Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-06
THE LATEST MURDER.
Examination OF Robert Fer.
gIisOn Yesterday After
noon.
The Evidence insufficient 10
Convict, and the PrlsO-
ner Discharged.

| night, was taken before Esq. Miller Tor
examination. The little court room was
filled by the friends Of the parties, per-
sons attracted by the details published
in the newspapers, representatives Of the
press, etc. John f. Sale, Esq, ap.
peared for the State, and Van A. W. An.
derson for the prisoner; aud at 3 clock
the examination commenced
Charles Dorf, resident Of Chicago,
who accompanied Prentiss from the
steamer, and was with him until the lat.
ter was killed, was the first witness intro
duced. He had been introduced to Fer
guson during Monday afternoon, while
he and his friends we're drinking at diff
ferent saloons. Ferguson was in the
Empire saloon when witness and How
ard entered. In reply to questions he
stated about as follows;
was standing inside when the shoot
ing occurred; / was close to the bar;
the barkeeper was there, as also Mr..
Howard don't know whether the pistol
was fred inside the house or outside
the saloon is about as long as this court.
room another person might have been
there besides Mr.. Howard without me
knowing it, as soon as the pistol was
fired l stepped out into the hall, leading
to the street and restaurant; Prentiss
was then lying in the hall, apparently
dead; | don't know who went out with
Prentiss Prentiss, when / saw him, was
lying between the door leading to the
hall and the front door; / heard no noise
or conflict in the hall it was about five
minutes from the time last saw Ferguson
until | saw Prentiss dead | understood
that Ferguson and Prentiss were ac-
quaintances | do not know of any pre-
vious difficulty between the men; after
the occurrence of the difficulty started
for the boat, the Lizzie Gill, on which
we had both come down the river; be-
fore / went TO the boat | went to the
telegraph office and telegraphed the
facts; | didn't see Ferguson after the
shooting until arrested; it was about
FIVE minutes after Ferguson left the bar
before the shot was fired | do not know
where Ferguson was | heard no talk in
the hall; | was in the bar at the time of
the shooting; | heard the pistol shot,
and went out in the hall, and found
Prentiss dead did not see Ferguson
after the shooting until arrested | saw
no persons at the time walking toward
either Main or Front streets.
Henry Howard was the next witness
examined He saw deceased and Fer
guson together at the corner of Second
and Jefferson streets, and afterward
found both of them in the Empire saloon;
was introduced and drank with the party.
The barkeeper, Dorf and Corners were
present in the saloon when the shooting
occurred. Witness was introduced to
Ferguson in the saloon, and drank with
the party. Inquiries elected the follow.
ing:
was standing at the corner of the bar
lighting n cigar when heard TIE pistol
shot; | went out Immediately and saw
Prentiss lying on the hall floor; don't
know who shot him; | was reading a
theater bill at the time when | turned
to read the theater bill, Dorf, Ferguson
Prentiss and myself we're present in the
barroom; when got Into the hall /
found Prentiss apparently dead on the
pavement ] saw nobody that | could
recognize / staid on the grounds about
! Fl i've minutes, and during that time about
fifteen or twenty persons came there
none of whom could recognize; did not
ha
turned away from the party to read the
paper, until l saw him at the coroners
inquest; | knew of no difficulty between
them, and no cause for it, before got 10
Memphis; Prentss and were friends;
was excited and partially intoxicated.
James Corners testified that he en-.
tered the Empire saloon with Howard
about fifteen minutes before the shooting
occurred. Ferguson and Prentiss were
inside at the time, conversing in Il
friendly manner. Witness knew both of
them, and at Ferguson's invitation the
party drank. Ferguson asked witness
if he had any money, as he (Ferguson)
wanted to 60 and play against faro.
Ferguson then left the party and went
out into the street. Soon afterwards the
shot was fred, and witness, fearing that
au ARRAY was going on outside, went up
stairs into the keno room. Just before
starting up stairs, he saw man fall with
his head toward the saloon, but saw no
one going either way on the pavement.
The first information he received of any
trouble was the pistol shot Witness did
not see Prentss from the time they sep
arated at the counter until he found him
lying dead on the pavement. He could
not testify whether deceased and Fer.
guson had been previously acquainted.
Detective Selkirk, of the Metropolitan
police, being sworn, thus testified in
substance:
was told to arrest Ferguson, and |
saw him in lager beer saloon, corner of
Second and jefferson; it was about ten
o clock at night; he was coming up
stairs, and | arrested him; he had no
weapons took him in charge and gave
him over to Colonel Beaumont; it was
over a .square from the shooting; / told
him | wanted him, and he came right
along; l left him with Beaumont; /
never told him for what | arrested him;
he never asked me the cause of his
arrest
Mr.. Hueite, one of the proprietors of
the Empire saloon, next testified. He
did not notice either Prentiss or Fergu-