The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-04-10
CoNTRACTEDFo FOR HIS OWN COFFIN.
Under this head the Louisville Democrat
relates the following interesting incidents

CONThACfEDFOR HIS OWN COFFIN.
Under this head the Louisville Democrat
relates the following interesting incidents
A fortnight ago we gave the detair. M
one of the most deliberate and cold. .bjooded
duels IN the history Of the code Of honor.
which occurred nt an early day In Green
county, Kentucky. We call to mind An
instance ofa more local and recent character.
some Of the circumstances connected with
which the city render will remember Ovr
little story is sequel to n terrible homicide
and suicide which were committed in Louis.
vile some four yenrs ago, by man by the
name Of Walker. ln the year 1S43 Walker
ganed admission into the family of James
Peters, in Natchez, Miss, and while an h.
mate ofPeters' house became enamored AZ
Peters wife, who was at the time n youn0
and lovely woman. With findisb designn
upon Peters life Walker induced him 10
take walk with him in the surburbs Of
Natchez, late one evening, when Walker
made an assault upon his companion with 4
bo~ie-knife, cutting him most horribly, and
leaving him appenrently dead. Walker i'm
medlately left Natchez In company with the
supposed widow of Peters, and made Louis-
vile his home, where b. lived with Mrs. p.
as his wife. Strange 10 say, Peters recover.
ed from his wounds, and in his wonderinps
found his way to this city. Soon nfter he
arrival here, he lenrned that his old bctrayer
and assassinntor resided here, and he deter.
mined upon immediate revenge. Throwing
himself INTO hack, he ordered the driver 10
proceed to Second street, between Market
and Jefferson, TO the residence of Walker
and his own early love. He sent the hnck.
man to the door Of the dwelling TO cali
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
bad proven so cruelty false to him in Match.
ez' and they lived together for some years IN
comparative happiness. Some four wears
ago. however, In a fit of jelousy, he determ.
ined to destroy the life of the woman who
had acted as n bane TO his earthly happiness.
and evidently medtated design upon his
own life. Having some unsettled business
with MIR Hess, the undertaken, he visited him
in the morning, and arranged his aff,lirs with
| MN, concluding by engageing coffin, which
he said he designed for his own use. The
proposition of man TO purchase his own
coffin was strange one to our old fried
Hess; bu. he generally has an eve TO busi.
ness, and consented to fill the order. Soon
after that Peters sccrcted himself with re-.
volver in m empty sugar.hogshead directly
in the womnn's way. The desperate man 70.
cognized his victim MS he passed, and fired
upon her from a knot hole IN the hopshead.
She fell TO the ground Immediately, and ex.
claimed that she was killed, when her muir.
derer discharged the contents Of pistol into
his own head. He did not die suddenly.
however, but was carried to the "Napole on
Coffee-llouse," at the corner of Jefferson and
Preston streets, where he begged that some
friend would give him another pistol, that he
might, himself, consumate a terrible deed
which he had commenced with SO much de.
liberation. Death soon came to his r.,isI
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 bu,
one or two years in thirty. and is said to DOS.
sess unusual beauty and attractions.