The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-08-12
A FORGOTTEN TRAGEDY.
An Event In the History of Kentucky Dur
ing the Bloody Days.

cemetery ut Frankfort, q correspondent
of the Cincinnati Commercial found n
dark gray monument bearing the name
of Solomon z. Sharp. The inscription
states that he "was assassinated whilo
extending the hand of hospitality, on
the morning of November Z, 1926, in
the thirty eighth year of his age" with
the text added: "What thou kncwest
not now, thou shalt know hereafter"
Col Sharp was in his day one of the
foremost men of Kentucky. During the
administration of james Madison he had
served two terms in Congress, at which
time he was the roommate and intimate
friond of John @. Calhoun, who is said
to have declared that Sharp was "the
Oldest man of his age that had ever
crossed tho mountains" He had pre-
viously been several times elected to the
Kentucky Legislature, and under Gov.
Adair, was encouragement of the State.
AT the time of his death he had settled
i'll Frankfort as very successful lawyer,
but had recently been again elected to
the Legislature as the champion of the
"relicf party" Tho "relicf" and "anti-
relief controversy, of which L shall not
attempt to sketch history, had been
for some time agitating the State, and
the fact that Col. Sharp was regarded as
Il chief CXpOnont.o OF the relief movement,
and that the session of the Legislature
was to begin on the day following his
assassination, lent peculiar emphasis
to the excitement that followed. The
story of his death, with its cause and
consequences, / have learned from sew
cral contemporary personal sources
But first let me say, fronting the capitol
square in Frankfort, on its northern
side, and only few steps eastward from
the Frankfort and Louisville railway, is
n large brick mansion three stories in
height, extending far back, with ample
accommodations for the slave help of
" the good old times" This house is
perhaps nearly sixty years old, and was
the house Of Col. Solomon p. Sharp i'll
1925.
A few years previous Sharp met q
young lady named Ann Eliza. Cook, and
he had seduced her. She was young
lady of good family, of fair cultivation,
with some literary talent. He met her
at party, l believe, and it was under
the excitement of the dancing and the
wine, perhaps, that Miss Cook yielded
herself to him. After her disgrace be.
came known she had secluded herself at
home, but it seems that young lawyer,
named Jereboam O. Beauchamp, also of
respectable family, happened to see her
and, falling in love with her, succeeded
i'll obtaining her promise to become his
wife on condition cxacted by her that he
should kill Col. Sharp. This promise
was made-thc marriage took place.
Some timc-a year or two, perhaps
,,ogc,,l o,,1 "a;
Perhaps the trouble would have passed
and been forgotten, had not the seduc-
tion been mentioned as against Sharp S
character during the warm political cam
paign in which he was elected to the
Legislature. On this charge being
brought against him Col. Sharp treated
it slightly, and stated i'll public, it is
said, that certificate was in evidence
that this child born of Miss Cook had a
black face. This added insult to the
original injury, and the secret writing of
Beauchamp's promise came out distinct
ly at its breath. Tho Sunday evening
before tho general assembly met, Beau
champ (who lived in another part of the
s5tatc) entered Frankfort, and, finding
the hotels full, put up at the private
house of gentleman named Scott, two
or three squares south of Sharp's resi-.
dcncc. Late ut night he went around to
the house III which Sharp rcsided-thc
large old brick ono which / have men
tioncd-aud, going to a side door
talthorgh others say it was to the front
door, he knocked. Sharp was awaken
ed, and asked who was there. Beau
champ answered by giving the name OF
one familiar to Sharp-in another part
of the State, whcro the latter bad form
erly livcd-but changing the second ini.
tial of this PERSONS thanksgiving
"Johu y. Covington," and requesting
to see him at once on important bust
ness.
81 know John w. Covington," said
Sharp, deliberately opening the dool
and advancing into the open air and
darkness. .
Beauchamp at once lifted mask
which he wore, saying: "Don't you
know me, colonel ?"
"Nly God! its b" exclaimed
Sharp, but did not succeed in pronounc
ing his onemy's name before the latter
struck him upon his mouth with his left
hand aud stabbed him to the heart witt
his right.
Col. Sharp was found dead on his
doorstep. Beauchamp returned to his
lodging and left town early in the morn
ing, without being suspected, believe
1t is related that on approaching his
home he conveyed to his wife the in
tolligenco of the deed accomplished by
waving his handkerchief aloft in the dis
tance.
The death of Col. Sharp produced +
profound sensation in Frankfort ant
throughout the State. The Legislature
offered 900 for the detection and ap
prehension of the murderer. There was
disposition to make political capita
out of the affair, too, am told, and tC
mako believe the assassination to have
been i'll the interests of the anti-reliet
party. One of the Frankfort editors OF
the time was darkly charged with acces
sorry knowledge-ands some were not in
disposed, / believe, to have him arrest
ed. 1t was through this editor, L have
been told-and L think his name was
Darby-that Beauchamp was finally
pointed out and arrested, Sharp's fami
ly, it is said, showing an indispositior
to touch him, and thus make hopelessly
public the cause of his act. But Beau
champ was finally brought to trial anG
sentenced to be hung. During the i'll
terval between the sentence and its exc
cutiOn great efforts were made in his be
half, delegations of ladies dressed il
mourning even going to the governor OF
Kentucky, and son of the governor
Isaac Il. Desha, was imprisoned ut the
Of III