Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-10
PERRY CONFESSED
That He Killed the Misses
McPhee and Morton.
Admitted Deeds to Sheriff When He
Thought He Was Dying.
Said Mason Was Not Connected in Any
Way With Crimes.
GtJfs

Cambridge, Mass, :March 3.-eTeofSt
| L. O. Perry. the negro lad who, was
indicted for the murders of Miss Agnes
McPhee of SomerVille, and Miss Cara
Morton of Waverley, made a confess
sion When he realized that he could
not live and now that he is dead Sher-
if Fairbairn has made public what he
said On Feb. &c the sheriff says he
asked the prisoner:
George Perry, did you hit those
girls, Misses McPhee and Morton?"
Yes sir, | did, was the reply from
the. lad.
yDid Mason have anything to do with
it?"
4 negative shake of the head was the
answer, and Perry beginning to weep
ritifully said do not ask me any
more questions"
At this time Perry had just passed
through run OF typhoid fever and
was terribly weak. He seemed TO
Sheriff says in detail:
ION Feb. Is word was brought to me
in the office that Perry wanted to see
me. l went Immediately to the hos
pital. He said he wished that | would
give his attendants orders to stay in
side OF his cell during the night.
II told him that there was no need
Of that because one of them was just
outside his. cell door on the corridor al;
the time l told him that if any one
were to stay in the cell he could not
sleep and sleep was what he needed
more than anything. a. 70 ...a
Il don't want to sleep. l want some
body with me, I'm going to die" Perry
added.
Il said: hope rot What makes
you think So?
He began to cry and said that he
knew that he was going to die. He
said that it was somebody's will that
he should die.
He then said: Cant you help me?
You are the only friend that l have
left.
4 said: That isn't so. You haven't
forgotten your mother have you,
George?'
No. he said, and love Jesus He
has forgiven me and he has got it all
down up there
Il then said, George if you are going
to die you had better tell the truth and
not die with somebody else blamed for
anything that you have done
He lay still for some moments and
then said: I am only poor niger and
like all niggers l must do the best that
| can
II then said, Did you do what they
said you did and what they have sent
.you here for .....,.-..-.-.,-..
He nodded his head in the saftfrma-v
i've.
George did you hit those girls,
Misses Agnes McPhee and Clara Nor
ton?
The boy began to cry and said, oh,
don't ask me-.
Il said George if you did, you can
tell me and if you live 1 never shall
mention it. but if you die it ought to
De known. Did you do it?'
Yes sir. l did
Did Mason have anything to do
with ito
He shook his head in the negative
and said, Don't ask me any more
questions
After a few minutes 1 promised to
see him again in the morning and left
the cell. Since that time in all my talks
with him he said nothing about the
case.
On that particular day the boy was
very sick and felt that he was surely
going to die. On no other day during
his illness did he feel in this mood"
The above statement was read by
Sheriff Fairbairn, to District Attorney
Sanderson and his assistant, Hugh
Bancroft. They both agreed that it
should be published for the good of all
concerned.