Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-19
a Mo.t Extraordinary Tragedy.

Cofrespondenco Clnoinnati COMMERCIAL
IsDrANApoLIs. September Is. l
The telegraph has already given you
| the particularsof murder, the most foul
and mysterious of any that has ever oc-
Cured in this vicinity, and hasten to
send you what additional particulars have
been CLEANED by the vigilance of the
police.
1t will be remembered that in the in
vestigation before the coroner's jury,
Miss Mollie Locke, daughter of Major
Erie Locke, of this eity,testi6ed that she
and her little brother were out fishing
from q log near the 6rstgulley above the
spring, when she saw a man and two
women walking toward the sand bar,
about one hundred and fifty yards distant.
One of the women had on q lead-colored
dress. Her brother and she went down
to their father, aud asked if they could go
in bathing at the rifle, opposite the bar
he gave his consent, and as they came
back they heard the report of gun. 1t
was loud report-more like that of q
Hcaunon--and they heard it about fifteen
minutes after they saw the man aud two
women walking toward the sand bar.
When they returned, they saw man and
woman lying down, and smoke rising
Miss Locke testified that she recognized
the dead body of the man as the same she
saw walking with the two women. She
I had not seen the, woman's face. When
in the water she remakred to her brother
that the man and woman, whom they
could see lying on the ground, were very
quiet They did not 60 very near.
z Il seems that, in corroboratiop of this
evidence, the footsteps of woman have
been traced in the direction in which the
coat was found, and, as if some sudden
fear Of detection had crossed her mind,
the way over the damp sand was taken on
her hands aHd knees. !
This throws darker veil Of mystery
over the murder That q woman was
either instrumental or directly concerned
in it can no longer be doubted. From
the abstraction of the money, it is plain
that that was the motive of the crime, but
what fendish cruelty led to the mutila-
ton of Mrs. Youpg's remains, and the
setting FIRE to her clothing, is Il horrible
mystery. Her head was beaten in, and
ho- body burned TO the bone. One arm
and hand, in which was clssped q shell
There was Handkerchief filed with
shells lying near her, and her hair, which
was dressed high on her head, escaped
the flames.
Her afflicted relations, who live iu the
country, near town, have arrived. She
was brought up in the seclusion Of the
country, and had led life without inci-
dent or harm. She was sffectionats in
her disposition, and was very much be-
loved by all her intimate acqusintances
and friends. There is nothing in her
character or history to, show that she
could have provoked malice aforethought
with intent TO kill, as murder is defined |
in the old Eoglish law. nlfIfwnF Il
Z There is evidently a woman implicated,
but il is plain that she must have been
used as decoy for another party, as she
seemed 10 have Joined company with Mr..
and Mra Young on the sand. bar,
The widest rumors at FIRST prevailed,
hintinE az the fact that Young, iu Ct Of |
jealousy, followed bis wife and killed |
her, and then himself, bot from the nature
Of the wounds aud the well-knoRn har-
mouious relations OF him and his wife, /
this hypothesis is simply sbsnrd.
Hiskshiss we're rood, and his associates
Of the best character, which does away
With the supposition that be was thevie-
tim ofrevenge or malice 4
BE vas In such delicaie health that bis
physician bad warned him that be would
not live, probably longsr than The leaves
began to fah, uhich induced bin 10 iu-
crease fhe insUrance on his life- This
knowledge Of he coBdifien prsyed UPON
bis spirits, and n . subsequent CONVEX
satinn with biz rifs be said.
"Thess : no help for IL. wife. / cannot
She vas . qoisi, sndemoussrative 70