Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-04-01

Most LamentahIe Occurrence.


From the Nashville Wing, 18th ult.
Most Lamcntable Occurrence
Our community was, on Saturday last
| thrown into most painful state Of excite
meni, by the sudden and violent death Of
nnc Of IFS most esteemed members. Oh
the circumstances which led to this me-
lanchoiy event, and ofihe deeply exc Ting
occurrences which followed it, we propose,
in discharge Of our plain duty as con-
ductor Of press, 10 present brief nara.
tive.
Rob'l Ponerfeld, whose untimely death
whule community is now deploring, hav-
&ing learned that Il. z. @. Judson had
stated that he had had criminal inter.
co lrse with his (Porierfeld's) wife sough,
an interview with the latter on Wcdnes.
day last. in presence Of several indvidu-
ais, 10 one Of whom it was said Judson
had made the statement.
That individual, when asked in Judson's
presence, If such statement had been
made TO him By Judson, promptly answer
ed in the affirmative. Judson slrenuouslv
denied it; but Porterfed not placing any
confidence in the denial, drew pistol and
would have shot him on the spot, had he
not been prevented from doing SO by those
who were present
On the evening Of the day in which
this interview took place, lhs individual
at whose office il was held, made known to
Mr.. John Porter6ed, u brother Of the de
ceased, that prior 10 the interview, that
Judson had called upon him and confessed
that he had made the statement in ques-
lion to the individual about to be brought
forward as witness, but that, for the pur.
pose Of saving his life, which he knew
would be taken by the PorIerfelds, if the
fact were proven by him, he intended 10
deny ever having said anything Of the
kind. Both the Messrs. P. became en-.
tlrely satisfied that Judson had made the
infamous statement charged upon him, and
we are informed upon reliable authority,
that there cannot be doubt of his having
made it.
Notwithstanding this, however, the af-
fair might have been dropped here, but for
the fact that on Friday Judson and Mrs.
PorterfeM were kaowa to be alone foge.
ther for considerable time at the grupe
yard in the uicinity of tocn' When this
circumstance was revealed to the unfnrtu.
nate husband, he fell io,the- floor as if a
| ball had penetrated his heart,
He was OF an amiable and confidiEg
disposition, and devotedly attached to his
vile. He had, in The depth Of his attach
ment and in the purity Of his own pure
heart, hitherto shut his eyes to certain acts
of improperly, on the part Of his wife, in
connection with Judson, which came to his
| knowledge; and he apparently refused to
dednce from them conclusions which rea.
Oily found their way to the minds Of 9th
ers. But when apprised Of the interview
a. the grave yard, his agony OF mind was
beyond description. He suffered more
than thousand deaths. His nerves were
wholly unsrung-he became sick in. body
as well as in mind-it seemed as if he
would be bereft Of reason, and apprehen.
sions we're entertained lest he might do
some act Of violence TO himself In the
language Of one who was with him in his
agony, :" he looked far worse before death
than he did'atterwards"
In this frame Of body and mind, he pro.
posed TO his brother, John Pbrteriield, 90
Saturday about half after three O'Clock, to
take a walk, without any expectation Of
meeting with Judson. Unfortunately,
however they met Judson near the snlpher
spring, when renconlre immedatly took
place. Three shots were fired at Judson,
as we understand, he backing the while,
and protesting disinclnatinn to Shoot. -
Alter she third shot, he fired and shut Ro.
bert Porterheld in the forehead, just above
The right eye, Of which wound The latter
died about | o'clock that night.
The news that Judson had killed Por-
fairfield soon spread like wild fire. The
public mind wound up to pitch Of deep
and madden & excitement, was in con.
dition to he thrown oh its balance. Here
was young man in The prime OF manhood
The was not thirty years Of age, the
dutitul and atfecIiunate son Of widowed
molher--a tender, confding aud devoted
husband--most exemplary and highly e.
leemed in all the relations OF lie-first
stricken TO his heart by his wiie's dishonor,
as It was generally believed, and then shot
through the head by The DESTROYER of his
happiness!
A large crowd soon collected around
the Courthouse, where Judson who had
been Immediately apprehended, was bro,
before an examining court. The cour,
was IN the act Of preparing an order for
his commitment TO jail, when J. Purterfeld,
frantic at his brothers. death and iniurie-, ,
made his appearance 10 the court rom,
al nd .he ~ h,trs Al a