Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-11-01
A FEARFUL TRAGEDY,
Particulars Of the Shooting of Three
Methodist Ministers by an Am.
bushed Party.
A Story that Reads More Like Romance
Than ReaIity-MOral Guardians
Taken for Gaugers.

We are indebted to the Western Method
tsf, of this city, for a proof, in advance
OF publication, Of the following full par.
ticulars Of the shooting of three Method.
ist ministers at Fort Douglas, Arkan.
sss, few days since, brief statement
in regard to which was published in the
APPEAL as received by telegraph:
EDITOR WESTERN METHoDIsT-On
our return from conference several of us
were the subj jscts OF very sad incident,
| the particulars of which / give you. II
seems the United States marshaIs had
been very actiTe for some time arresting
parties for real and, in some instances,
perhaps, supposed vioIRtinna of law, nm
til great many citizens had become
considerably excited on the subject.
Some parties had resolved to resist the
authorities, and rumor had it that six
teen marehsls were expected in that vi
ciDity to execute the law. Revs. B, Will
liams, A. 81. Williams, George PIedger
and myself had crossed Boston noun.
tain on the morni of October
25lh, and come down on Hurricane
creek about noon. This, perhaps, was
ST unusual route for preachers
70 travel, and especially a num-
Der together. We were very anxious
to get home, and this was thought
by some to be nearer route. Brothers
A. II. Williams and Pledger, young
men, travelled together, and they were
some distance ahead. They arrived at
Fort Douglas, on Big Piney, about five
o'clock in the afternoon. We had trav-
eled all day without feeding, aud the
young men thought probably we would
like to put up fer the night. Brother
Williams went into q house to make in.
quiry for accommodations, aud Brother
Pledger walked over to 2 shop Just
across the road from the bausa. The
back psTt of the shop, toward the
mountain, was all open. He had been
standing there but few minutes when
be was shot from the mountain. He fol
upon his face and said: II am kilIed!"
The owner Of the shop, Mr.
Wallace, was the only person
present or in the shop. He ran
out by Brother Williams, and told him
not TO go, or try to go, to his friend.
Brother Williams tried to get other par
ties to help him bring Brother Pledger
cut OF the shop, but none would GO. So
Brother Williams mounted his horse to
ride back and hurry myself and his
father, Brother B. Williams, to the scene
of carnage. When we got to the shop
We found Brother Pledger lying on his
face, pale, helpless, bleeding, and we
thought nearly dying. We put him on
a blanket and carried him to the house
Of Mr.. Wallace, and sent eff imme-
diately for physician. After We got
Brother Pledger as comfortably situated
as we could, Brother B. Williams, N.Y.
self, and two or three friends who had
come TO our aid, went out behind large
tree from the shop to consult about
the most judiciOus course to pur-
sue during the night, and while there
talking, the brush men changed their
position, or had others posted across the |
creek, from where Brother Pledger was
Sho:. Brother B. Williams and myself |
were singled out, and he was shot |
through TIE right side just above the |
hip, and was ahot in the right eide,
only breaking the skin, but making q |
very sore place. After hard days ride, |
and much suffering, reached home lGat |
night. Brother A. A. Williams returned |
as did, after his mother and Brother |
Pledger's folks. 1 greatly fear that
Brother Pledger's wound is mortal. The |
doctor could get no physic to have
any effect at sll. He sufsEsd
greatly Though the night Aud was |
no better when we left him yesterday |
morning. Brother b Williams has q |
very bad wound, but the doctor thinks
he will recover il his wound is properly |
We were certainly mistaken |
for United States marshals, and cur
canes and umbrellas, seen from the |
were taken for guns. The
whole neighborhood seemed to be in
deep sympathy with US, and rendered
us every assistance in their power to
make us comfortable, and we left our
dear brethren with the doctor and kind |
people there with the pledge that they
would receive every needed assistance
until their friends could reach |
them. Oh, let US earnestly pray
that God may spare the lives Of
our desr brethren to bless the church and |
to accomplish good. Bother PIedger is |
q noble young msn, deeply pioue, and |
well qualified for the great work TO
which mis- master has called him. Broth
er B. Williams is one among the oldest /
preachers in the Arkansas conference,
o god aud true man. l omitted to |
state in the proper place how Brother
Pledger was shct. The ball went in just |
above his right bip, ranged into his
backbone, and, the doctor thinks, lodged |
in it. he thinks he found it, but is not |
certain. WIN. H. METHENY.
CABIN CREEK, ARK, October q, 1876,