Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-10-21

answered by giving a name ia
miliar to Sharp = in another
part OF the state, where the lat
! ter formerly lived = but chang
ing the second initial Of this
PERSONS name, saying "Johh A.
Covingtdn," and requested to
see him on important business.
Il knowJohn w. Covington,"
said Sharp, deliberately open
ing the MISUNDERSTANDING III
to the open air and darkness.
Beauthamp at once lifted a
mask, which he wore, saying:
Don't You know me, Colo
nel?" a
My God! its b" exclaim-
ed Sharp, but-did not succeed
in pronomcing his enemy's
name before the latter struck
him with his left hand and
STABBED HIM TO THE HEART
with his right. Col. Sharp was
found dead on the door step. -
Beauchamp returned to his lodg-
ing and left town early the next
morning, without being sus-
pected, I believe. It is related
that when approaching home he
conveyed to his wife the intelli-
gence of the deed accomplish
ed by waving his handkerchief
aloft in the distance.
The death of Col. Sharp pro-
duced a profound sensation in
Frankfort and throughout the
state. The legislature offered
,, $4,000 for the detection and APP
prehension OF the murderer. =
There was a disposition to make
political capital ont Of the af-
fair, too, | am told, and to make
believe the assassination to have
been in the interest Of the anti
relief party. One Of the Frank
fort editors OF, the time was
darkly charged with accessory
knowledge = and some were
not indisposed, [ believe, to have
him arrested. 1t was through
this editor | have bean told |
think the name was Darby -
that Beauchamp was finally
pointed ont and arrested; ;Sharp's
| family, it is said, showed an in
disposition to touch him, thus
making hopeIessIy public the
cause of the act. But Beau
champ was finally brought toI
trial. and
SENTENCED TO BE HUNG.
During the interval between
the sentence and its execution,
great efforts were made in his
behalf, delegations Of ladies
dressed in mourning even going
to the governor, and son Of |
the governor, Isaac b. .Desha, |
was imprisoned at the time, con-
victed Of highway robbery near
Maysville. 1t was urged that
the governor might do a gracious
thing, tightening the selfish act
Of clemency by pardoning Beau
champ and his son together. =
But he was inflexible. Political
revenge. perhaps, it is said, had
to be gratified.
The day Of execution came.
\ short time before the hour
designated, request was made
by Beauchamp that his wife
might be permitted to remain
with him a short time i'll his cell
Git seemed that they were ten
derby attached to each other),
for the purpose Of their last
leave-taking, and this privilege
was granted. After Il while, as
the time fixed for the execution
was at hand, the officers entered /
the prison cell and found the
wife dying with the wound of a
penknife in her breast, and the
husband himself also fatally
stabbed. They had determined
TO ELUDE THE LAW,
and die together. But as the
time for the execution had come,
Beauchamp was taken in his
dying condition out upon the
scaffold and hung. The bodies
of the husband and wife were
removed to their home and bu-
ried together. Subsequently |
this tragic romance of real life
was made the basis of nov
ell which was widely bought
up, it is said, by Sharp's friends. !
Later, about eighteen years ago, !
a drama was written by John
Savage, the Irish poet, founded
on the Beauchamp history, and
was on the point of being pro-
duced at Louisville.
81 was at the Louisville thea
trc that night, | remember" al
lady in Kentucky told me; "it
was in 1853, The theatre was