1t was brooding over
the prospect of his children being reared
amid such surroundings, he depOsed,
that prompted him to crush their skulls
with hatchet, cut their thrOats and
fire the house in which their bodies lay.
In the statement Moore says: Il had
been feeling pretty bad for two or three
days. The children were all in bed and
asleep. L turned the lamp down and
went to bed. then had one of my worst
spells and my head hurt me awfuIIy
and everything seemed floating before
me and the next thing I remember af-
ter this was in trying to get out of the
house myself. have a recollection of
going through a struggle like a dream
that 1 half remember. All the recollec-
ton 1 have about this is that l would
rather see my children dead than to
leave them in the hands of my wife's
people. 1t was like dream to me that
L done something to the children, but I
do not recollect using the knife or
hatchet. l loved my children and [
lived for them
Yesterday Moore tacitIy admitted
having committed the deed, but would
not go into details.
At the cemetery the burial of the five
murdered children of John A Moore
was a scene never to be forgotten. A
large crowd of citizens drove to the
cemetery. Mrs. Moore, the mother of
the little ones, stood close to the grave.
Her anguish as the caskets were
brought to the grave was heartrending.
With more than mothers instinct she
knew which body rested in the little
caskets as they were brought one at
time. There was apparently no differ
ence in the size of three of the caskets.
but as each was brought in turn she
would cry pitifully, THAT is poor Carlr'
and when another came, That is
THAT is Pearl!' She did not make one
mistake. and she had not seen the chill
dren placed in the caslets, in fact had
not seen them since Sunday evening
when she went away from home, leav-
ing the little ones in their fathers care.
From a member of the Franklin fam
lily it was learned today that MOOre'S
unparalleled indifference was broken
once upon the day following his heinous
crime. During the forenoon Moore sat
in the front room at the Franklin home
He spoke but little, and to pass away
the time took an album from the table
and looked over the different photo
graphs it contained.
After a while he put the album down
and said: Il wish 1 had pictures of the
children, now that they are dead" For
a few moments afterward he showed
visible emotion. He started across the
room and when in about the center threw
out his hands quickly as though to
catch himself from falling and ex-
claimed, "Oh. God, my poor childrenr'
He staggered as though he would fall
but soon became quiet again. This ap-
pears to be the only instance where his
utter Indifference was broken.