Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-26
THE PERIIS OF A PENSIONER
A Murderer's Mistake-His Own
Wife's Throat Cut Instead
of q Lodger's.
A Story of Loyal East Tennes-
see, where the Ku-KllIx
Abideth Not.
Correspondence Of tine New York Sun.

4
| Correspondence OF the New York Sun.
| MARYvILLE, EAST TENN, April ia
terrible tragedy was enacted on THURSDAY
of last week, d one of the upper districts
of Sewer coulky. A poor widow woman
of the name of Stratton had been t
Knoxville to receive pension money to thu
amount of $50. On her return she sought
and obtained lodging on that Thursday
evening, at the house of one Joe Burk
hard, in the border of one of the noun.
tain settlements.
Being much worn with the long journey
performed on foot, the woman retired al
an nearly hour, occupying abed with Burk-
hard's wife. The man himself went out
Immediately after supper, and did not re-
turn until the hour at which the women
were going to bed. He sat beside the fire
short time. and then tinkeied about the
room few minutes, and finally departed
the second time.
Some time in the night Mrs. Stratton
awoke from an unpleasant dream. She
was greatly disturbed in mind, and evil
IDENTIFY apprehensive of danger. She
tried to calm her agitated thoughts and
sleep again, but found it impossible. The
oppressive sense of peril became intensi-
fed. The room was silent and utterly
dark; yet the woman fancied she heard
sounds without that BODIED no good. The
money in her possession was no comfort
er then.
Finally, unable to endure this state of
suspense longer, she awakened Mrs.
Burkhard, and begged to be permitted to
occupy the backside of the bed, saying
that she was afraid to lie in front. Mrs.
B., evidently considering this a freak of
timidity, at once changed places with the
woman, 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. Finally movement was
heard without. The muf1led tread of feet
sounded before the house. The door was
softly pushed open, and two human fig
ures stealthily entered the apartment.
Noiselessly they crossed the puncheon
floor and approached the bedside where
the two women were lying. Mute and
breathless with terror, Mrs. S. saw enc
of the ruffians lay his hand on the face of
her unconscious companion, while with
the other hand he drew a long knife
across her throat. She distinctly heard
the low kissing sound made by the keen
blade as it cut its way through the yield
ing flesh, then the dull grating as it
crossed the bone, and felt the warm blood
of the victim as it spurted across the bed
and fell upon her face.
Overcome with the horror of this
bloody 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 control herself, she lay
with closed eyes and wildly beating heart,
helplessly awaiting the termination of the
fearful drama.
The murderers laid hold of the lifelcss
body of Mrs. B., believing it of course
to be that of the stranger, and dragged 1t
on to the floor, and thence out into the
ward, no doubt TO search for the money,
which Burkhard knew Mrs. S. carried in
her bosom.
The latter, the moment she saw them
disappear through the open door, sprang
from the bed, in the hope of making her
escape. She well knew that as soon as
the assassins discovered the mistake they
had made, they would destroy her without
mercy. The miserable cabin possessed
one wrctched excuse for a fireplace. 1t
was built of split timber, lined with rhud,
and outside extended up, perhaps, a foot
above the level of the mantel log.
Through this broad opening Mrs. S.
saw the light shining from without, and
there she sought an exit. Plunging
through the hot ashes and buried Goals,
with feet unclothcd, she clambered over
the low wall of the fireplace, and fled to-
ward the nearest house, hslf-mile dis
tant.
The alarm was given, and in a remark
bly, short space of time small company
of citizens assembled and proceeded to
the scene of the murder. They happily
reached the place in time to surprise and
capture Burkhard, who was engaged in
packing up a few articles of clothing,
preparatory to flight His daughter, a
girl of seventeen or eighteen years, was
assisting him in this operation.
The hardened wretch manifested very
little, if any, concern for what had trans
PRED, and seemed only to regret the fail
ure of his original design. His accom-
plice had escaped, but every effort is being
made to secure his arrest. The unhappy
victim of this revolving crime was found
partially secreted beside the corn-crib,
some distance from the rear of the house.