The Ouachita Telegraph - George Morris Pleads Guilty to Murder of Sarah Jones
Submitted by: Lora Peppers  July 2000

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The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, December 24, 1875
Page 2, Column 2

Resolved to Hang.
The New Orleans Bulletin has the following account of a hardened culprit:

        It will be remembered that several days ago the negro George Morris, who
so brutally murdered the young mulatto woman Sarah Jones on the morning of
November 30 the last, on St. Louis street, was arraigned and pleaded guilty.

        Judge Steele refused to accept the plea until the accused had consulted
with his counsel, Hugh J. Campbell, Esq., who was appointed by the Court. Morris
was then remanded, and was again brought to the bar of the court yesterday
morning.  He walked into the court-room with a cold and defiant expression on
his face, evidently disgusted with the formalities of the law, gazing around the
room while the clerk was reading the indietment, (sic) and when asked the usual
question, "How say you, George Morris, are you guilty or not guilty?"  he
answered in a loud voice "Guilty," at the same time shifting his cap from hand
to hand in a careless manner.

        Judge Steele said:  "You still enter the plea of guilty."

        The accused – "Yes, sir."

        Judge Steele – "I will not sentence you.  I prefer that a jury be
impanelled (sic) to pass upon your case.  Let a jury be impanelled (sic) to pass
upon your case.  Let a jury be impanelled (sic), and the plea of not guilty be
recorded, and let the prisoner be remanded."

        The accused went back to the "dock," muttering inaudibly to himself. He
afterwards told our reporter that he "did not want any fuss made about him; he
was going to be hung anyhow, and the sooner the better."