Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-22
BLOODY DEED.
A Negro Is FOund in the B~ed-ehaEnber of
aLady at COIIierviIIe-He Is Arrest
ed, MysteriOusIy Spirited from
Prison, and Found Dying
some High-handed Measures of h Ne
grOes-Interference OF the United
States observation-disclosures Ex-
element Of the People.

ClteHlent 81 the ReOpies
We are indebted to Mr.. James Meal
lister, Of Collierville, for the particulars
of a rather mysterious, high-handed and
bloody transaction which took place in
that vicinity on Monday last. The fol-
lowing are the particulars as related by
the above-named gentleman:
A wOULD-BE BLACK RAvIsHER.
1t appears that sometime during the
night Of last Saturday a negro known in
the neighbOrhOod of COllierville as John
Brown was found, under plainly suspi-
cious circumstances, concealed in a bed
chamber in the house of Mr.. James
Abingdon, occupied rs a sleeping apart
ment by some young ladies of his
(AbingtOn's) household. He
WAS PROMPTLY ARRESTED
and placed in Jail. The next morning
being the Sabbath, no further or imme-
date steps were taken in the matter, it
being considered hat the bird being
Gagged, he was in perfectly safe keeping.
Thus matters remained until Monday
morning, when it was found that the
prison doors were mysteriously opened
uuAlHS Cuuudy hhShtI anu
THE PRISONER GONE.
Brown, not having been arrested upon
a warrant, and not having been proper
" before the law, it became a question
in the minds of the authorities, what
were the next proper steps to pursue.
While this matter was being agitated,
a little boy appeared upon the scene,
and stated that
A DYING MAN
was in a patch of woods situated about
a quarter of a lesOutheast of the town.
Parties Immediately repaired to the
spot indicated, and found that the dy-
ing man was the prisoner of the day
before, with his head bearing unmistak-
able marks of his having been badly
beaten, and in an insensible condition.
He was Immediately carried in a wagon
to his wife's residence, where he
EXPIRED IN A FEW MOMENTS
without having uttered a word. A jury
was then called, an inquest held, and a
verdict rendered "that the deceased,
John Brown, came to his death from
blows from some hard substance in the
hands of parties unknown Upon the
NCANAtI bCAu5 H1dut puOllCy bhC CACAlt-
ment of the negroes became intense,
and
THREATS BECAME RIFE
that the parties in whose custody the
Jail keys were kept stood in danger of
being lynched. However, on the early
up train Tuesday morning, the Deputy
United States Marshal, in company
with several officers of the colOred Be
nevolent Society, arrived, and immedi-
ately proceeded to arrest MI. James
Abingdon. The negroes then procured
horses and started some miles into the
country, where, without the shadow of
authority, they endeavored to compel
Mr.. James TOmlins, a blacksmith, who
happened to be in that locality on bust
ness, to return to town with them. After
a great deal of explanations on the part
of Mr.. Tomlin they agreed to release
him. During the night the Marshal re-
turned to the city with Mr.. Arlington as
a prisoner.
Following up their
HIGH-HANDED AND ILLEGAL COURSE,
a party of Infatuated negroes attempted
to arrest a Mr.. Brooks, who resides a
miles from C~Ollierville, but, through
some means unknown to Our informant,
in their unlawful project. Again,
about daylight yesterday morning, an
other band of these d~esperadOes started
in quest of Mr.. Brooks. The result Of
this last expedition insearch of this gen.
tleman is still a mystery, but it is said
hat the report of firearms was distinctly
heard in that direction, sometime after
he negroes had taken their departure.
ALL GOOD CITIZENS,
10Th white and black, deplore the whole
affair, and while they, in the strongest
Imaginable terms, censured the supposed
lefarious purposes of John Brown, they
,annot but ~deprecate the unfortunate
and lamentable turn the matter has
andfearlessly express their wishes
hat the innocent may be protected and
he guilty brought to justice.
THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
If Abingdon was being held yesterday
morning in COllierville, and it is uni
7ersaIly believed that he is innocent of
he terrible deed laid at his door. He is
IN Old citizen, the father of a respecta-
de family, in good circumstances, and
5 generally well thought of by his
leighbOrs, whose deep sympathies be
ails not to elicit in this his hour of
Since writing the above, we learn that
he examination of Mr.. Abingdon has
,een postponed until Monday next, Mr..
Abingdon has given a bond Of two thou
and dollars for his appearance.