The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-12-21
GRUESOME WORK OF MANIC.
North Carolina Husband Murde's
Wife and Mutlates Body.

without a parallel III Iue CIlmIHoi
history of the state, are told by the
Spartanburg Herald.
Reports that Richard Garrett, al
legged murderer of his wife and two
children, had made his escape from
the Polk county jail at Columbus last
night were branded as false by CHIEF
of police Newman of Saluda county
today. Chief Newman said Garrett
was still in Jail and that county Of
ficials report that Garrett had escaped
by beating up the jailor was stated.
Story of Crime.
Especial to the Herald.)
Saluda, Dec. 6.-Richard Garrett,
who on Friday night shot and kill
ed his wife and four year old
child, is being held in the county jail
at Columbus, the coroner's jury hav-
ing returned a verdict that the two
came to their death at his hands.
Living as he did in the fastness
of the mountains back Of here, the
officers have encountered great diff
fculty in gathering all the facts OF
the killing. The only witness to the
double murder were four small chill
dren of the family. According to
statements made the officers by the
oldest child, girl of about nine or
ten years old, the father and moth
er were sitting before the fire Fri
day light. The father became ner-
vous and began pacing back and
forth. Later he began arguing with
the mother, and finally standing be-
fore her hit her in the mouth with
his fist, knocking her on the floor,
where she lay begging him to be
quiet and listen to something she
had to say to him. His frenzy SEEM
ed to get beyond his control and he
ran to the shed and grabbed an axe.
Rushing into the room where she
lay he swung the axe, the blade dig
ging deep into her face, splitting 1t
practically in two. The crazed man
flung the axe under the bed and
rushed into the hall for his single
barrel shot gun. This he loaded and
emptied into the body Of his dead
wife six times. The children ran
screaming from the house but left
behind the four-year-old daughter
who was lying in bed. The father
then turned the gun on the child,
the load entering her mouth and
coming out the back part of the head,
which was torn off by the discharge.
He then points the gun at the other
children and snapped it but he had no
more shells.
Built Giant Fire.
Leaving the four children in the
yard the maniac returned to the
room where the bodies of his wife
and child lay. He built up giant
fire in the room, and with the fren-
" of a cowd animal tore at the
body of his wife. He tore off every
shred of clothing from the bloody
mass Of flesh. After the fire had
reached the height he wanted Gar
rett dragged the remains Of his wife
to the hearth, where he attempted to
cremate it, but for some reason he
did not accomplish this purpose, but
dragged the body away from the
flames after having badly burned it.
When the officers arrived on the
scene, Garrett was on the roof OF
the house, holding a child in each
arm, and from his motions it was
evident that his intention was to
hurl the children below at the ap-
proach Of the officers, but one of
them engaged him in a conversa-
ton, and asked him to come to the
door for few minutes, and talk with
them. This seemed to soothe him, and
Garrett crawled into the house, drag
ging the children with him. He was
some time in coming to the door and
officers stood ready with their guns in
their hands. Garrett started to the
door with a shot gun, but realized
that it hadino shell, so hid it behind
the dresser, where it was found later.
He knew all the officers and talked
with them, stating that his wife was
in the house and would be out in a
few minutes.
Sight officers Encountered.
When the officers entered the house
they met with a sight that nearly
caused them to retreat hardy as they
are, and used to the sight of crime.
The naked body of the woman lay in
the center of the floor, but difficult to
idontifv II as the hody of human. as