The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-06-06
4 F1zxDrsH MuRbER-There va.

y FIENDIsH MURDER was
committed on Friday week last, at about
! clock in the evening, enc Of the most
hendish murders that it has ever been
our painful duty TO record. The victim
was the wife OF Mr. Milton Donaldson.
living opposite Island No. 10, Lake county.
Tenn. Jus; after dinner, when tie hands
upon the farm hsd started 10 the fields 70
work, man entered Mr.. Donal5so9' 5
house with q club IN his hand. He y Is
followed into the house by a negro girl
belonging to the premises, with 8 view Of
ascertaining his business, as there waz
no one in the house except Mrs. Donald
son, and she an invalid. and confined TO
her bed. Upon entering the intruder
asked for 8 man named Dublin. lie vas
told By Mrs D. that she knew no such
man. He then turned upon the girl and
knocked her Gown with his club and sup
posed. We may infer, that ne had killed
or at least siienced her for ;ime-sud
then commenced his work Of death on
Mrs. D. with the club In the meantime
the girl recovered from the blow she had
received and ran out into the yard for the
purpose Of giving the aIsrm. The fead
ceased his blows on Mrs. D., and pursue i
the girl into the yard and knocked hex
down the second time. then picked up an
axe returned to the house and commenced
his bloody work OF literally chopping UP
Mrs. Donaldson-who, as We have said
was an invalid and hal been confined to
her bed for months With broken limb
and it wss impossible for her TO make her
/ escape. negro boy 81 the stables dis
covered that something wrong was going
on at the house gave the alarm, and two
men ploughing in field near By imme-
diately came TO the rescue, and attempted
% enter the house, but were me, By she
murderer with a gun, which he had found
IN the house, and prevented them from
de1ng EA1N1.E. - ss------' -
IT was m easy matter, the country being
open for miles around, and every body out
in the fields at work. Very soon 4 sufi-
eient force had assembled aud the hend
arrested. He acknowledged 20 having
perpetrated the bloody deed, though that
was superauous, as he was identified by
the cirl, and besides he was taken almost
in the devilish act He wss taken to the
woods ard jury summoned, and then
and there a trial was had. the girl identi-
flying him as the man who had committed
The murder. The jury was not long in
arriving at a verdict, which was that he
the cu,prit instsnier be hung, which vac
executed without delay. The murdereal
gave his name as Murphy, and said IN
was from Stewart county, Tenn. 1t Is
supposed that Eurphy's object was money
MIR Donaldson being wealthy man
aud reputed TO have considerable money
about his house No attempt at robbery
from all appearances, had been made.
The steamer Chester coming up near
night was boarded By some Of the friends
Of Mr.. Donaldson with instruction. to get
he boat 10 land for all halls along that
mart Of the river, as IL was thought that
Murphy had confedsrates IN the neighbor-
hood. and would attempt 10 escape bg
boat. The officers Of the Chester Willingly
complied with the reques. and made each
landing when hailed bu; no one come on
board upon whom suspicion could rest as
being connected with the murder. Mar
phv denied having any one conneeed
with him
The foregoing statements were given
70 US by Mr. Robert Lewis, nephew Of
the murdered woman, and VINO nad come
= lT;.b,,., Far the purrose Of procuring
a cstsr fer tbs decessed.