Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-31
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
A Nan and his Wife Hurdered---The Daugh-
ter Forced to Elope with the Murderer.

From the Elnira n. y Gazette, March p
We are in possession Of facts cOnnec-
ted with the worst murder ever COM
mitted in this section of the State.
The circumstances are so horrible that
II seems almost impossible TO believe
such a state Of depravity cOu'd be
reached that would lead to the peTpe-
tration of a crime so daring ana nor
rible. The scene Of the Unparalleled
crime lies in the county OF Iompkins,
and the immediate location IS what Is
known IS Johannesburg Landing, IN
the town of Ulysses. The trst inti-
nation Of tragedy was the burning
OF a house occupied by man named
Lunger. on Sunday night last, and the
discovery in the morning OF the
charred remains of the man, together
with the halfburned body Of his wife.
The skull Of Mr.. Lunger exhibited q
fracture as though he had been struck
bv a heavy weapon. This fact went
10 show foul play, and measures were
al once taken to solve the fearful mys-
farz- er which there was evidence. It
VS. son afterwaTd discovered that
the daughter of Lunger, q young
Girl of about L. years Of age, was miss
Ing. and also a young man oy the
name of Ferguson, who Is s3id 10 be
a nephew Of LUnger, the man iO.5 no
dead. Circumstances Indicated lhat
they had taken flight together. The
Girl was found yesterday morning at
SwartwOod's Hotel, at Pony Hollow,
in this. county, where she had stayed
All night with the young man Fergu-
son, From her lips q terrible story
OF crime and villainy was learned.
She saws Ferguson came to her tather 5
house on Sunday night and Killed her
father and mother with an AK. She
states that she was abed at the times
and was awakened by noise in her
fathers room. Getting up and going
10 the door, she SAW her father in the
act Of rising from the bed, and Fergu-
son! near him with an upiifted ak.
She saw him strike heg father on the
head. she SAYS, killing him gith the
blow. Ferguson turned to her sad
sWore he would kill her also if she
did not run away with him. She
coCld do nothing but comply, as Fer
ygusui seemed determined to kili her
alss. 7er mother lay in the bed with
her head cut open and dead, Fergu-
son first having killed her with the
same Ak with which he dispatched
the old man, who was awakened by
the noise made ia killing his
wife, and met the same terrible
fate. Ferguson, so the gir's story
goes, set fire TO the house,
and. impelled by fear, she went with
htm. They stopped Monday night st
SwartwOod's, at Pony HOiL0W. both
occupying the same room. The land
lord mistrgsted that something was
wrong, and detained the girl next
morning, not letting her go on with
the young man. Last evening two
officers arrived in Households, whittier
they had tracked the murderer from
Sullivan. where he was seen yesterday
morning. a man bearing the descrip-
ton given was seen in HOrsehGad's
about noon. he went into ThOrne's
grocery and purchased two apples.
He Is represented to be about twenty
two years of age, a tall, light-haired,
sand ndv-cOngieEioned person. 1t is
thought he took the road TO Big Flats
on leaving the village. The officers at
once Went in that direction, going to
the village, bat could find nothing of
their man there. This morning they
were in this city giving information
TO the police Of the affair, end putting
them On their guard. 1t Is SAID the
fugitive carries a gun. Up 70 tns
present time he has not been arrested,
but il is not probable that he eau
much longer escape arrest. The cause
of the reported double murder is that
the young man was in love with the
girl, and that her parents refused 10
countenance his attentions. out OF
revenge it Is supposed he committed
tie horrible deed.