Evening journal., 1903-02-05
CONVICT COMMITS
CHASTITY MURDER
Horrible Crime the Outcome
Of a Religious Quarrelin
Eastern Penitentiary
VICTIM KILLED WHILE he SLEPT
The Murderer. After Draining Victim
With Stool, Cut His Head OF With
a Table KnIfe-wrapped Remains
In a Sheet and Old Shirt.

apie Nntfe-Wrapped Remains
In a Sheet and Old Shirt.
Philadelphia. Feb. 5.-One OF the
most csld-blooded and brutal murders
IN the annals Of Philadelphia police
records occurred during the early
hours OF yesterday morning in a cell
in the Eastern Penitentiary. The VIC
tim OF the crime was James Pratt,
colored prisoner, who was serving
sentence OF 20 years for burglary. rob.
berry and assault and battery. commit
TED last August in Chester. The per
petrator OF the foul deed was Corne-
Illus Bush, another colored prisoner,
who was convicted in this city last
April OF assaulting his stepfather,
James II. Oliver and sentenced TO two
years.
II appears that Bush and Pratt were
placed together in one cell last Mon
day. Yesterday morning, when over
seer Joseph B. Smith came TO the cell
with breakfast for the men he failed
70 see Pratt.
where's your partner?"
'He won't bother you any more"
answered tho young colored man, with
a grin. as he took the pans which
Smith extended to him.
"Why don't you wake him up?" ask.
ed the overseer. as he was about to
walk away.
Once more Bush replied: "Oh, he
won't bother us any more"
This ambiguous answer aroused tho
suspicious OF the overseer, and, turn
ing around. he looked Into the cell.
Lying on the floor he saw a strange
bundle. and, suspecting that some
thing was wrong, he fastened both
doors and summoned Principal over.
seer George Dorwarty Both men en-
tered the narrow cell, and in the deep
recess. hidden by a seat they found
the dead body Of Bush's cellmate. II
was wrapped up securely in blankets
and old sheets. and when they opened
the bundle they were startled TO dis.
cover that the head had been cut OF.
On a small table in a corner Of the
cell the overseers detected another
small bundle, the outer covering of
which was an old shirt belonging TO
Bush. On opening this they FOUND
the head OF the murdered man.
Bush was Immediately secured and
led to an empty cellroom, where he
was placed under guard. while War
den Bussinger was summoned, and an
immediate investigation was made 10
learn the circumstances and details
OF the crime
Bush made a statement, in which
he said that he and Pratt had a quar-.
rel Tuesday night over religious diff
ferences. At 2.30 o'clock Pratt was
so exhausted that he lay down on his
bunk and went TO sleep. Bush, on the
other hand, remained wide awake,
specializing how he could get even
with bis adversary. Lifting up one
OF the heavy stools in the cell he
swung 1t over his head and, with
crushing force, brought It down upon
the skull Of the slumbering man. This
blow rendered Pratt unconscious, and
would In itself have eventually caused
death, had not the frenzied negro re.
sorted to more dastardly measures.
On the table In his cell Bush found
a knife with notched edges, which
both prisoners used at their meals.
With this weapon the assailant hacked
at his victims throat until he had sew
cred the windpipe. Though the warm
blood OF the victim spattered all over
him and bespattered the walls and
floor Of the dingy cell, Bush continued
his butcherous work, and, as though
he were saving log Of wood, he sew
cred the head from the body.
The next thing was to dispose OF
the corpse. Finding no other means
he removed the blanket and sheets
from his bunk and wrapped up the
body In such a way as It would not
attract attention. The bloody head
he rolled up in a discarded shirt and
placed in the most conspicuous post
ton In the cell. His brutal work hav
ing been accomplished, Bush went e
sleep and rested soundly until nearly
z o'clock in the morning.