The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-04-10
VOL. IX.---N0. 446.
CONTRACTED FOR HIS OWN COFFIN.
Under this head the Louisville Democrat
relntas tho fnIlnwinn intnrastinn ;naiA.n...-

Under this head the Louisville Democrat
relates the following interesting incidents;
A fortnight ago we gave the details of
one of the most deliberate and cold booded
duels IN the history of the code of honor.
which occurred al an early day in Green
county, Kentucky. We call 10 mind an
instance of n more local and recent character.
some of the circumstances connected with
which the city reader will remember. Our
little story is sequel 20 terrible homicide
and suicide which were committed in Lonis.
| vile some four years ago, by man by the
name of Walker. In the year IS43 Walker
gained admission into the family of James
Peters, in Natchez, Miss, and while an in.
mate of Peters house became epamored of
Peters wife, who was at the time n younp
and lovely woman. With fndisb DESIGN
upon Peters lite Walker induced him Ia
take walk with him in the surbnrbs of
NatcheZ, late one evening, when Walker
made an assault upon his companion with a
bowie-kniie, cutting him most horribly, and
leaving him apparently dead. Walker i'm
mediately lett Natchez in company with the
| supposed widow of Peters, and made Louis
vile his home, where he lived with Mrs. p.
as his wife. Strange to say, Peters recover.
ed from his wounds and in his wonderinps
found his way to this city. Soon after his
arrival here, he learned that his old betrayef
and assassination resided here, and he deter
mined upon immediate revenge. Throwing
himself INTO hack, he ordered the driver TO
proceed to Second street, between Market
aud Jefferson, TO the residence of Walker
aud his own early love. He sent the hack.
man to the door OF the dwelling 10 call
Walker to the carriage and his old enemy no
sooner made his appearance than Peters
fired from the carriage, killing him instantly.
Peters Immediately surrendered himself into
the hands o!justice, regardless of the course
of the law, but was finally set at liberty-
receiving no punishment for his high crime.
strange combination of circumstances
again associated him with the woman who
had proven so cruelty false TO him in Match
ez, and they lived together for some wears in
comparative happiness. Some four years
ago, however, in fit of jelousy, he determ.
ined to destroy the life of the woman who
had acted as bane TO his earthly happiness,
and evidently medltated a design upon his
own life Having some unsettled business
with Mr. Hess, the undertaken, he visited him
in the morning, and arranged his affairs with
him, concluding by engageing a coffin, which
he sid he designed for his own use. The
proposition of a man TO purchase his own
coffin was n strange one to our old fried
Hess; but he generally has an eve to BUSH
ness, and consented to il the order. Soon
after that Peters srcreted himself with re-
volver in nm empty sugar-hogshead directly
in the woman's way The desperate man re-.
cognized his victim rs he passed, and fred
upon her from knot hole IN the hogshead.
She felFt the ground Immediately, aud ex-
claimed that she was killed when her mur.
derer discharged the contents of n pistol into
his own head. He did not die suddenly,
however, but was carried to the "Napoleon
Coffee. House," at the corner of Jefferson and
Preston streets, where he begged that some
triend would give him another pistol, thut he
might, himself, consumate terrible deed
which he had commenced with so much do.
liberation. Death soon came to his relief.
however. and many who were present re-
member the terrors of thnt separation. The
unhappy woman, who survived the supposed
fatal shot, still lives in this city. She Is but
one or two years in thirty. and is said to pos
sess unusual beauty and attractions.