Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-05
UnprOVOkcd Shooting Of IA
Snowman on Jefferson
street last Night.
The Victim falls ON the Steps
Of a Saloon and Dies
without n GrOan.
Three men Suspected OF the
Crime and Arrested-The
Particulars.
LOCALE OF MYSTERIES.

| mysteries. III mas been HOteu curing tne
past few years for furnishing a number
Of startling crimes, whose paternity it
seemed impossible to successfully estab-
fish. A murder on this thoroughfare at
once becomes more than an ordinary
horror, because of the mystery in which
circumstances shroud it. A few years
ago Bonn ewald, an Italian cigar seller,
was found choked to death in his saloon,
under the Eldorado, and robbed of
nearly 800, 900, foolishly kept in a rickety
iron safe. To this day not suspicion
of the horrid crime attaches to a mortal.
Last spring Henry Cooper was MUIR
dered in cold blood on the same street.
A man was arrested on suspicion, and
is yet in Jail; but little is known OF the
affair beyond the fact that the man was
wounded by somebody and died. LAST
night another murder was psrpetra ted
on Jefferson street, which, thus far, vies
with the Bonnewald horror in mystery.
THE LATEST HORROR.
Yesterday evening the steamer Lizzie
Gill, enroute to New Orleans, landed at
the wharf, with Ames meuagerie. As
she was to remain several hours, quite a
number of men came ashore, to renew
old acquaintanceships or stroll about the
city. Three of them, Frank Prentiss,
Henry Dolph and Charles Howard, all
connected with the menagerie, after
walking about for some time, stepped
into the Empire saloon, on Jefferson
street, nearly midway between Main and
Front, and one of the most quiet establish
meuts in the city, to obtain drink. In the
saloon where they entered were Robert
Ferguson, Familiarity known as bob,
and friend, who left few moments
before the first party. All were some
what acquainted, however, and drank
together. This was about 81 o'clock
As soon as the drinks had been paid for,
Prentiss and his friends, including Fer
guson and his friend, left the saloon, he
being the last to reach the door. The
three men then with Prentiss were already
on the pavement when he reached the
door. When in the action of stepping
on the pavement, the crash of pistol
broke the almost dead stiffness of the
night, and moment afterward Prentiss
was lying in front of the building speech
less, and in the last agonies of death.
The barkeepers at once ran to the poor
fellow and carried him into an ante
room, where he soon breathed his last.
The ball entered behind the left ear,
burying itself in the brain.
SEARCH FOR THE MURDERERs.
1t was deemed a noteworthy fact that,
of the six men who but moment before
had been drinking together in the saloon,
the only one remaining Immediately after
the shot fred was the victim of this ter
rible tragedy. His two friends from the
steamer, and the others found in the SAL
loon, had singularly enough disappeared,
and could not be found at the moment.
Before the echoes of the shot had died
away several policemen were at the spot,
detective Selkirk among them. Col.
Beaumont was sent for, and the de.
tectives commenced working up" the
affair. The first inquiries were relative
to Prentss' companions. Dolph APP
preached the officers moment after.
wards, and was taken into custody, either
as witness or principal, as he might be
required. Howard was also found.
SUSPICION.
Soon afterward Bob Ferguson's
name was mentioned in suppressed
tones in connection with the tragedy.
He did not return to the saloon, and
the rumor gained currency that he had
an old, unsettled grudge against Prem
tiss. How or why he was suspected no
one could tell but the detectives GER
tainly had him in mind. They were
soon siding about his saleon-the
" Headquarters, opposite the Eldorado
-peering cautiously into the door, as
though awaiting somebody appearance.
The somebody" did not come, and was
looked for elsewhere. Later at night
Ferguson appeared, but the suspicion
must have been very slight, as he was
not taken into custody.
THE INQUEST.
Coroner Cotton could not be found,
and Esq. Miller was summoned from
Chelsea to hold and inquest. He did not
arrive until after midnight Among the
witnesses was Ferguson, who testified
that when the shot was fired be had
reached Main street on his way to the
Headquarters that be did not look
back, but walked on until reaching his
saloon, paying no attention to the shot.
His conduct as narrated by himself, was
considered suspicious.
The man Dolph testified to what &C.
CURED in the saloon. Ferguson and
Prentiss had conysrsed together several
the former, according to the
testimony, left the room first, and as
soon as he stepped out, Prentiss re-
marked that be feared Ferguson would
get up mob against him, having en- !
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