Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-20
Murdsr will Out.

| From the Missouri BemOcrGt.
1 VANDALIA, Ill, Aug. 4.-The citi
zens of our city and vicinity are some
what agitated over q letter received
recently by the postmaster at this
place, in regard to murder committed
here in IS40.
The murdered man, Peery, at the
time was clerking in 8 bank Of r. K,
Mclaughlin. He was found, one
morning, in the southeast part 0i
town, lying on his face, dead; and
two or three letters found on his body
i-one directed TO Mr.. Mclaughlin,
| telling him to warn Peery Of danger,
and that he (Peery) had better leave
town. The whole thing was involved
ia mystery. As Is too often the case,
it was thought that a woman was at
the bottom Of it.
1t was supposed at the time that one
of three men did the deed; but 1t
ended in the suspicion, as nothing
could be found out. It Is stated In the
letter that a woman was implicated.
An old negro woman, living near
where the deed was done, being up In
the night, heard woman say, "There
he goes, kill him :" which serves to
corrOborate that part of the statement.
What was very singular, the three
men-One of whom 1t was supposed
did the deed-all left here shortly after
Il occurred, and but one Of them was
heard from, he being seen In the army
during the Mexican war, where, it
was afterWard reported, he died, until
the receipt OF the letter, a copy OF
which is appended. A. d. YAEs.
From the Vandalia Union
The following letter will bring to
the minds of many old citizens an Oc-.
curFence of many years ago, which
has been involved In mystery:
CAIRO, ILL., July Il, 1871.
P. n. ct YsndAlis, III:
As Ii has been long time since
was in your town, don't know who
is there now that left In 1912. In
1910 there was man by the name of
j. NJ. Perry killed In your town, and
/ am sure that some Of the old citi-
zens would like to know who killed
him. 1t was supposed at the time
that he was murdered-that he was
killed by a certain man-but know
who done it and there was a woman
that done as much as the man. Now,
il this falls into the hands Of any one
that was living at Vandalia at the
time, you will remember the excite
ment there was at the time. / would
like TO tell you all, but can't until
/ am assured that will come clear.
l am sure that my days are but few
at the furtherest, but you all know
that life Is sweet under almost any
circumstances; but l think / have
suffered enough Ia my mind and con-
science to atone for all.
/ left Nandalia shortly after the un.
fortunate affair, and have been in Aus.
tralia for the last twenty years, and
the reason l am here in this State, /
had to come to New Orleans to see a
relative there. Now since left Van
dalia haint saw but two men from
there, and one of them never saw me,
and that was George Sage, and the
other one was a young fellow that
lived on Camp Creek, and his name
was Mitchell, and believe his given
name was John, and talked a little
with him.
1 would like to stop at Vandalla
and see if there was any one there
used to know, but the nearer I get there
Tic ulQIG L dul bOLulculCu al NY u1lLu
and conscience.
1 want this letter published In at
least two Of your largest papers, and
have the Michigan papers copy. Pub
lish where l can direct letter to Col.
Black, NJ. Phillips, B. K. MeLaugh-
lin, or John Mitchell. want to find
out who Is dead before 1 make any
thing public, and not then until / am
sure am safe. Now, il these men
are all dead give me the names of
some that Is living. I am going to
New Orleans this fall and may stop In
Vandalia one train, and will be in st.
Louis at least a month, and II there
is any of the old citizens living and Is
anxious to know the whole matter
through.
The persons to whom the writer Of
this letter would direct letter are all
dead except John Mitchell, and he
does not live here. Col. Reemann, J.
w. ROss, and many others are living
who remember the murder Of Peery.
A person suspected OF the murder has
since died in Mexico, and it is report
ed that he confessed that he was con-
nected with the murder before he died.
The writer OF the above letter may
address either of the above-nRmed
persons, or the postmaster IL he
chooses to do so.