Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-07-14
ANOTHER DESPERATE AFFBAY.
Two Men Seriously Wounded.

We have learned the particulars OF a
desperate ARRAY which took place We'd
nesday, onlthe Bonner Place, about
twelve miles from the city, near the
Pigeon Roost, roads On that morning
Mr.. Thos. Lewis was informed that a
man named Jas. W, Wright had express
,edsa determination to hll'him on sight
and would be at the house before night to
carry out his purpose ssust after dinner
Mr.. Lewis was standing in his yard when
he was startled by party of men gal
Looping towards the house, shouting as
they advanced Upon looking at them,
he saw Jas..W Wright in advance, fol-
lowed by three of his sons and man
named Martin, the whole party firing at
him on sight couple or balls passing
through his clothes.
Mr.. Lewis proceeded 10 the house, OBJ.
tanned his pistol, which had four loads
in it, and fred three shots at his assaii-
ants, without effect, reserving one sho.
for them when they would come to close
quarters In the meantime the party
outside continued firing at the house,
but without doing injury to any one. In
about one hour from the time they first
came up, the assailants, finding their
shooting at the building to be harmless,
held consultation and then com
menced to advance, with the evident in
tention of breaking down the door.
About this.tim o negro woman in the
employ of Mr. Lewis brought him sew
eral bullets which she had made from
some pewter spoons, and he loaded an
old double-barreled shot gun with them.
Mr.. Lewis advanced to the window and
fred his pistol, the ball striking old man
Wright in the face, which stopped the
party for a few minutes, when they again
advanced-John Wright being in, the
double barreled shot gun in his body.
He fell and was carried away by his COM
rades+7the, whole party retiring in q few
minutes. John Wrights wounds are re-
ported as very. dangerous, rand it is
hardly thought that he will recover.
There had been little misunderstand-
ing between the parties previous to this.
bntitwas not expecteds to result so se-
riously. The Wright family are reported
to be desperate characters, and a terror
to the neighborhood where they reside.
They would have undoubtedly stormed
the house and killed Mr.. Lewis, if il had
not been for the presence Of mind OF the
negro woman who made the pewter bull
lets.
In Observation-Disclosures OF THE MEM-
PHIs BAR.-An adjourned meeting Of the
Memphis bar was held at the Chancery
Court room, this morning, the HonsL.l
V. Dixon in the chair. Judge George
Dixon, in chaste and eloquent address,
presented the following resolutions
Again are we called together toexpress
our sorrow for the loss of brother in
the profession, The frequency with
which such meetings have been lately
called bring forcibly to the mind, What
shadows are we and what phantoms we
pursue" From month to month aud
from week to week and from day to day,
are we reminded that all that is earthly
is mortal, and that in few brief years
the like summons shall come to eachiand
all Of us, that death is the common and
inevitable doom of all For what man
is he that liveth and shall not see DEATH
The subject of. our sorrow, Hon. B.sE
McKiernan, was in the meridian of life,
and bat few days back promised a.
long life Of usefulness to his coun-.
try and comfort to hisa family
and friends, but at the very period when
his health and strength seemed the most,
robust, and he was hopefully buoyart' Of
the future, he was cut down, and has
gone to his long home. Judge b. f..
McKierhan expired in this city ON the
10th day OF the present month, in the
4lth year of his age He was born in
Franklin county, Alabama, the 9th day
of March, 1923 After receiving his rudi-
mental education in his native county,
he was sent in the year 1887 10 Bards
town. Ky, and commenced his collie
giate course at ST. Joseph's College,
where, in the summer Of lS4l, he grad
uated with the highest honors of that
institution Having finished his collie
giate course, he returned to- Alabama
and read law with Judge Coleman, of
Athens. After obtaining license in 1874,
he removed to the city of Memphis, and
commenced the practice, which he pur-
sued with that varying success which
usually attends the modest and unobtrn-
sive young practitioner, till the year
1854, when he was elected the first,
Judge of the Criminal Court of Mem
phis, which position he held to the full
end of the term for which he was
elected Judge McKiernan was pure
and elevated in his sentiments; his
manners were bland, courteous and kind;
his conversation was always polite, deco l
rous, dignified, never deseendins into
coarseness or vhlearity his style, born
as writer and speaker, was chaste, per
haps severe; his friendships were slow Y
and cautiously made, but when formed
were strong and abiding; his feelings
yearned to his friend and attached him
as with hooks Of steel his Judgment Of
men and things we're formed from his
own convictions of the just and the true,
and were alike uninhuenced by pompous
pretension, the laudations or thecensure
of others; as a lawyer, he was pro-
found rather than brilliant--always
true and faithful 10 his client.
as far as justice and a proper self-respect
would sanction. or permit AS Judge \
he was honest, sincere and, as if " still
acting. in his great taskmaster's eye"
scrupaiously exact in the discharge of
his duties. and whatever mistakes may
have been mude in his rulings, honesty
of purpose and sincerity of conviction
was accorded. to him by all In the
private walks of life his course was
i.,..l,o1 bv nronrietv decorum and a /