A HAUNTED MURDERER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1671, 10 December 1887, Page 3

A HAUNTED MURDERER.

A strange story of a consoienoa strioken murderer, a wanderer on the face of the earth, comes from Alaska. A strange white man who, some months ago settled in the neighbourhood of Pairview, giving the name of George Wakes, became sick. When the doctor told him his case was hopeless, he sent lor Mr Adams, and asking to be left alone, he made a most remarkable confession. He said to him : “ My time has come to die, and I want you to see that what I have to tell you will be made publio. My name is not George Wakes, but Lee Simmons. I was born in Dallas, Texas, and am now twenty-seven years of sge. My father, whose name was William Simmons, is dead, and is buried at Evergreen, Texas. My mother’s maiden name was Lanford. When I last heard of her she was bring at Ouachita Station, Ouachita Oounty, Arkansas. After father died, and when 1 was but thirteen years of age, my mother sent me to school. There a cousin of my own name was my companion. One day, on returning home, I got mad with, him. Iwt at home, got my father's shotgun, watched for my cousin, and shot him dead. That night I stayed out until the family went to bed, when I stole in for my clothes, and since that night I have not looked upon the face of my mother. My people are all wealthy, and when they hear that I am buried here they will send lor my body. He then went on to say that from the age of thirteen to twenty-seven he had never remained a whole month in one place. He made through the Indians overland to California f followed the Pacific coast north, and in time returned to the States } had travelled over every one of them, always being haunted by the memory of his crime, and feeling remorse for his abandonment of his mother. Aa the hour of death approached he grew plaintive in his protestations, but at no time would he allow his attendants to remove the covering from his person. It was not until death had removed his power of resistance that the reason was made plain. There was found upon hia body seventeen gashes, oat with a knife, from one and s hall to seven inches long. These soars were on his sides, but on hia back were two gashes, one three inches, the other nine inches long. The soar of a bullet wound was found on his right arm. It looked ae if he bad run the gauntlet of many a hard fight. His body was buried in the graveyard of Pope’s Church. Two hundred persons witnessed the interment.