Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-01-29
A DEAD SHOT.
The Fatal QUarrcIBetweeM RIVAL
Lovers-Tracking the Murderer
-The Tell-Tale Letter that Led
to the Arrest.

10 thC attest,
James Duckworth, member the st.
Louis detective force, arrived in this city
yesterday from Oregon, having in charge
John w. Purdon, fugitive from Justice.
who was accused of numbering Benjamin
Scott, near the town of Ripley, Butler
county, No., about six months ago.
During the war Purdon was a strong
SOuthemer and was noted among his fell
low>graybacks as wonderfully good shot.
lie fought through the war unharmed,
and at its close settled at Ripley. He
was proud of the reputation he enjoyed Of
being the best shot in the part Of the coun-
try. and practlced constantly with rife
and pistol to improve his craftsmanship.
He became wonderfully expert. and had
a corresponding pride in his accomplish.
ment.
In the course of time Purdon became
enamored of the daughter of neighbor.
Benjamin Scott, his victim, was also desp>
~ in love with the young lady. The lat-
ter appeared to favor both sutors in turn
and neither long, and by her course drove
both the young men to the verge of dis
traction. A fierce rivalry sprang up be-
tween them, giving rise to deep jealousy
and intense hatred. Purdon, who was of
a Jealous nature, kept sedulOus watch
upon Scott, and, moreover, attributed to
him rumorS thot were current, rejecting
upon the fai, fame Of tbe, 9BiqSt Of thaU
claled that Purdou used underhand
means to supplant him by traducing his
character and doing all he could to black
en- It in the eyes of the young lady.
Time only famed the flames of hate
and jealousy that burned in each lovers
heart, and the feelings Of the young men
toward eOch other became matter of com
mon uotoriety in the section in which they
resided. On the 9th oflast July, Purdon
was riding, accompanied by friend, when
they met young Scott, also on horseback.
The rivals drew rein and eyed each other
for some seconds without speaking, when
Purdon said: ... .a '''
You're the cowardly villain who SANDERS
an innocent girl. Since you can not get
her yourself you would try and keep her
from Others"
"You lie," answered Scott "but that is
nothing uncommon, for since you habitu>
ally lie about me, l suppose you have for'
gotten how to speak the truth"
For some time the two continued thoir
acrimonious discussion, stirring each 9TH
er up to madness by the bitterness of
their taunts. 7H
Purdon's horse, spirited animal, be-
came rostive and SHE'D away at threats
ening gesture made by Scott, when the
latter snceringly said; "You take good
care to keep out of arms reach"
Stung to the quick, Purdon drew a
pistol, and with an aim as unerring az it
was rapid, shot his rival through the
heart. Scott was killed instantly, and
fell forward on his horses neck, dead
GOOD God, Jackr' said Purdon's cons
panion, "what have you done?" A
laborer who had witnessed the whole
transaction from field close by, ran up
and caught the murdered mans horse.
Purdon sat in his saddle, cycling the other
too, without saying word, and keeping
his pistol in his hand. After some min,
utes he wheeled bis horse and moved slow
ly off, but keeping his head turned so as
not to lose sight of the others until out Of
shot, when he clappcd in the spms and
galloped off at top speed. ''-
| He rode to his mothers house in Saline,
Ill.,, and, taking the cars started west
ward. The local police, themselves un-
able to accomplish his arrest, turned the
case over to the st. Louis detectives
They soon ascertained that he had gone to
the Pacific coast, and although he fire.
quentlY wrote to bis mother and others at
home, he changed his residence so often
and removed to places SO widely apart
that they were unable to apprehend him
He finally settled in Yamhill county
Oregon, assuming the name of Hopkins
0 Here he would probably have lived with
out detection, had he net, with degree
2 of ealelessness engendered by bis long