The New York herald., 1871-09-03
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY In MEMPHIS.
An Old Newspaper Man Kills Clerk for
Running His Daughter.
from the Memphis Avalanche, August ao.l

A few minutes after ten O'Clock yesterday morn
ing an elderly man, dressed plainly as r farmer
sells dry goods store on Main street. aud asked Tor
some lawns. One OF the clerks, Mr.. Thomas ].
Beasley showed him several pieces, after which the
man asked 10 see some domestics. This class OF
goods was kept in the rear portion OF tine store and
his m 10 step pane s 3 es
store IS the "wrapping' counter and when they
came to it Mr.. Beasley asked the man T he would
not leave his gun there until they returned.
"Oh no; don't care. will just carry 1t along
with me-" was the reply ana they passed on back.
10 the right OF and very near the end OF the store
was the s.casslmere'' counter, under charge OF
Captain J. Theodore Adams That gentleman was
al The time engaged In waiting upon some ladcS'
In walking back Mr. Beasley was few feet In ad-
vance of his customer, and after passing the ladies'
mentioned he turned to look for that person To his
great astOnishment he beheld him with his gun at
shoulder, taxing Deliberate aim AT Adams
That gentleman looking up anu seeing the man,
dropped pehind mis- counter ana commences crawl, M
screen himself Whea he dropped TO the moor the
man ran rapidly around the end OF the counter ana
again taking aim fired, and Immediately after
snapped the remaining barrel. The contents oil the
guIi--a quantity OF large buckshot-siruck Mr.
Adams IN the lett leg, directly at the knee shatter
ing the bone and cutting the femora artery. After
swapping other barrel OF the gun the man turned
around, ana, without saying word, passed through
n row of Jerror-srrcken clerks to the front door,
where he handed his gun to young man, VINO was
evidently in waiting.
walk, as II dehberatlng, the man started up Nam
street to the Adams street station house. Meeting
II wish to surrender myself. l shot man in
seessels store lew minutes ago. anu guess l
killed him. nv ,
Browne ana after being searched was taken back
and placed IN CELL.
shoot. For Gods sake. somebody take hlm away"
The proprietor OF the store and several employees OF
the house VINO were up stairs at the tilne hearing
the repOrt aud subsequent cOntuslon, came running
down. aud were the frst to 60 TO MI. Adams assist
ance. That gentleman was evidently IN great
k..lt, ,.li u Vrv hl
Fearing TO apprOacn him while thus excited, ana
not knowing how dangerously he was hurt, one OF
The clerks told him 10 throw away his pistol and he
would come TO his aid. After about a minutes
hesitation. Mr.. Adams did as requested when sevc.
raj o. the gentlemen went to hil. lie was iound 10
be wounued as mentioned. and as the wound was
bleeding very freely wagon was procured IN
which he was conveyed 70 Tue Worsham House,
where he mad been boarding Drs Rogers and
Lynch were summoned and mace an examination
The surgical aid arrived toe late, however, for
lie gradually sank under the excessive homorrnage
until few minutes after one O'CLOCK, when he died.
Mr. Brownies Statement OF the Whole Affair.
a sasa VITA a. M sne
whom ne received the following statement:- .,,,
/ don't care to go into particulars about this
thing, IL Is very unpleasant SUBJECT pul VIII
tell You , ,.,,, ns
Friday last first discovered my daughters con-
dion, but never learned It's author until Yesterday
dlatey 10 Mr. Adams who was staying in eeessels,
anu 'o'' MUST MARRY MY DAUGHTER
This was about eight O'Clock, ana he told me to go
away and he would meet me at my store, 3l5
second street. went away anu waited al my store
until haIt- past ten, when, lie not coming again
went to Seessel's. Going up to him | asked HIM why
he had not come to my Store according TO promise.
being sick and that he could not neglect his busl-
ness. walked up 10 him and SAID Shaking MS
index finger slowly, as il In great earnestnessh
ssYOU MUST MEET Me-"
then left and returned TO my store, where In
short time his brother, JOnn ID. Adams, made MS
anpearance He said that he had heard there was
some trouble between his brother and myself, anu
that he had come around to see II lie could not eHec
a compromise. 1 told him that compromise could
be eiected in but one way, aud that was by Adams
marrying my daughter.
Telling me to come around 10 certain store on
Union street he went away. In company Win my
son did go around, and there met Adams. lie
said he could not marry my girl, because ne had no
I could and would help him along all IN my power
NV daughter was wiling to marry INN and had
Ne tl,en proposed TO send her of to some quiet,
secluded place, where she could give blyth to her
enid, after which she could return home ana the
world would be none the Wiser.
saws i-s'wnat viii you do with the childs'
.,Put it in AN orphan asylum he replied.
"Ol, no ~ says |, 'that Will never 90; you must
Upon his again fatty refusing TO 90 this SAID 81
viii go unarmcd to-day; but II you DO not marry my
daughter tins day you take your own life in your
band.n He laughed at me and SAID that was a
game two could play at ana anaa ne & eond m puli anu
.'Well, suppose you win not take any advantage
of me. You viii give me show"
Says J. ''What Show did you give mef What show
did YOU give my daughter2 | viii take any and
every advantage Of you that can, as you nave done
we then separated and returned to my store
where Colonel Du Bose came with John D. Adams
about twelve O'Clock to see me. Colonel Du Bose
said that he had come, az mutual friend, to see ii
this thing could not be arranged amicably. told
him that 1t could by Adams marrying my daughter
and by that way only. He said that Adams was
willing to send my daughter away during ner DC
couchemen put tat ne woa o NO, apy nsr me me
family by this thing being made public. told him
that had thought OF all thai, but that my honor
play: am terribly IN earnest, and that man must
marry my daughter That was the last talk ni naa
with any Of them When rened nome %a lsSs sc nSs rS
me that Adams had asked her II was Mason.
She told HIM Yes anu he said mat nc was aso q
protect each others families, and tnat Whatever
they did that way was all right. By this KIND OF
talk he succeeded in eiiecting his purpose anu
ssWeli, this morning got up and told some Of my
folks that was going after Adams: Ill, nad son,c @
trouble in getting gun, but finally hired one ior
three days, telling the man that was gong hunt-
ing. just walked into the store ana mad the gun
dropped. as If shot, behind the counter. ] ran
around some ladies' VINO were IN the stOIc anu siloV
n NY gun snapped the last 70 s ic saton So"s
where I gave myself np. MY daughter ,od .i.iI, nun
some time ago mat II ever found u OUT Ihat W0u,a
Xii him on Sight. lie laughed at her and 'allowed''
That he could shoot, tOo ! gave nm every SNOW, /,
but he would not repair the damage ne hao none
me: and this is all that was left me 10 40.
While making MS statement Mr. BroWnc cvinced
much emotion, at times bali-suppresseu sons Weilg
IN i'm his throat SO rs TO almost STOP Ills speech,
while his eyes filed with tears a warrant was
sworn ont by Captain Athey before Kce0Iuer scales
during The day. upon which a preliminary eAaini'
nation viii he held this morning
Nr Adams was an ex-CoDiederate soldier, gong
where he lost his right leg, II being cut OH by a
cannon ball Since the war he mas been engaged in
mercantile business, and was esteemeu py large
circle OF friends. -
GENERAL J. W. S. BROWNE
,s an old and much respected citizen. lie mas re-
e,dcd I'm Memphis fourteen or fifteen years, during
fhe greater portion OF which he mas been news
papcr pressman. lie connected himself with gas
ntting and plumbing year or TWO ago. Mr.
browne is a native OF Ohio, and many years ago
was n brgadier general Of the ONO ln.la, from
when act was derived the title OF general, Dy wnch
he is best known. lie in connection win tle late
NJ d. Potter was one OF the founders OF inc Cncni-