Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-16
HelCOmmits Bigamy i'm the
Presence of his First Wife.
The Murderer Seized by
s. Mob, Shot and Hung.

One of the most revolving and heart
less murders ever chronicled in the an
mails of crime, has recently come to light
in Jasper county, Missouri, which shows
to what desperate straits some men will
60 to secure money. The circumstances
of the present case reveal the facts that
a man giving the name Of Captain A. G.
Hutton, settled in the village Of Sprcoxie
last fall, and shortly after formed the ac-
quaintance of widow named Margaret
NJ. Fullerton, who possessed a marriage
able daughter, whose good looks and
genial disposition captvated Hutton, and
passing himself off as a single man, he
began courtship which resulted in mar
riage. A short time previous to the we'd
ding, Hutton's first wife, ASSUMING the
appearance and wearing the garb OF o
boy, took up her residence at Mrs. Full
lerten's, he claiming that she was poor,
sickly youth, whose kind disposition and
infrmity had won his sympathy. The
widow believed the story, and treated the
youth with great kindness. In presence
of this first wife, thus disguised as a boy,
the wedding took place, and she herself
assisted in preparing the bride for her
nuptials, claiming, as an excuse, that
she so loved and feared her bus7
band that she dared not deny him in any
request he might make. Mrs. Fullerton
being a woman Of large and valuable
estate, Hutton of course determined upon
securing it. He was unable to obtain her
consent to pass it over to her daughter,
nov married to him, and resolved upon
a most foul and bloody manner of gain
ing control over it. How to decoy the
old lady, without exciting her suspicion,
was q subject of much consideration; /;
but he finally concocted plan which his
first wife agreed Ito, and the twain
set to work to put it into execution. He
said that "Tommyn-which was the as
sumed name Of the first wife-was so ill
that it was deemed advisable to send him
home to his parents in Ohio, and, as he
needed female escort to attend to his
pumerous wants, and give such nursing
as only a woman could render, he de-
sired Mrs. Fullerton to perform the mis-
sion of mercy, agreeing to pay all her
expenses and giving her 500 for the
trouble, He also desired her to collect
some monay on checks he held on Ohio
parties, for which he was to pay her an
additional $l00-making 5000 in all. To
this she consented, and on the 18th OF
February last Hutton, Mrs. Fullerton
and Tommy" left Sarcoxie for Sedalia,
whence they were to go TO Ohio. Several
weeks passed away, when be returned to
Sarcoxie alone, and when asked where
the widow was, could furnish no satisfac-
tory response, alleging that she had
married in st Louis and remained there.
Her sudden disappearance awakened
considerable suspicion, for she was highly
respected by all who knew her. ..
In few weeks Hutton began to sell
the personal effects Of Mrs. Fullerton,
which only tended to increase the suspi-
cion of foul play, and when asked what
be meant by this strange proceeding, be
promptly produced a power of attorney,
purporting to have been signed at SedG-
iia, Missouri, March 29th, by NJ. M. Full.
lerton. On the 4ih Of May, q number OF
the citizens called at the house where
Hutton was visiting and demanded the
whereabouts or fate of Mrs. Fullerton, at
the same time assuring him he must
give a satisfactory response. He was
warned to stop, but refused, when one Of
the party fred shot at him, which did
not impede his progress, and several
other shots were fred. One ball took
effec, in bis shoulder, which disabled
him. he refused 10 divnlge anything,
and Was placed under protection OF the
citizens. he was sfterward removed
from the house 10 piece Of woods about
two miles distant, and still refusing TO
confess what he had done with the
widow. he was hapged 70 a tree and len
70 die
Gilbert schooley, postmaster Of ibs
place, in looking over the mails, noticed
= letter and several papers addressed 70
William Lee, sud not knowing any per
son Of that name in the vicinity, be
I orsped Il and found Il was signed NJ. N.
( II. he initials Of the missing woman,