The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-05
THE GID, OLD STORY.
Murder Of River Pilot In Menlphis by
Woman.
lErOm the Memphis Annaal June Snl

Murder Of River Pilot In Memphis by q
Woman.
IRON the Memphis Appeal, June SOL
An appalling ana bloody tragedy, attended with
mysterious and apparently inexplcabe circum.
stances, occurred yesterday evening, at sA O'Clock,
at the store Of Van Pelt Gibson. opposite Court
square, the victim being young river pilot named
Gus Banks, well and favoraby known in this city,
where ne was brought up, who was shot by a woman
under the following circumstances which we CLEAN
from various sOurces:-
About quarter TO six O'Clock yesterday evening
around the door OF Van Pelt & Glbsons store, as
young young Woman, very neatly and siyllsnly
HIM, the pair entered the store together and Quietly
seated themselves near each other a settee. They
anu Mr.. Van Pelt, who thought that they were GUS
toners, waiting to be served, walked forward to
that a was @ ned t tnsv NE
o. having private conversation. He remained near
them n long enough to hear the woman say, You
This was repeated twice. MIR. Van Pelt turned and
started back TO the desk, and had got half way
nH IN e Instantly when rn ea S SeoT and p s%
Mr. Banks on the floor ana the woman
S dsllperaey firing at him with pistol which she
was at his desk, rushed forward aud got near
enough as the fourth shot was fired to hear her say,
AT this instant police officer, who had been
standing at the corner of the park when the woman
dy she surrendered without word, except re-
marking quietly Gle wronged me, and paid him
for It," or words to that effect. Sne was quickly
conveyed to the station house, where she gave her
name as Myra Day, residence city. At the station
house she repeated the remark that he (Banks) chad
wronged her, and she had paid HIM for IT," She
gave up the weapon which she had used-a Jour- bar.
relied repeater OF the sharpe patent, apparently per-
fectly new.
crowd instantly gathered around the wounded
man, who was lying on the mating In the vestibule
OF the store bleeding from three wounds his head.
quickly In attendance. ana when the wounds were
examined they were found to be three In number-
IN the uppes portion Of the brain Isapposed to lave
en- the FIRST shot red); another entering the throat
and ranging upward. lodging In the lower portion or
the brain. The third was near The first shot, and,
though an ugly wound is not thought to have penc-
trated the skull. Either Of the two first sunl-
cient, under ordinary circumstances, to prodrr.c,
DEATH ~
The wounded man was remove, ron the don,
back 70 the once, where ne was placed in more
he meyer spoke Or showed any signs OF conscious.
@ w s4ses Is s s in the eours. of
| rev moments-when bis sister, brothers and father
arrived The grief OF the sister was something aw.
fu and unneryed the stoutest heart The father,
James Banks, was, or course more stole. bnt Inc
scene Is one long TO be remembered. AS soon as a
mattress g., and conveyance could be secured. the
| this earth-WaS removed 10 the family residence.
THE CAUSE
tery as the uurderess refused TO have anv cnnvarss
Lion with the reporters. We were compelled there
FORE to take hearsay rumors, which to the fol.
lowing erect:-
Banks and the woman. Myra Day, who Is loose
character have for some time past been living
together. few nights ago he had ms su spicions
aroused that she was admitting negroes to her
house, and accordingly watched her. Night before
md d,l
his suspicion. Yesterday morning he accused her OF
cohabltng with negroes to some person who carried
- F Hs u H. :''s'' G l
since writing the above. we have been called upon
following statement:-Abo,t q Quarter TO six he
lWl!sonl was starting home, ard met Banks near
number Of years. and living In the same direction
he proposed to Banks to walk home together. The
later declined, saying that ne had heard tlat de-
having Slapped woman the night previous. lie
denied &c having done So however, ana said that
accused, him of combating with negroes,
and mad satisfied himself Of the truth of the SUSPICION
a. the time in,n While they Wilson and
appeared on the other side Of the street. Banks re-
market ma ,ns There she Is now; she wants to
meeting at Van Pelt Glbson's store and entering.
After waiting moment Wilson went down the
them sittng near each other as detailed by Mr..
Van Pet He proceeded down the street but had
not gone dozen PAGES before he heard the pistol
shots as before detailed and came back to find his
friend weltering In mis- blood.
Several other gentlemen make corroborative state
ments and we are left under the sity OF bel ey
Ing these statements. The case win probably be ex.
amlned this morning before magistrate, when all
the iactS WILL probably be made public.
IL MIR. BANKS
was young man between twenty-five and twenty
tnree years OF age. He was brought up II not born in
Memphis, and was universal lavOrlte having been
known ana Liked by everybody.
THE WOMAN
Is not SO youngsay twenty-five or twenty six years
old; Is Of small figure and pleasing features we
learn that she Is native OF Vicksburg and was
brought up above the bayou" She has never been
regarded as quarrel me or dangerous Character
and all who knew her were not more shocked ana
horrihed Than they were as0nlshed at her deco