Southern marksman., 1839-02-06
Published by request |
LoUIsvILLE, Jan. 18th, is

LOUISVILLE, Jan. l5th. 1902
Bear sir: Your letter of the 3lst ult is
just received, and hasten to answer II,
that you may not continue TO be the dupe
of public rumor in relation 10 the case ot
Judge Wilkinson, his brother and Mr.. Muir
ugh 1t would be tedious TO detail all
the circumstances; suffice it TO say, that
on the day ofthe evening on which the un-
happy aff,,ir occurred,a dispute had arisen
between Judge Wilkinson and Mr.. Red
ding, tailor, respecting the fit OF a coat,
which The latter had made for DEW. The
dispute is variously represented. Some
rude word on the part OF the tailor provokS
ed Judge w. TO raise poker to strike hun.
slight skirmish ensued-neither party
receiving any personal injury. This hap
pened at the shop of Reddlng. judge w.
" Il the Doctor and Murdough returned
their lodging, at he Gait House. Red
ding, with some six or seven OF his friends,
m 'st of them armed, went To the Gal
House, and attacted the Judge and his
brother, and Murdough 1hev defended
themselves manfulv, and escaped with
their lives by killing two of the aggressors.
| and wounding one or two more. They
were severely beaten. Judge w, in ad-
diiion to several violent blows, was stab
bed in the back. Dr. Wilkinson was, at
the commencement of the attack, placed
| by violent blow hors de combat. The
Judge saved his life BY The intrepid and
iudIcious use of his Bowie knife upon
some of those who were beating him in
his PROSTATE and almost senseless condi-
tion. The only version of the affair which
the public could gel was circulated bv The
aggressors. THIS, as might be supposed
was a hugely distorted and very aggrava
ted picture of the transaction. It pro-
dnced great excitement for a time, and
some of the public prints of the city ad-
opted and circulated in substance, the ia
titious aspect, which all the rage and bad
feelings of the vanquished aggressors had
given 10 the affair. A full examination
of the matter was had before the Judge
| of our city court, while the excitement
against the accused was still in high
and exasperated state-in which the Hons
,rable B .njamin Harden, (enpIoyed by
Re,lding &c.) assisted BY the Common
| weallh's Attorney, prosecuted them with
great vehemence. Upon which examin
alton Doctor w. was acquitt d, ard dis
charged; and the Judge and Murdough
were recognized to appear at the next cir'
cult court, to answer charge of man
slaughter. The public excitement is sill
considerable, greater than it would have
been, by reason Of the effort of Mr. Har.
den in the closing speech before the city
iufge, to excite the bad passions, &c.
The case however. of thu accused is
in Il opinion of all dispassionate men,
one f complete selEdeience. For my
self, can say in candor and truth, tha'
I | never heard, read, or conceived of q
more perfectly juslifiable csse; nor did
ever hear, or read, or conceive of the ef
forts of selEdefence having been more
discreetly calamity and avaitinglv exerteC
bv anv man or set of men: This opin.
ion yon may make known, in vindicailor
ofthe Judge, his brother and Mr. Muir
dough, to all of your friends, with whom
my opinion might avail any thing, and,
flaiter myself, that il will be ayaiIing will
all honorable men, to whom lam in any
degree known. They will be prosecuted
or rather prosecuted, with great viru-
lence but they will bc acquitted without
the slightest tarnsh of their regulations
Their characters will be exalted rather
than depressed, BY the affair at the Gal
House, in the estimation Of chiyal-ous anG
honorable men.
Very respectfully yours,
JOHN BROWN.