The register. (Monroe, La.) 185?-1861, 1860-05-31
Terrible Tragedy ON tile Steamer
B. l.. Hodge.

On her last trip from Shreveport to New
Orleans, bloody tragedy was enacted on this
boat just below Grand Ecorc. The following
statement is made by the passengers: !
A man calling himself B. L. Sheath came on
board at Shreveport, and registered himself rs
deck passenger for New Orleans On the
next evening after leaving Shreveport, he came
to Capt. Il. II. Martin (who was in command
of the boat) and expressed desire to be allow.
ed to change his passage from deck to the ca
bin, which was acccded to, and stateroom was
assigned him by the clerk. Having a small
amount OF money in his possession he deposited
it with the clerk. Between 2 and 3 O'Clock on
the following morning, while almost all the
passengers were asleep, (sevcral gentlemen
were still sitting up conversing,) Sheath sud-
denly stepped up behind one. Of the gentlemen
(named I. G. Jernigen) and caught him around
the head, drew bowic-knife from behind him,
and attempted to cut his throat. He was pre-
vented from making fatal wound BY Jeruipen
catching the blade Of the knife in one hand and
Sleath's arm with the other. He, however, re-
ceiyed very severe wound across the throat.
The passengers who were asleep, were reused
ny the noise and excitement in the cabin and
tue boat running into the bank. Just at tho
time gentleman named Charles NJ. Fort, COM
ing out OF his stateroom into the cabin, was ia
tally stabbed by Sheath, and expired in few
moments. He resided in Springfield, Robertson
county, tennessee. Another passenger named
R.J Lyle, Of Nashville, Tenn, being reused
by the noise, opened bis stateroom door to look
out, and was Immediately stabbed by Sheath.
Lyle only said, am stabbed" and expired
without groan, the bowie knife having pens-
trated through the heart.
At this juncturc the Captain, who had bccn
asleep in his room, was called, and coming at
once into the cabin, he succeeded in getting the
knife from Sheath, and then secured him. The
murderer had upon his person at the time Of
his arrest several other knives and revolver
The murderer is deformed creature small
in stature. broken backed, and about 28 years
OF age. He said he was native of Weston
Lewis county, Va, and thathe had been teach
ing school at u place called Knoxville, in Che
rokee county, Texas. The reasons given by
him for committing the deed were that they
were the parties who were seeking his life-al-
though they had never met before. He &C.
knowledges the deed, but does not seem to care
particularly about it.
We feel obliged to publicly express our ad-
mlration of the noble manner in which Captain
Martin acted in preventing violence being done
to the murderer, after he was secured by the
crowd, who were too much excited for reflec-
ton, and properly handing him over to public
justice and the hands of the law. We also ex-
press our thanks to Captain Martin and the
other officers Of the boat for their prompt and
determined action in securing Sheath, and pre-
venting more violence being done to us.
[Sgned] S. ". Beasley. Texas; J. W. R. Will
llams La; G. N. l.. Smith, Texas; Peyton E.
Graves, Ala; VIM. Hatcher, La; R. ". White,
Mo; T. G. Oliver, Ga; Thomas T. Glenn, Texas;
VIM. Jernigen. Texas; B. F. jackson, La: N. o.
Lanve. La; J. H. Vannatta, Texas; C. B. Wall,
Va: j. II. jackson. John Finch, Lo.
"On Board Steamer B. l.. Hodge, May 10, co.