The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-07-11
Famous Tragedy.

Many years since there occurred
in Kentucky famous assassination,
which at the time created the wild.
est CONSERVATION and horror in that
State. This was the killing of COL
one! Sharp, a then distinguished
lawyer and politician, by Jerry Beau
champ. And it afforded material to
W. Gilmore Simms for the writing of
his famous novel "Beauchamp,"-
Many years since we heard the true
story of it from the lips of the late
John H. Ransdell. of this Parish,
then Editor of the Red River Wing,
published here, who was Deputy
Clerk of the Court before whom
Beauchamp was tried, and in person
took down the testimony. The pre-
sent Lieutenant Governor of Mis-.
souri,, in an address before the Law
School of that State, gave the follow
ing version, which in the main, is
tolerably correct:
In the year 1925 Col. Sharp OF Ken
lucky was assasinated by Col. Beau
champ. Sharp was a politician who
had gained eminence and he was dow
cred with such brilliant intellectual
capacities that he gave promise of still
higher distinction. He was at the
time of his death presiding officer in
one branch of the Kentucky legislature.
Some time previous, as is charged, he
had played the libertine and effected
the ruin of Miss Cook, young lady of
ardent temperament, of many accom-
plishments and of considerable "beau-
IT," To this great wrong he added
the circulation of number of base
ISLANDERS concerning. During the Pc
eiod of Miss Cooks deepest detection
and despair Beauchamp met her. Her
beauty, her grace, her talent and the
story of her wrongs aroused in him the
fierce fires of love, and he became her
devoted admirer and sutton. He
seems to have been man of strong
impulses, of brave and daring spirit,
of sympathetic nature and withal in
telligent; just such character in whom
the passion Of love when once aroused
would assume complete and tyranni-
cal power. He proposed to Miss Cook
that she should become his wife, and
, she accepted on condition that she was
made worthy of him BY the death OF
her calumniatOr. She Lad determined
, to avepge her wrongs by bringing
dealt. to Sharp some way. He must
die before she became the wife OF
Beauchamp. Whether she realized
: the awful danger of communicating
such an idea is not known. She had
brothers whom she may have thought
: wonld be the means for the accom-
! plishmeDt of her dread purpose. NJ
sooner had she expressed her desire
than Beauchamp determined to be-
come the instrumental her vengeance
He met Col. Sharp at Frankfort, ant
, took him to secluded spot on thu
river bank, it being twilight. He ther
challenged Sharp, but the latter re-
J., piled that he could not fight on &C
count ofsMiss Cook. Beauchamp drew
his dirk but the other SAID he had n.
:. weapon but a pen, knife. The avenge
G drew ont another dirk and asked
k Sharp to choose one. But Shar]
would not fight, he saying that he hat
e not the heart to iDjure a friend of Mis-
- Cook. Beanchamp slapped him in tn
,, face aud said: "Get up, you coward
and go till meet you in the morning
}. when I will horsewhip You iu the stree
:. and repeat it daily till you fight me
duel" Col. Sharp fled, was pursued
g but not found for several months
p When Beauchamp discovered his hid
n ing place he went to his house maske
=, under the name of John A. Coyingtor
W and assassinated the seducer of Mis-
Cook. Beauchamp and the young lad
8 were married, but he was indicted an
Of sentenced to be hanged. Determine
a, to die together, they both took poison
but the poison failed in its desired Ell
,e feet aud she proposed that they shoul
ar both stab each other. After vainl
~ endeavoriDg to persuade her to wa
, the will Of heaven, he consented. HI
wound was fatal, hls not. When !
'e saw her breathe her last he announce
OF his readiness for execution. In th
G. tragedy is strangely commingled Il
81 noblest and the worst passions Of o,
Y. nature. Here is a fervent love boz
in regions of endearing sympath
20 finding it's EXTREMIST expression in
IA copartnership with revenge and joi
-, contract with murder.
ne Another account of this tragedy
n. furnished by the correspondent
CT the Louisville Courier-Journal fro
Bloomfield, where the tragedy Q
y Cured, and where Beauchamp al
M his wife lie buried:
ce Bloomfield is as pretty as ever:
Ia There is nothing of interest transpi
v, ing now, and all that the visitor is q
al rected to look upon is the ''Beauchan
lie grave" This is situated in cemete
:, near the city. A fine old gentlem'
W. who has lived in Bloomfield for half
hundred years, called my attention
a.s the grave. He also refreshed q
&c. memory with some facts about t
to groat "Beauchamp-Sharp tragedy"
E. "Beauchamp," said he, twas in 10
with very smart woman, an authC
ys' ess. Something had happened to Il
In. before their union. Beauchamp knt
it, but didn't mind marrying her.
4. fact she married him with the unde
W standing that he would kill Color
fte Sharp, and Colonel Sharp denied t
child, and some folks claimed it "
ost not white. Mrs. Beauchamp point
70