Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-12
THE YERsER TRAGEDY.
Full Particulars Of tho Terrible
Affair.

i
public in regard to the terrible tragedy
which occurred in Jackson, Miss, las
Tuesday, we make liberal extracts from
the tri-weekly Clarion of Thursday:
THE CAUSE.
1t is proper to preface it by stating that
the difficulty grew out of certain offcial
proceedings of the deceased, which are
better explained by the following adver'
tsement that appeared on the Sd Of June
NorIoE.-By virtue of warrant oil
distress, dated the 4th day of June, 1869,
to the undersigned, Marshal of the city
of jackson, directed BY the honorable
the Mayor of said city, have distrained
| and levied upon the hereinafter described
personal property of e. M. Yerger, for
taxes due and ip arrears by him to said
city, and will proceed to sell in front Of
Blooms store, in the city of Jackson,
Mississippi, at public outcry, for cash.
to the highest bidder, on the 18th day of
June, A. D., 1869, within legal hours,
the following described personal prop
erty, levied on to satisfy the amount of
said taxes and all costs--one piano.
w. s. FREEMAN, Marshal.
jackson, Miss, June 4, 1869.
When this property was attached e. M.
Yerger was in Memphis. Ga his return
Tuesday morning, he sent several mes
sages to Col. Crane, the purport of which
was an invitation to meet him on the
street Invested of his official character in
order to give him satisfaction for what he
esteemed to be an affront We are in
formed that DR.. Harrington, who, after
repeated solicitations, bore one of these
communications, finally consented to do
so, with O purpose in his mind, when ex-
planning to Col. Crane the intent of Yer
ger, to advise him not to 60 upon the
streets, and that he did so, stating that
Yerger was armed and that his passions
were greatly intensified by liquor. Un.
fortunately there is no living witness of
this fact But it is the statemeHt of DR..
Harrington, who is truthful, kind
hearted, generous man of peace, and
would be the last person on earth
to produce dissension, and the first
to save a fellow. mortal from the
the horrors of such death as overlook |
the deceased. Chief of Police Isler, as
will be seen by his testimony, gave the |
same advice which DR.. Harrington had |
given, but unfortunately it was not taken. |
Strange enough the deceased did not, as
a conseryator of the peace, order the ar
rest of Yerger, notwithstanding his bel
ligerent message, from the streets, nor
did he prepare himself with arms for q
deadly encounter, nor still did he keep |
out of harms way. The cause of his
failure to adopt some precautionary |
measure is explained in the testimony of
Isler. A short time before the fatal meet
ing, he was on President street examin-
ing a sidewalk which had been reported
to him to be in a condition to need re-
pairs. The parties met on the corner of
State and Capitol streets. We will leave
what followed 10 the recital of witnesses
who testified before the jury of inquest =
GEORGE g. GREEN SWORN.
Was in the bank heard angry words,
loud talking, etci went to the door; saw
Colonel Crane and Yerger talking,
Yerger calling Colonel Crane cowardly
puppy, etc.; Crane said he did not want
to have anything to do with him-did not
regard him Yerger used other very hard
Language; Crane seemed anxious to
avoid any difficulty, and turned and
started to leave Yerger; Ferger caught
him by the arm and jerked him round
toward him; Crane then struck Yerger
with the small end of his cane; Yerger
then caught Crane and commenced cut
ting him, or cutting at him; Crane
backed into the store of W. ]. Brown,
struggling with Yerger; after Crane fell,
witness went TO the store Of Brown saw
Crane lying there, dirk or bowie knife
lying between his lega; thought it was
about six inches long, and not quite as
wide ss bis two ingers-dopblsd. edged;
the cane Crane used was small eane-a
rattan-not large enough to infict any
injury on Yerger; John K. Yerger
picked up the knife that was lying be-
tween Cranes legs.
ROBERT IsbER, swoRs.
Was at Mr.. Cranes ONCE in the fore
noon. George ferger came to the Office
and called Crane out into the hall heard
them talking heard Crane say he would
not leave his office TO see any one. Some
time after George Yerger left, DR.. Har-
rington came down to the Office, and wit
ness introduced him to Crane; sat talk
ing few minutes Hsrril gton asked
Crane II be had o private office Crane
replied that he had not, but would have
one as soon as the new Clerks flee was
fixed up. pr. Harrington said he wanted
to see Col. Crane privately. Col. Crane
took him into the United States Clerks
office. They stsid there some time, whom
Harrington left, and Crane came back
into the office and said Yerger wanted
him (Crane) to meet him on the street.
Witness told Col. Crane not to 20 on the
street. Witness, thinking there might be
a difficulty, put on his pistol Crane told |
him that be was exctable; that there was
going to be no trouble,
Crane sat down TO write letter, say
ing that he was going to headquarters as
soon as be got through; that be also had
to get bottle Of Jamaica ginger for a
man who was sick. Witness STAYED at
the Mayors Office until pretty near one |
o'clock, when he vent home for his din
ner While at dinner was Informed that |
Colonel Crane had been killed by Yer
ger. Went up to Yerger's house and |
arress,sd him went with him to head
quarters. M, there ferger wac taken |
10 camp by soldiers.
Witness was Informed that John X.
Yerger had the knife with which Colonel |
Crane had been killed; was told by some |
one he ought to get it; went after it, met |
George Yerger and went with him to
John X. Yerger; George Yerger told
John X. Yerger that he might as well
give the knife up, which be did. Wit
ness produced the knife before the Jury