New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-08

MOaey-A Nights Lodging IN M
Mountain oettlemenss OF Tennessee
She Sleeps with the Wife Of . = onn
taineer-She Changes her Petition ID
Bed-Feas fai Blunder OF Hue
| derer.
Correspondence OF the New York SUM-
MARYvILLE, East Tennessee, April H.
A terrible tragedy was enacted on Thursday
of last week, ia one of the upper districts OF
Sewer county. poor widow woman OF the
| name of Stratton had been to Knoxville to
receive pension money to the amount of
| $85. On her return she sought and obtained
| lodging, On that Thursday evening, at the
house of one Joe Burkhard, in the border Of
one of the mountain settlements.
| Being much worn with the long journey
| performed on foot, the woman retired at an
| early hour, occupying bed with Burk-
hards wife. The man himself went out
Immediately after supper. and did not re-
turn until the hour 1T which the women
were going to bed. He sat beside the fire q
short time, then tinkered about the room
few minutes, and finally departed the second
time.
some time in the night Mrs. S'ratton
awoke from an unpleasant dream. She was
greatly disturbed i'll mind, and evidently
apprehensive of danger. She tried to calm
her agitated thoughts and sleep again, but
found it impossible. The oppressive sense
Of peril became intensified. The room was
silent and utterly dark; yet the woman fam
cied she heard sounds without that BODIED
no good. The money IL her possession was
no comforter tben.
Finally, unable to endure this state of sus-
pense longer, she awakened Mrs. Burkhard,
and begged TO be permitted to occupy the
back siue OF the bed, saying that she WAS
afraid TO lie in front. Mrs. Burkhard ev.
IDENTIFY considered this freak of timidity. at
once changed places with the WON IN, and in
short time WAS asleep again.
Not SO the other, however. Weary as she
was, she could not sleep nor drive fear from
her mind. An hour passed IN usual silence.
Fiually movement was heard without.
The mutf ID tread of feet sounded before the
house. The oOor was softly pushed open,
and two human figures stealtbily entered
the apartment. Noiselessly they crossed the
puncheon floor and approached the bedside
where the two women were lying. Mute
and Creathless with terror, Mrs. Sta ton saw
one OF the ruffisns lay his hand on the face
OF her unconscious companion, while with
the other hand he drew long knife across
her throat. She distinctly heard the low
Kissing sound made by the keen blade as it
cut lite way through the yielding flesh, then
the dull grating rs it crossed the bone, and Z,
felt the warm blood of the victim as it squirt
ed across the bed and fell upon her face.
scene enacted by her very side in the midst :
Of silence and darkness. the fear of similar |
fate paralyzed the poor woman, and she !
thought she Was dying. Daring not to move |
or make sound, yet scarcely able to con.
troll herself, she lay with Closed eyes and |
wildly beating heart, helplessly awaiting |
The termination of the fearful drama.
The murderers laid hold of the lfeless
body of Mrs. Burkhard, believing it, of
course, to be that of the stranger, ana
ragged it On to the floor, and thence out
ntO tie yard. no doubt to search for the
money, which Burkhard knew Mrs. Stratton
arried in her bosom.
The latter, the moment she saw them dis
appear through the open door, sprang from
he bed in the hope of making her escape.
'he we'll knew that as soon as the assassins
discovered the mistake they had made, they
you'd destroy her without mercy The
miserable cabin possessed one wretched ex-
use for fireplace. 1t WAS built of split
imber, lined with mud, and outside ex.
ended up perhaps foot above the level Of
he mantel log.
Through this broad opening Mrs Stratton
aw the light shining from without, and
here she sought an exit. Plunging through
he hot ashes and buried Goals, with feet |
nclotned, she clambered over the low wall
the fireplace, and fled toward the nearest
ouse, half-mile distant.
The alarm was given, and in a remarkably
hort space of time email company of citi-
ems assembled, and proceeded to the scene
t, tie murder. They happily reached the
lace in time to surprise and capture Burk-
ard, who WAS engaged in packing up few |
rticles OF clothing, preparatory to fight.
Lis daughter, girl of seventeen or eight |
en- years, was assisting him in this opera
ion.
The hardened wretch manifested very
tito If any concern for what had transpired, ,,
nd seemed only to regret the failure of his !,
riginal design. His accomplice had
scaped. but every effort is being made to
ecure his arrest. The unhappy victim of !
h,s revolving crime was found partially Sc :.
reted beside the corn-crib, some distance /,