Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-29
One OF the most Etightful Murders
ever Perpetratsd In Shelby
County.
A Memphis Physician Murdered on
the Road. Nine Miles from
Memphis.
His Body Riddlod with Buckshot,
Ills Skull Crunhed with a Club.
The Body Dragged to Swamp and
Buried beneath some Brush.
Full Particulars of the Terrible AT
fair so far as Received.


fuf murders ever committed in Shelby
county was received atpolice headquar-
tiers about three o'clock yesterday after
noon The victim was DR.. NJ. r, Ram
sey, of the Lock Hospitalof Mott, Brad
ford d Co., on Second street.
On Tuesday afternoon DR.. Ramsey
left the city on horseback to visit pro.
fessionally Mrs. Watkins, northeast of
the city, who was so seriously i'll that
other physicians were also in attendance
On the way he was Joined by Mr.. VIM.
Clark, well known resident of the city
and an intimate friend, who for long
time occupied q portion OF his of
fee. Both remained ut Mrs. Wat
kins' during the night. Yesterday morn
ing Mr.. Clark desired to visit Mr..
Bottoms, several miles from Mrs. Wat
kins'. The doctor concluded to accom-
pany him, and both rode to the former
place together. Mr.. Bolton was absent,
but the two gentlemen remained for
dinner. Dr. Ramsey was to return to
Mrs. Watkins at four o'clock, and, to
fulfill his engagement, left Clark at Boil
tons, it being understood they were to
meet at six clock at the end of the lane
some distance this side of the junction
of the Macon and Raleigh roads, and
return TO the city together. At the time
specified Mr.. Clark appeared at the
place of rendezvous, but nothing could
be seen of the doctor. While still wait
ing negro who had seen the gentlemen
in the morning came along, and re-
cognizing Clark as one of the parties,
remarked that a little while ago he had
met an old negro in wagon, to which
was tied his friends (the doctor 81
horse, and that the animal was wound.
ed and bloody. This intelligence startled
Mr.. Clark, who at once feared
foul play. Putting spurs to his horse he
hurriedly rode over to Mrs. Watkins, on
the Macon road, and found the inmates
of the residence wondering at the doc
tors absence. He had not been there
since morning. Mr.. Clark then COM
municated the information relative to
the horse, and Immediately afterward
left for Bottoms to procure party for
search. Succeeding in this, the next
movement was to find the negro who had
the horse. He was found at home, and
told straight story. The horse, rider
less and covered with blood, overlook
him on the road. He caught him and
took him home for the night. Upon OBJ.
taining the necessary information as to
the place of finding the horse, the party
rode in that direction.
Three miles this side of Raleigh the
Macon road DIVORCES from the Raleigh
road. 1t was on the latter that the me-
gro caught the blood stained horse.
Four miles from the junction of the Ma
con with the Raleigh road is bridge
A short distance this side oil the bridge
the road commences narrowing and is
fringed on each side with thicket so
thickly studded with dogwood, cane, etc,
AS to seem almost impervious even to
pedestrians Three hundred yards be-
fore reaching the bridge the road is so
narrow that horseman riding in the
center is within eight or ten feet of either
edge of the thicket The vicinity is wild
looking and suggestive of bloody deed.
Upon reaching this point the party dis.
covered near the center Of the road a
pool of blood and another twenty yards
farther on. They were at once satisfied
that key to the solution of the
murder had been found. But night had
now arrived, and the search could not
be successfully prosecuted. Yet it was
not relinquished until after midnight
About daylight yesterday morning an
opening was discovered in the thicket,
opposite the second blood pool. 1t re-
vealed that a heavy object had been
dragged through. Some of the bushes
were blotted with blood and the impress
of mems feet could be distinctly traced |
on the ground The trail was followed |
slowly, and after going twenty or thirty
yards a small pool of blood was dis
covered. Farther on was a similar col
lection Of blood, and some distance
beyond a third was found. By this
time the searching party arrived
at the margin of swamp, about
one hundred yards from the roadside
To this spot it was evident the form,
whoever or whatever it was, had been
dragged The footsteps could be very !
plainly seen, where they had sunk into
the yielding earth. The place from
which the swamp had been entered was
found, and, in short time, the dead
body Of a man, wet and bloody, was
drawn from the water. 1t is needless TO
say that this was the body Of the missing
DIR. Ramsey
The inanimate body was removed to
an open space and examined. It had
received two charges Of buckshot, one in
The back and side and one higher up.
As soon as these discoveries we're
made, a messenger wss sent to police
headquarters in the city. Col Beaumont