Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-03-09

victim FORMER citizen OF vii
btamsOn County.
Nashville American. March IL
On Sunday morning, at halfpsst
O'Clock, a dispatch was. received here
stating that Mr W. D. Hardeman, for
merly of Williamson county and for some
time commission merchant in New
Orleans. had been shot. the night previ.
Gus, and mortslly wounded by J. s.
llPrestIdge, one Of bis partners. No par.
ticulsrs we're given. His wife, who had
been, at the Maxwell House for sev.
eral months, was apprised of the cad
occurrence, and left for New Orleans on
ihe morning train, accompanied by her
step.son She stated that ior a month OF
so Nc. Hardeman had not been salts fed
with his partners management OF the
business, but said that the relations Of
the two had always been Of the friendli
est nature. oa I a-a1 ssttN
A dispatch was received late Sunday
afternoon announcing that Mr.. Harde-
man had died az thalfpasttwelve o'clock,
and great anxiety wssamanifested by his
numerous friends here to learn the cir
cumstances of the tragedy. In the New
Orleans Picayune OF Sunday, which
came TO hand by last nights mail, we
ind the following rather unsatisfactory
account: i.e. t,,rrJ -.4
adS At quarter past seven o clock last
evening, q pistol shot was heard 10 the
vicinity Of thecoFner Of garondelet and
Rerdldo streets, appearing to come from
the Office of Messrs. Prestidge, Graham
&-Co., situated at that corner. s'c-
"Ctficer Wilson, OF the First precinct,
ran to the spot, and looking into the
door of the office in question, saw a man
lying upon the floor and another ia the
act Of leaving the Office through the en-
trance doer on Perdido street. The
officer went around and arrested the
party about to leave, who proved to be
Mr. ]. s, Prestidge, the senior partner
Of the firm. Mr.. Prestidge was taken to
the Central Station, where II was ascer-
tanned that he had received dangerous
entupon bis face. r ati
The gentleman lying upon the floor,
as stated, proved to be Mr.. W. D. Har-
deman, junior partner Of the firm. He
was found to be suffering from pistol
shot wound in the left side of the abdp.
men,. DR.. Brickell who was called in,
refused to give an opinion as to his con.
dition. q ia92 2aalJ a-a ed
gMr. Prestidge's wounds we're dressed
by Dr., Schuppert, aud he was subse-
qhenuy removed to the Charity Hos
pital, Mr.. Hardeman was taken to his
residence No 26f Josephine street.
'Mr. G. L, Black. also partner Of
the firm, who is said to have been pres
ent during the difficulty. declined to
make any, statement relative to the
affair. The principals also we're silent
CONCERNING the rencontre or the causes
which led to it. Outside parties, how.
ever stated that during the day it was
understood that Mr. Prestidge and Mr..
Hardemsn had disagreed concerning
some business matter Of the firm, the
nature Of which did not transpire. At
I O'Clock, having separated previously,
they met, again at the Office, when the
dispute was renewed. Mr.. Hardeman
asked Mr.. Prestidge whether it should
be war or peace between them, aud de.
sired to know also how the matter was
to end. Mr.. Prestidgs replied be did
not care A. how it ended Upon
this Mr.. Hardeman seized tumbler and
struck Mr.. Prestidge on the head. a
scuffle at once followed, during which
Mr.. P received a second blow on the
head with the piece Of tumbler which
had been broken by the fret blow Mr..
PreGt:dge then stepped back, and draw
ing his revolver fired two shots, one OF
which took effect in the abdomen Of his
antagonist, who fell to the floor. lie 4
How far these statements can be re-
lied upon we are unable to say, except
tbat they we're current among the crowd
who gathered about the Office soon after
the shooting vas dcRe.pi ai
Mr. Hardeman was born in William
son county in 1884. Thomas Harde-
maH, who was for a long time County
Court Clerk of that county, was his
'~thsF. The deceased was educated at
he military school at Drelnon Springs,
Kentncky epgSgedin planting in Ao6is-
ana served - Che staff Of q 4opisisla
3eneral during the war, end since that
ime had been engag>d ip the commits
hon business at New Orleans. he mar
led the widow of Colonel, Henry E~ipg,
who fell at the battle OF Murfreesboro.
her maiden name was Annie May, and
she is niece of John 0VsFton, and also
1f Mrs. John NJ. Lea.
Mr. Samuel Graham, Of Hickman
was third, or silent, partner,
having $4,000 invested, and Mr.. Harde-
nan looked after his interest.
II is believed that the principal cause
Of the difficulty was Ehat Mr.. Hsrde,
man considered to be extravaganza on
he part Of Prestidge, damaging to the
business Of the house. He is said to
nave frequently demonstrated with Pres.
.idge on this score. The latter, we be-
ieve, was originally from Kentucky.
MrSWilliam May, her brother, accom-
panied Mrs. Hardemsn aud her step son,
Thomas Hardeman, to New Orleans,
HHH4 Tf.l..