Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-28
MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
Prank N. Moore Shot Dead In his
Bedroom.
Two Negroes rested-ceniiie tins
Statements The Assassin
NOT yet Arrested.

No. 1899 Monroe street WAS the scene
Of horrible murder early yesterday
morning. The house. two-story one,
was occupied by Frank NJ. Moore, bis
wife. daughter OF Mr.. Moore by his
Grst wife, aged eleven. aud Mr.. Joseph
Hanson. a nephew Of Mrs. Moore.
Esquire Spelman held the inquest yes
terday, and developed n most contra
diciory statement Of facts. Mrs. Moore
stated that she and her husband retired
at IL o'clock on Saturday night; woke
up during the night; heard no pistol
shot; saw Frank Moore standing in the
floor; said to him, "What are you doing
ihere2' He replied, Somebody has
snapped a cap at me" and then fell to
the floor. She struck match and found
her husband in dying condition, shot
through the head; heard a scutiiing in
the room, but saw no one. Nothing was
stolen from the house.
Bette Moore, aged thirteen years, the
daughter Of the deceased, heard the
shot; woke up and found her father muir
dered; heard no scuffiing, This was all
she knew.
Several witnesses who arrived soon
after the shooting were examined, but
nothing new was elected.
Mr. Joseph Hanson nephew Of Mrs.
Moore, stated that he slept on the lower
floor (the murdered man, wife and
daughter slept on the upper aoor). He
was awakened by the screams Of
Bette Moore; he did not hear
any pistol shot; but on entering the
room be found Mr.. Moore lying on the
floor bathed in blood. On hearing the
testimony, the jury returned verdict
that the deceased came to his death by
a pistol shot, fired by the hand OF some
person unknown" Mrs. Moore sus-
pected two negroes as the murderers;
they were arrested by the police. These
we're Ed. Williams and 7. w. Williams.
who lived near by, and rented from Mr..
Moore, with whom they had difficulty
about rent some days since.
THEORIES OF THE MURDEE.
The house is two story building, its
under part being Of brick, and the upper
part Of wood. 1t sits on parapet over
looking the street. The front door
opens on a a piazza, and stairway
leads up. There are two rooms in the
main building on each floor, the front
room below being used as parlor, while
the rear one is sleeping apartment,
occupied by a nephew of Mrs. Moore.
1t seems strange that if robbery was
the object that nothing was taken away
from the house. The negroes arrested
admit having had previous difficulty
with Mr. Moore, and stated that they
heard the shots at the time. 1t will be
noticed that Mrs. Moore states that she
heard no shots, yet on awaking she
heard Mr. Moore say, they have snap
ned cap at me" 1t is not reasonable
to suppose that he said this after being
shot. 1t is more reasonable TO believe
that the cap was snapped at him while
he was lying in bed, and on getting up
he engaged in a scufiie with the un-
known assassin who shot him. This
shot awakened Maggie Moore, and the
assassin escaped. The object Of the
assassin most clearly was not rob
berry but murder. 1t is very evident
that the negroes arrested know nothing
of the crime, nor do we believe the sharp
police authorities believe them guilty.
Mrs. Brchetto, who keeps a grocery
near by, states that at ii o'clock Mr..
Moore was sitting in front Of her saloon
gnd she engaged in conversation with
him at the time; he detailing to her his
domestic troubles, with reference to his
wife leaving HIM Tor eighteen monlhs
and returning again, and also his inten-
ton at the time his wife was absent to
have filed bill for divorce. The con-
Trajectory testimony proves clearly that
Mr.. Moore returned home after eleven,
and that the murderer was lying in wait
for him. When he had retired, the muir
derer entered the bedroom and snapped
the pistol; then Mr.. Moore got mp in the
dark and answered Mrs Moore as above
stated. Mr.. Moore, in stumbling around
towards the lamp, came in contact with
the assassin, who, during the silent
scuffle, ehot him dead and stealthily re-
treated to his lair. But who is the muir