124:, Georgia, and died at 3:00 a.m. on Christmas Day. Houston, the newspapers implied, had been involved in a sexual relationship with Green for several months. The shooting took place at the home of Willie West, who chased down Houston after the shooting and turned him over to the city police.
146:. In a clemency petition after the trial, Houston's attorney, Raiford Falligant, cast Houston as "a mere child" who "got into bad company and so unfortunately committed the act that he now suffers for". After serving more than twelve years, he was paroled by Governor
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Gordon's research was never published, and Green's relationship to the popular songs was essentially unknown until
University of Georgia musicologist John F. Garst, working from hints left by Gordon, turned up the details in Savannah newspaper archives.
139:. Although Houston reportedly had confessed to the murder at the time of his arrest, at his trial, he claimed the shooting was accidental. Other witnesses, however, testified that Houston had become angry after Green called him "a son of a bitch".
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murder victim who has been identified as the likely inspiration for several well-known traditional
American songs, usually known by the titles "Delia", "Delia's Gone" or "Little Delia".
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that he had traced the songs back to a murder in
Savannah and that he had interviewed both Green's mother and the police officer who took Houston into custody.
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231:, and other "folk revival" singers. Pat Boone had a minor hit with "Delia Gone" in 1960, with the composition attributed to Caperton Henley.
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192:, is known as "Delia's Gone". It is explicitly told from her killer's point of view. The second version, usually attributed to
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newspapers, Green was shot by 15-year-old Mose (or Moses) Houston late on
Christmas Eve 1900 in the Yamacraw neighborhood of
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Songs based on Delia Green's murder became both common and popular in the next few decades. In 1928, folklorist
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Houston was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, on the jury's recommendation of mercy rather than the
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388:"Letters to the editor: 'Delia' of early song was Savannah resident killed in lovers' quarrel"
246:. In the music video for Cash's fourth recording of the song, the role of Delia was played by
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The songs inspired by Green's murder now appear in two forms; both forms were staples of the
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in
October 1913. Accounts of his later life are sketchy, but he is said to have died in
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Good
Friends and Bad Enemies: Robert Winslow Gordon and the Study of American Folksong
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The song "Delia's Gone" was such a staple of the folk revival of the 1960s that
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Haunted
Savannah Tours | Savannah Ghost Tours | Walking Ghost Tours in Savannah
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Green's murder and
Houston's trial in the spring of 1901 were reported in the
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of the 1950s and early 1960s. One version, usually attributed to
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It was recorded numerous times by country singers, including
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used the melody and chorus for his song about
Chicago Mayor
362:"The Murder of Delia Green | Savannah True Crime Tour"
215:each recorded "Delia's Gone" in 1955, followed by
116:According to contemporaneous reports published in
199:Among the many singers who have sung "Delia" are
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104:(1886 – December 25, 1900) was a 14-year-old
338:American Folk Songs: A Regional Encyclopedia
261:"Daley's Gone", released on his 1977 album
154:in 1927 after other brushes with the law.
492:Deaths by firearm in Georgia (U.S. state)
157:Green was buried in an unmarked grave in
16:American child murder victim (1886–1900)
527:People murdered in Georgia (U.S. state)
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502:Incidents of violence against girls
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315:. Random House. pp. 223–229.
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517:Child murder in the United States
487:1900 murders in the United States
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512:Murdered African-American people
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95:Murder victim, song inspiration
394:. Savannah Now. Archived from
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283:"Delia's Gone, One More Round"
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522:People from Savannah, Georgia
455:, "Delia", in Wilentz, Sean;
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431:, vol. 1, December 1937
386:John F. Garst (2000-06-23).
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429:Southern Folklore Quarterly
159:Laurel Grove Cemetery South
85:Laurel Grove Cemetery South
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461:The Red Rose and The Briar
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532:Violence against children
340:. ABC-CLIO. p. 312.
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287:www.murderbygaslight.com
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87:, Savannah, Georgia, US
336:Cohen, Norman (2008).
311:Wilentz, Sean (2011).
136:Savannah Evening Press
497:Female murder victims
392:Savannah Morning News
171:Robert Winslow Gordon
130:Savannah Morning News
313:Bob Dylan in America
190:Blake Alphonso Higgs
194:Blind Willie McTell
175:Library of Congress
67:Cause of death
263:Say It in Private
229:The Kingston Trio
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47:December 25, 1900
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368:. 2018-05-27
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55:(aged 13-14)
482:1900 deaths
477:1886 births
443:Delia Green
244:Johnny Cash
213:Pete Seeger
102:Delia Green
23:Delia Green
471:Categories
402:2012-10-16
372:2018-11-09
292:2018-11-09
269:References
236:Bobby Bare
209:Josh White
51:1900-12-26
248:Kate Moss
225:Burl Ives
201:Bob Dylan
459:(eds.),
133:and the
122:Savannah
71:Homicide
118:Georgia
112:History
75:firearm
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61:, U.S.
165:Songs
342:ISBN
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211:and
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36:1886
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