Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-07-01
Gbe Storg-Teller.
T. O s z :.
A STORY OF FOUR YOUNG MEN.
1y-rHE MURDER AND SUICIDE.

home, surrounded by my Vile ana chlidren,
rarely gave thought to the wild days of
my youth, and was gradually settling down
into humdrum attorney at law. My pro-
fession enlisted all the intellectual energy
which I possessed, and for recreation and
happiness did not desire to look beyond
the affectiouate home circle which met me
each day with loving smile and caresses. If
in the midst of tolls, or my evening joys,
the figures of Marquis Cotesbury and his
companions ever rose before me-if the
beautiful face of Caroline Francis, my wife's
former friend, smiled in my memory-if, in
word, that old life came back, in dream
as itwere, did not long continue to dwell
upon it. AS we pass on in life things change
in value for us-old ties become looser, we
have lingering kindness for old times, and
old faces; but the wife at our side, the chill
dren round our knees, soon rout all our
dreams, and bring Us back to the sweetcr re.
ality. To sum up everything, Marquis
Cotesbury and his companions had complete
ly disappeared from my horizon, when one
morning letter was laid on my table which
recalled old things.
It was request from Marquis that would
come to at as earlya moment as found
convenient; he required my assistance in
matter Of important business.
Our Supreme Court had just adjourned,
and the request, which at any other time I
could not have responded to, was perfectly
feasible. On the very next morning there
fore took the stage.coach, and set out for
the city of -. In those days travelling
was very tedious affair; and as I should be
two days at least upon the road, I determined
to arrangecmy time economically-a portion
for conversation, another portion for thought,
another for observation of the country.
In the prosecution Of this plan I met with
but one obstacle. This was the presence of
two men upon the outside of the vehicle who
were intoxicated, and continued throughout
The day to utter the most disgusting oaths.
When the coach stopped for the night these
men had an alteration with the driver, who
declined attempting very dangerous piece
Of road in the pitch darkness. He remained
stubborn and immovable, and the quarrel
some passengers finally staggered off to the
bar.room of the tavern; where they called
for whiskey punches, and applied themselves
assiduously to the task of making a night
of it.
As they passed me I thought there was
something familiar in their faces, bloated and
blotched by habits of confirmed intemper-
ance, and the idea occurred to me that l had
defended one at least of them in a criminal
trial some years before. I could not be GER
tain of this, however, and dismissed the
subject from my mind, selected another a.
partmentfor reading my newspaper, and glad
to get away from their drunken revelry. At
ten O'Clock, as passed the door of the bar
room, saw the two men wrestling with each
other, and uttering oaths mingled with drum
ken laughter, and then not wishing to sad
den myself further with the spectacle, re-
tired to sleep.
-, had slept two or three hours, I suppose,
when sudden outcry, followed by the ex-
plosion of pistol, suddenly awakened me.
hastily drew on my clothes and descended
to the lower floor, where a confused crowd
of persons and lights moving about, indica-
ted some terrible source of excitement. |
shall never forget the horrible spectacle
which greeted my eyesas Ientered the COM
mon room. At two PAGES from the door,
one of the two men I had left drinking lay
dead, with terrible wound on his forehead,
evidently produced by the ball Of a pistol;
at the other end of the apartment, his COM
panion was supported in the arms Of the
landlord-his breast covered with blood, his
eountenance as pale as ashes. He was evi-
IDENTIFY dying, and indeed expired in few
minutes after my entrance. But before his
eyes became glazed we exchanged glance
which made me draw back, faint and shud-
dering. I had recognized in that changed
look. of the dying man my friend Of other
days, Tom Francis. An examination Of the
Others face revealed also the fact that his
companion was the kindest of good fellows
the sunbeam of our old revels-poor Char
ley Ashton.
For a time my horror and grief were too
great for speech; but at last I enquired the
particulars of the shocking event. The COM
panions had continued to sit up and order
fresh drink long after every one had retired,
despite the remonstrances of the landlord
and with each additional potation they grew
more wild and ungovernable. Commencing
mere playful alteration, they had grappled
in laughing wrestle, but the rough play If
ritated them both. The landlord said that
he first comprehended this dangerous change
of feeling from their voices, but, quickly as
he fastened from his post behind the coun-
ter, he had been unable to part them. Draw
ing knife from his bosom one of them had
plunged it into the others heart-and then,
recoiling with wild horror at the deed, had
drawn pistol, and placing it to his forehead,
put an end to his own life.
shall not attempt to convey an impress
sion Of my feelings at this terrible tragedy.
The murder and suicide of twomen who had
been my close friends, communicated to my
nature shock which it did not recover from
for years. pray that never while I live
similar spectacle may be presented to my
eyes. The dead bodies were solemnly re-
moved, few words were spoken, and on the
next day, when We continued our journey,