The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-09-11

lain, you shall die"
He raised his dagger Sharpe
ran. Beauchamp seized him by the
collar. Sharpe fell upon his knees
and begged for his life.
''Take my property; and whole
estate is at your command, but, oh.
let me live" he cried.
Beauchamp released his hold,
slapped Shapes face. and kicked
him as he arose. sect up. you cow
ard, I'll publicly horsewhip you to-
morrow in the street, you internal
coward" he said.
Beauchamp meant to be as good as
his word He procured a horse
whip, and presuming that Sharpe,
surrounded by his friends. would
make a show OF resistance, provided
himself with pistols. with which to
finish him. Sharpe felt that:
He who fights and runs away,
So before break of day he was on
his horse en- route for Bowling Green.
Bauchamp returned to his home.
Miss Cooke now resolved to take
vengeance in her own hands. Daily
she practised with pistols. till her
aim became deadly. She tried to
lure Sharpe to her house. He avoid
ed her. Beauchamp RETAINED from
any further attempt on Sharpe's life
to give Miss Cooke the opportunity
she wished for. 1t never came, and
desire to kill him herself gave to
Sharpe many a day of life. In
June. 1924. Beauchalnp and Miss
Cooke were married. And then he
claimed he had the right to assassi-
nate his wife's seducer. Sharpe was
now candidate for the Legislature,
but his treatmen tof Miss Cooke add
ed to his unpopularity, so he an
nounced that Miss Cookies child
was the offspring of a negro. He
even produced forged certificate
to substanLiate this unheard of viii
lainy.
Beauchamp heard the tale, and
resolved that Shapes hour had
now come. tie repaired to Frank
fort, and unable to obtain lodgings
at the hotels, passed the night with
Scott, the keeper of the Peniten-
tiary. He retired early, and pre-
pared for his murderous deed. In
stead of shoes he put on yarn stock
ings. He concealed his face i'll red
baudanna handkerchief. He secre-
ted a long knife in his bosom.
Stealthily he crawled unobserved
out of his lodgings. and repaired
noiselessly to Sharpe's residence.
Drawing his dagger, be knocked
three times.
who's there?" cried Sharpe.
"Covington," replied Beauchamp
(Covington was an intimate friend
Of Sharpe's).
The door opened, Sharpe appear
ed, and Beauchamp seized him by
the throat. He tried to escape.
Mrs. Sharpe appeared at a rear
door.
Beauchamp tore off his mask and
thrust his face close to his doomed
victim. 'And do you now know
me?" he scoflingly sneered.
Sharpe drew back and cried,
Great God. it is he."
They were his last words.
Beauchamp plunged his dagger
deep into his heart. The blood
spurted upon the walls and dabbled
the floor. die" was all Bauohamp
said. And he died.
The hue and cry was soon raised.
The assassin was followed by an ca
ger crowd of pursuers. Captured, |
arrested, he was brought back and /
tried. He was convicted; he was
sentenced to be executed. His wife
remained with him to the last. She
made 10 attempt at concealing the |
fact that she instigated and urged on
the assassination. She gloried in il, I,
and secuted at the threats of indict-
ing her as accessory before the fact.
The night before the execution she
procured an ounce vial of laudanum
and persuaded her husband to cheat
the gallows if be could. The lauda-
mum was divided. She swallowed
one-half. He took his portion. Then
they knelt and prayed. They sang
for joy they shouted that their sins
had been forgiven. and in a delirium
of ecstasy reused the other inmates
of the prison. The poison did not
work. She swore that she would
starve herself to death. die with her
husband, and be buried in the same
coffin.
June 5. 1926, was a great day in
The city was thro1ged
10 see the last ofJ. O. Beauchamp.
Fhe black and ominous gibbet was
erected on hilltop near by. The
drums beat mournful dirges from an
carly hour. At IL o'clock Mrs.
Beauchamp told the jailer to leave
her for n few minutes with har hns.