Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-14
A VICKSBURG MYSTERY.
Murder Of Andrew Crutcher, A NOtOri-
Gus Character and Jail-Bird.
4 Policeman Suspected Of Committing
the Deed-A Complicated Case.

II Atll4 lAAe 4GhhDAIE lines.
Andrew Crutcher, a notorious char
acter and jail-bird, was killed in the
southern suburbs Of the city last eve
ming, by some unidentified person,
under the following circumstances: II
appears that a policeman by the name
OF Cash, missed some geese on Thurs
day night. Circumstances led him to
suspiciOn some one in the neighboThood
of Crutcher's house. He procured a
search warrant, and, in company with
officer Finnand, proceeded TO Crutch-
er's house and made known his busi-
ness, searching the premises. They
were informed by CTutcher's wife that
the geese were stolen and sold by a man
who lived there, and who, after selling
them the night previous, had come
home drunk and abused her, threatening
to kill her with thepoker. For which
demonstration, she peachedn upon his
stealing the geese. Shortly after Cash
left her house her husband, Andrew
Crutcber, came home, and she in
formed him OF the visitation of the
officers, upon which he became indig-
nant and said he would 20 and talk the
matter over with Cash. He called
Cash out Of his house, and words Of
anger were banded between them,
when CrutcheT drew his pistol and shot
at Cash, and, missing him, ran of,
being followed by Cash, with pistol in
hand, and ordering every one he saw TO
join IN the chase and arrest the fleeing,
wOuld-be assassin. Crutcher ran down
the railroad until he was about 10 be
overtaken, when he ran into group of
A., willows and was arrested there by
man named Bankston, who sprang
nj l., a
His pistol. huge single-barrel machine
Of death, Of the dueling class, wa taken
from him, and the party started
ia return 10 town. They had
proceeded but a short distance
when Crutcher snatched his
empty pistol from the hands Of Cash,
and began 10 club him and BankHton,
as well as every one in reach of him,
with it, and in the confusion following
this demonstration he was shot in the
breast by pistol carrying force buck
ball, the shot passing clear thru ugh his
body and lodging in the skin Of his back
directly between the shoulders, from
the effects of which he died in fifteen
minutes, while he was being brought 10
town. The evidence as 10 the actual
shooting was rather muddled, no one
seeming to know who shot him, and
some asserting that il was a stranger
who had been forced TO join in the
chase, and who disappeared immedi-
ately after he had committed the deed.
BankstOn says that Cash gave him
his lCash's) pistol to hold, and he
did not know why he gave it to him,
nor what he did with il. However,
Cash's pistol was non est when it was
called for al the inquest, and not only
nTT
fused when questioned as to its where
abOuts. The wife of the deceased stated
that there had been some difference be-
tween her husband and Cash for some
twelve months, and that Cash had had
him arrested several times, and seemed
TO have special grudge against him.
That she heard Cash tell some one to
shoot him, and says that more than one
shot was fired when her husband was
running from Cash. The point at
tempted to be established By the evil |
dence was that a stranger had done |
the shooting, ard bad escaped. We
are Of the opinion that this stranger is |
but a myth, and that the story is lame !
one. The decision of the jury was, Of
course, the stereOtyped one, Come 10 /
his death by pistOl-shot in the hands |
of some unknown person; but at the |
same time, recommending the arrest of
Cash and Bankston, as suspicion rested /
upon both of them in the minds of the /
jury sufncient 10 warrant their arrest. |
The wife Of the deceased was very much |
affected when asked by the coroner If
she was able to bury her husband. She |
said she had not cent in the world, /
and knew not where she was to get 4
bread for her children. This is q case in |
which oar detectives can display their |
skill, and we trust that il may Sc worked |
up, and the offender given an opportu-
nifty Of exOnOEsting himself OF dancing
10 Justice before the proper tribunal