Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-06
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
A Woman FOuiIy Murdered in BED near
Raymond, Mississippi, aud No cine
90 Motive which Prompted
the Terrible Deed.
Statement OF the Husbsnd-A Party OF
Disguised Men Propose 90 Take the
Law into their eva HRnds-Ar-
rest Under KukIax Law.

Brief mention has already been made
Of the mrder of Mrs. Ada Biggs Owens,
about four miles south of Raymond, in
Hinds county. From a gentleman who
Is acquainted with the Owens family,
and the people Of the neighbOrhood in
which they reside, We learn, says the
Nicksburg Times OF Wednesday, the
following particulars: On the morning
Of the twenty-fifth ultimo, the neigh
bOrs Of Mr.. Chester Owens, who an
swered TO the alarm given by him and
rushed TO the scene of the horrible trag-
edy, were sickened at beholding the hor-
rid sight presented. There lay the un-
fortunate victim i'm her own bed, insensi-
ole and bleeding from the effects of two
wounds upon her head, inflicted with an
ak, which YVES subsequently found in
the vicinity Of the residence.
AIR. owENs's STORY
Of the shocking tragedy is rs follows: 1t
appears that about week previous his
cOrn-crib was broken open and a small
quantity of corn extracted thercfTOm,
aud on the fatal morning, according to
his statement, hearing a noise in the
crib, he proceeded to the lot, taking his
gun with him, aud finding no one there
returned TO the house. As he ap-
preached, seeing some one leaving the
house in apparent haste, and suspecting
foul play, ne fired upon him, but with
out effect. On entering the room where
he had a few moments before left his
wife in bed, he found her in the horrible
plight heretofore described. The citi-
zens who assembled were almost beyond
the power Of controlling themselves by
the horrible crime committed, the un-
mistakable evidence Of which was lying
before them, mutilated, bleeding and
suffering deaths agOnies. The same
night u number OF them fOolishiy and
Unlawfully Disgusting themselves, took
measures 10 ferret out the perpetrstor of
the horrible crime. They proceeded to
OWens's residence and arrested three OF
the hands there employed, and
fired upon another, who ran as
they approached, iDfiicting, how
ever, only a slight flesh wound.
The three i'm custody were threaten
ed by the disguised men, and ropes
were procured with which they eX-
pressed determination TO hang them,
If a full confession was not instantly
made. There was no reason for suspect
ing the men arrested by the mob, aside
from the fact that they resided upon the
place. None Of the threats were, how
ever, carried into execution, nOtgith-
standing nOcOHiessiOn was extorted. An
officer was subsequently Gent from Ray
mond to investigate the matter, and one
arrest has been made by the United
States marshal, that of Mr.. A. Gallman,
who is suspected Of being one of the
parties in disguise. lie was taken to
Jackson on Saturday, and gave bond for
his appearance on Monday, when a pre-
liminary ex xaminGtion will be had before
United States COMMISSIONER Z. l.. {.
Cass. The cOlOred man who succeeded
in escaping from tie mob with only a
slight wound, is at Jackson, and will
appear as witness. Suspicious, which
we do not feel at liberty to mention,
fearing that the ends Of justice might
thus be defeated, are rife in tbe neigh
borhoOd where the murder was COM
milted. It can hardly be possible that
the person guilty of this atr0eious crime
viii escape detection and punishment.