In the Yamacraw neighborhood of Savannah, Georgia, a 14-year-old African-American girl named Delia Green attended a Christmas Eve party in 1900 at the home of her employers, Willie and Emma West. Also present was 15-year-old Moses “Cooney” Houston, who had been courting Delia for a few months. The festive atmosphere took a dark turn when a drunken Houston began to argue with Delia, publicly claiming her in a way that she strongly refuted.
The verbal dispute escalated, with Delia
insulting Houston. In a fit of rage, Houston pulled out a pistol and shot her in the groin. Willie West pursued Houston as he fled the scene and turned him over to a police patrolman. Delia Green was taken to her mother's home, where she died from her wound in the early hours of Christmas morning.
Moses “Cooney” Houston was arrested and stood trial for murder in the spring of 1901. To emphasize his youth, he wore short pants to court. While he had reportedly confessed to the shooting at the time of his arrest, during the trial he claimed the gun had discharged accidentally during a scuffle with another boy. However, multiple witnesses, including the Wests, testified that Houston intentionally shot Delia after their argument.
The jury found Houston guilty of murder but recommended mercy, likely due to his age. He was sentenced to life in prison. After serving just under 13 years of his sentence, Governor John M. Slaton granted him parole in October 1913. Houston is believed to have moved to New York City and died in 1927. Delia Green was buried in an unmarked grave in Savannah's Laurel Grove Cemetery South. The tragic story of her death became the inspiration for the well-known folk song, 'Delia's Gone'.
