Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-02-09
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
An Unfortunate FeebIe-MInded Woman
Killed by Mrs. KeafOB.
From the Knoxville CbronieleI

From the Knoxville Chronicle.l
Through the kindness of Deputy Sheriff
Isaac Lindsey, Of Monroe county, we learned
the following particulars of the murder of
woman named Carter in that county. The
young woman had at one time been engaged
TO q young man to be married but he proving
faithleSs, she grieved over her lost love until
she lost her reason to some extent, but was,
however, perfectly harmless in all her &C
uOns. From the evidence elected before the
coronor's jury, Mr.. Lindsey gives us the fol-
on Friday, January oath, the young woman
went 10 the house of William PeeleTS, q neigh
there being sickness in his family, he refused
to take her in. She then proceeded TO the
house of Elijah Keaton, on Peeler's farm, and
while there she and the female portion of the
family had dispute. She left the house and
started back to Peelers S, being followed by
Keatonis wife and daughter, the latter having
knife in her hand. They caught up with the
crazy girl, and more words passed between
them, when keaton's wife stepped up and
slapped her In the face. The girl fell TO the
ground and said, 40, Lord, sister, you have
killed mel You ought not to have done that;
love you all.' She then got up and walked
into Peelers's house, and left there after mid
night, and il is supposed, passed the night in
the woods. On Saturday morning she was
seen by young man, TO whom she said:
"rhem women have cut me all to pieces"
She next appeared at the house or William
Fergerson, near Madis0nville, who at once
applied for physician, but without success,
as they were absent from town. On Sabbath
morning he took her 10 MadisOnVille, TO an
aunt of hers, where she died that evening.
A coroner's jury was summoned, and DIR. JO-
seph Upton made post HIOrGeDl examination
OF the body, when it was discovered that she
came to her death by wound in the stomach
inflicted with a butcher-knife. The jury,
after having heard the evidence, gave a ver-
dict 10 the effect that the woman came to her
death at the hands of the Keaton women, and
pronounced it murder in the first degree.
Keatons wife and daughter were accordingly
arrested and brought before Justice Y. &.
Montgomery, who, on hearing the evidence,
released the girl, but bound the woman over
to court in the sum OF one thousand dollars.
The Justice made the bond light, as il was
q woman, but stated that If II mad been a
man he would not accept any bond at
all But as light as the bond was made,
considering the charge under which she rests,
she failed 10 give security and took quarters
with Silas H. Peace, jailer of Monroe county.
From the evidence ELECTED before the Justice,
II is thought that at the time Mrs. Keaton
slapped the poor crazy girl in the face, she
plunged the outcher-knife into her stomach,
hence the girl 1ell and exclaimed, 80 Lord.
sister, you have killed me-" The young
woman is said TO have been quite harmless,
and her death in such tragic manner has
caused considerable excitement in Monroe
county. DR.. ph Upton, who performed
the post TnOrteHI examination, had slight
wound on one Of his hands, and poison was
thus communicated TO his system. He was
soon taken down, aud for days his life was
despaired of, but our informant says that
when he last heard from him he had slightly
improved, and some little hope Of his recsveGy
a GGad