Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-05-02
TRAGEDY IN GREEN COUNTY,
MISS.

In the Paulding (Miss.) Clarion of
he 5th inst, we find under the above
heading the following account of a dread
ful tragedy recently enacted in Greene
county, Miss:
We regret that we have not the full
particulars of the transaction we are a.
bout to relate, and in which a desperate
william, through the foolish temerity Of
his captor-a temerity that costs his life,
has eluded the pursuit of justice.
A citizen of Hancock county, in this
State (whose name we have moi learned)
residing temporarily, we presume in Flor
ida, became acquainted with the wife of
a Planter. The intimacy ripened into
guilty and reciprocal passion. The dis
graced and faithless consented to an e.
lopement. Not content with the ineff-
aceabIe wrong already inflicted upon her
husband, by her HaSon with the disrepu-
table stranger, she connived with that
stranger to rob him of his property
Their plans were successfully carried out.
With a valuable negro boy, a handsome
travelling carriage. a span of valuable
horses and a costly double barrel gun,
they fed the dwelling, whose proprietor
they had wronged beyond atonemert,
and whose presincts their precence had
polluted.
When the husband ascertained fully
that his trusted wife had become the
abandoned concubine Of another, and
that she had not only deserted him fol
| IL ,oHallo,-oJ ~-k,ooos IF har louor
but had also robbed him, he made ener
getic preparation for their pursuit and
capture. The blow was too severe, the
shock too crushing. for him to undertake
the pursuit in person. He was utterly
unnamed. That which he had be
lieved perfect and beautiful, by a suddeI
and appalling moral transmutation, hal
become loathsome and deformed; tn,
peerless flower was an offensive poison
weed. To a friend named Smith, wa
, delegated the task Of following and cap
turing the fugitives, and he undertoo
: it with alacrity. Mr.. Smith traced Their
to Greene county, where he learned thu
the robber and seducer was making raj
: idly for the residence of his mother, i
n Hancock. He secured the willing assi'
lance OF Messrs Edward Davis and Phi
ip James and the three, armed wit
guns, made a descent upon the ruffiaI
c at his mothers residence, an hour bt
fore day, on Thursday, the 23d ult.-
They had no sooner opened the door
th0Eoom in which he lay, than he leapt
from the bed, like a tiger startled in b
lair, and commenced fighting desperat
, ly. He is a man of Herculean strengtl
and so abrupt was his onset, that
nearly effected an escape; but his ca
II tors rallied, and with a united eft
hurled him back into the room.
of then rushed upon Mr.. Davis, and in
tempting to possess himself of that sc
tleman's gun, wrenched the barrel fro
air the stock! Mr.. James then quickly {
vanced, aud with one well aimed BIZ
- of his frelock felled the william to I
floor. He was at once secured, and
property recovered. He denied havi
,ul taken the money. His partner in Ct
declined returning, and Mr.. Smith
not attempt to force her. The party
turned TO Green with their prisoner
There Smith acted with strange fatr
OF that cost his life. Messrs. Davis
'ge James volunteered TO return with |
an but he declined their services. The p
= oner was then placed in a carriage, il
ties ed only on the legs and Mr.. Smith pla
IAN himself beside him. The negro folio,
ia on horseback and was incautiously
on mitted to retain one of those danger
wv knives denominated Arkansas tc
picks" They travelled but two m
ana when the negro must have assalledS s.
!he in concert with the prisoner /; for 81
ing was found at that distance on the r