The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-09
/ A SAD ACCIDENT.
Whereby a Man Causes the
Death of Wife and Child.

terdaY morning with Grazing weight up
on William G. Pryde, detectiye in the
city's employ. 1t is no wonder that the
man is almost a mailman, and only kept
from self-destruction by the close watch
ing of his friends, with the CHASTITY pic
ture of that dying bullet-pierced wife
and child staring him in the face, as it
did the affrighted neighbors who rushed
to the spot in the early hours of yester-
morning.
THE STUNNED NAN
could not speak, as many voices asked
the cause of the dreadful scene, and
kind hands raised the heads ofhis dying
wife and child. He stood like horror
archaeological turned to stone. When
at last he almost shrieked out the heart
rendering story, it was found to be ter
rible in it's brevity. He had returned
to his home on Alabama street about
midnight. Two honrs later he was
aroused by what he thought was noise
at his window. Raising up in bed he
attempted to draw his revolver from be-
meath lis pillow. 1t became entangled
in the bed clothes, and given nervous
jerk by Pryde's hand the hammer fell
upon the cartridge and it exploded.
The babe, five months of age, was lying
by its mothers side, both peacefully
sleeping, the bullet sped on its way,
passing through the abdomen of moth
err and child Swinging up Pryde
struck light, and before him saw the
picture from whose horrible spellbound
contemplation the speedy entrance of
neighbOrs alone aroused him.
"Don't cry, poor Will, said his wife
an hour later just before she breathed
her last. 81 know how it was. You
didn't mean to do it, my husband. >"
the baby spirit, too, passed over the riv-
ef.
Between Pryde and his wife there ex-
listed tie, the tenderness of which was
frequently matter of comment among
their friends.
Pryde is an unusually useful detect
i've, man of gentle manners and quiet
gentlemanly bearing. His wife was a
modest little woman whose good intiu
ence acting as check on the detectives
naturally degrading life cannot be cal
culated. The tragedy was the street
talk yesterday, and many were the words
of sympathy spoken OF the unfortunate
man. The verdict of the jury
OF INQUEST
fully exonerates the stricken men, as the
following verdict shows:
State of Tennessee, Shelby county:
An inquisition holden at Memphis, in
the county and State aforesaid, on the
gath day of December, 1877, before Spell
man, Justice of the Peace of said
county, upon the body of Mrs. Pryde,
there lying dead, by the jurors whose
names are hereto subscribed, who upon
their oath do say that the said Mrs.
Matte Pryde came to her death in the
following manner, to-wit: From pistol
shot fired accidentally by VIM. G. Pryde.
In testimony whereof the said jurors
have hereunto set their hands on the
day and date above written.
G. FL. Taylor, Foreman; Louis Gold
smitt, g l.. Saffarrans, +. H. Donnelly,
John Latsch, G. w. Klostermayer,
Richard Kcttlewel:
STATEMENT OF THE JURY
We, the undersigned members of the
Coroner's jury, impanneled to hold an
inquest upon the bodies of Mrs. Matte
Pryde and her infant, do hereby, upon
full investigation, exonerate VIM. g.
Pryde from even a suspicion that the
cause which resulted in their death was
anything but accidental.
c. HI. Taylor, Foreman; Louis Gold
smitt, q. L. Saffarrans, P. III. Donnelly,
John Latsch, G. w. Klostermayer, Rich
ard Kcttlewell.