Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-14
A CURIOUS STORY.
DEiscegenatiOn, superstition and
Crime.

On Wednesday evening, shout seven
O'Clock, white womsn, named Grady,
shot negro womaA named Isabel Wat
son IN the head with pistol. We heard
Of the affair that evening, but as the ne
gro woman wss but slightly hurt, and
we could get no particulars, we did not
make any mention of it. Yesterday,
however, 10 making some inquiries from
detective sboutot matters, We heard
the whole story connected with the
shooting, and it 10 one that illus
trates SO foreibly the condition OF
Ignorance, superstition and vice that
exists in that class of society found
by mingliBg of the white and black
races, that we give it as we heard it--al-
belt is one that we dislike TO introduce
into the columns ofths APPEAL.
Mrs. Grady is q white woman, the wife
of Woodworking, respectable laborer,
by whom she has three fine children
Grady is employed on the Nicholson
pavement, and has to leave st an early
hour in the morning, and returns late In
the evening to his home on Grady's Hill,
in South Memphis, neighborhOod in
habited by low whites and negroes.
Some time since a negro hack driver
named Jim Rueker, com menced visiting
the house during Grady's absence. It
was noticed by the Ieighbors that be
was there very frequently and remained
very long each time, and 1t was not long
before it was generally suspect
ed that an improper intimacy
existed between him and Mrs. Grady.
fine pasted Oh, and the suspicion be-
came certainty, the guilty couple, in
deed, taking no pains to conceal the
infamous affairs condition OF things
shocking even to the class of people that
inhabited that quarter. 1t is not known
whether Grady WIS appraised of the
affair or not, bat if be was ne took 10
notice Of it.
For some reason, the visits of the me-
gro, Rucker, hsd become less frequent
Of lats-in fact, ceasing altogether-snd
the woman was very much exercised
therest, trying in various ways to find
out the reason Of the termination OF
the intimacy. On Wednesday morn
ing, it is said, she went to an
old African who lives in the
neighborhood, and who is looked upon
and reverenced by the negroes as q
Vandoo or Fetish, and consulted him.
He told her that the negro girl, Isabella
Walton, had coajured Rucker, and that
the couture was working too strong for
him to break Immediately he, however,
undertook the job, and went to work to
collect the material for the hoOi0oiR0.
Meanwhile, while the Fetish was gath
ering his here's and grigriS, Mrs. Grady
armed herself with 3 stout CLUB, sought |
out the dark eharmer, who had cast such |
potent spells around her dusky para
aour, and finding her, proceeded to adj
minister the condign imme 1iately. A
crowd collected, however, and COM
PEELED her to retreat but she |
wss not to be ioiIed Of her VEN
geance thus, nor was she willing |
to swait the slow action of the ''charmer,n |
doubling his success, though |
he "should charm never SO wisely.n |
About seven o'clock in the evening, she |
armed herself with a small Smith &
Wesson's cartridge pistol, and watching
her chance, placed it close to the head Of
IsabelIs and fired. The wool flew, Isa-
and dropped. Mrs. Grady |
her work done, also dropped |
her pistol and iefG for parts unknown
aud though the most vigilsnt search had |
been made for her, up TO six o'clock yes |
terdsy evening, she had not been found. |
This is q queer story, bat is vouched |
for as true in every particular by one Of
the officers who is working up the case. |