Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-07-17

dressed only in his underclothes. Step
ping quickly up to SEVERN, who still
leaned up against the tree, he took hold
Of the latter's shoulder, and with bis PTS
tol dealt SEVERN blow on the right side
Of the head. With that the two elineh-
ed, and in q second, almost, Severn was
seen to raise
LARGE AND GLITTERING KNIFE,
which he used with great dexterity and
fearful effect. DenassalIier endeevored
to use his pistol, but he could do moth
| ing, for the man with the knife, appre-
ciating the advantages in favor of his
weapon at close quarters, clutched his
adversary with the left hand, and, press
ing him backward, gave him blow after
! blow, many Of which were warded of,
as DemassallieT, now at great disadvan-
| tage, threw his arms wildly about him.
{ His merciless fOeman, as relentless as a
savage, pressed forward with hand
upon the throat of the now feeble De.
massalier, and eventually got him jam
med against the facing of the alley
gate, where he dropped, and attempted
TO crawl away on his hands and knees.
It was at this stage of the
FEARFUL BUTCHERY
that the few who had the nerve to be
spectators were Mortified, for as the
man, now far gone, made an effort with
the little strength that remained to him
to escape the cold and relentless steel,
his fiendish adversary walked deliber-
ately by him, and bending over the
crouching form, delivered
rr SEVEN MORE sTABs,
four of which were deep and gaping
incisions. When Demassallier, his
strength nearly exhausted, crawled off
the banquette, SEVERN left him and
went off toward the corner of st. Louis
and Roman streets, his long knife reek-
ing with warm blood and his clothes
redeemed with gore from his own
wounds and the gashes he had made on
the body of the unfortunate Demassal-
lier. The latter, appearing to revive for
a moment, regaiDed his feet, staggered
and raising the pistol, to which he had
clung all along, fired an Intellectual shot
at the retreating form of SEVERN. With
this he entered the door of his house,
and casting himself on the bed was
found there
DEAD
by those who followed him after the
lapse OF few minutes. When the diff
ticulty commenced in Demassallier's
room in the morning, there was only
one person in the house, besides the two
men, who gave her name as Laura FOs-
ter. From her the whole transaction, as
it occurred in the house, was obtained,
and she further alleges that the two men
were drunk at the ball on the previous
night.
THE BODY,
AT the post-mortem made by Dr.
Cooper it was ascertained that there had
been fifteen wounds inflicted, twelve of
which are described as fearful to behold
and must have been made with the larg-
est-sized bowie-knife. There was one
in the head, one in the back of the neck,
one on the left side of the face, one in
the left shoulder, one behind the right
shoulder, two in the right side, seven 10
the back, and one in the right side of
the neck, cutting downward, and fully
two inches in width.
THE ACCUSED.
Nelson SEVERN, who is now in the
Treme stationhOuse, whittier he went
and surrendered himself, after the en-
counter, is a young man twenty-four
years old, and nearly white. When in
terviewed yesterday morning by Times
reporter, he showed signs of very rough
treatment, being bloOd-stained and
bruised, wearing his arm in sling, hav-
ing one of his hands bandaged. He
does not deny having done the cutting,
but alleges that he had no intention of
using his knife until he was shot at
three times he says and struck over the |
head with pistol. Thinking then that
his life was in danger, he used the knife; |
with what effect, let it be seen by the |
foregoing statement
MACARTY,
the accessory, is also in the Treme sta |
ton, but processes to know nothing |
about the fight, but admits that he ac- |
companied SEVERN part of the way, |
as he went in the direction of Demas- |
sallier's house; and further, that the |
mission of SEVERN was to arrange the |
preliminaries of fight between him |
self and the deceased, as the latter had |
agreed TO fight in any manner that !
might be decided upon.
THE INQUEST
will be continued to-day before Coroner |
Grayer, when numerous witnesses will |
be examined.