Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-05
A MEDICAL MARTYR.
A Michigan Physician Shot for Refus
ing to Commit an Abortion.

The Utica, Michigan, correspondent
of the Detroit Free Press writes as fol-
lows under date of July 25th: "Our
usually quiet village was the scene of
intense excitement last evening, owing
to the dastardly attempt to take the life
of one of our most prominent citizens.
The facts are these: About seven o'clock
/ in the evening DIR. William Brownell
returned to his residence from profess
sional visit. On driving to his barn he
met man and woman who had been
waiting to see him most of the after
noon. The man followed him into the
barn, and asked him if he was DIR.
BrOwnel. On receiving an affirmative
answer, he told the doctor he wished to
get some medicine to procure an abor-
ton on his wife, who, be stated, was
with him. The doctor politely, but
firmly refused to aid them in their de-
signs, and endeavOred to persuade him
from making the attempt, pointing
out the danger to her life, be-
sides the committing of a dreadful
crime. The man, who proved to be
Lewis G. Butler, of Troy, Oakland
county, then threatened him if he did
not make the prescription. At this in
suit the doctor ordered Butler to leave
his premises, when Butler, quick as a
flash, drew a revolver from his side,
cooked and leYeled it at the doctor, who,
seeing his danger, sprang forward and
clinched his would-be assassin before be
had time to fire, succeeded in getting
hold of the revolver, and then ensued a
desperate struggle. The doctor had
forced him out of the barn and some
forty feet toward the house, when the
villain succeeded in wrestling the pistol
from the DOCTORS grasp and fired, the
ball passing through the Doctors right
thigh. Finding he was shot, the doctor
threw him on the ground and succeeded
in mastering him and held him until
some of the neighbors, attracted by the
screams of the children, came to his as
sistance.
Butler was secured, and the doctor.
who by this time was nearly exhausted,
carried into his house and medical at
tendance secured. The wound is an
ugly one, the ball having hit the bone
and glanced off, making a ragged hole
completely through the thigh.
The report of the shooting spread
through town like wildfire, and it was
with great difficulty the excited citizens
were kept from lynching Butler. In
fact, a rope was secured, and everything
got ready, but report being brought
that the DOCTORS wound was not danger
GUS, wise counsel prevailed and the cul- !
prit handed over to the officers. He was
taken to Mount Clemens and lodged in |
Jail last night. The man was a total |
stranger to the doctor, he never having
seen him before,
Butler is about twenty-one years of
age, the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel But |
Ter, respected and highly esteemed citi-
zens of Troy.
DR.. BrownelPs wound is some better
to-day, and no serious result is antici- |
pated. Had the ball passed an inch
higher up, or On the opposite side of the
bone, the wound have been fatal.
Mr.. A. T. Stewart, the friend of the
President and his Excellency's choice !
for Secretary of the Treasury, has q up
and told y what he knows about the pur-
chase of the Presidential establishment
at Long Branch. Mr. Stewart upsets !
completely Tom Murphy's story deny
ing that he had anything to do with the |
Long Branch gift. He (Stewart) states |
that subscription paper for a fund TO
buy a cottage at the Branch for the |
President was presented to him, and on
that paper, with others whom he men
toned, was the name Of Murphy, with |
the sum Of five thousand dollars set
against It. All of which goes to show
the sad state Of Tom MHrphy's memory. |