Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-13
A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.
A Young Man Shot by His Sister While
Playing the Part Of a Tramp.

A very distressing accident was had
on Friday night last in the family of
Mr.. Richard Hotham, who lives some
distance back of Wildwood, a station
on the Pennsylvania railroad, near
Latrobe. The family consisted of
father, mother, three grown-up sons
and three daughters. Joseph, aged
twenty-five years, was the youngest
and the only son remaining at home.
On Fridaymorning, at an early hour,
Mr.. HOtham went to the mountains on
a hunting expedition, and toward even
ing Mrs. HOtham was called to the
house of Mrs. Mowry, a married daugh-
ter, who had been suddenly taken i'll.
This was the first time the father and
mother had been absent from home
and children at the same hour for
years. In the evening, Joseph, the
brother. told his sister Mary, the old
est at home, that he was going to a
spelling school, cautioned her to be
ware of tramps, who have committed
numerous depreciation in that section,
and departed. The young lady knew
that there was to be a spelling match
at Hillside, but Joseph attended an
other match held at Wildwood, which
is located on one side of the house
while Hillside lies on the other side.
The young nan took part in the exerg
cises, but fastened home before their
close, telling a friend that he was fear
full for the safety of his sisters, whom
he had left at home alone.
THE SISTERS ALARM-THE FATAL
SHOT.
The dogs kept up a continual bark
ing after Joseph's departure and the
girls became uneasy. About 9 o'clock
the dogs barked more fercely than
ever and Mary went to the door to
learn the cause thereof. She discov-
E cred standing down by the SPRING
house the figure of a disguised man.
She called to the figure lis that you,
a Joe?" but no answer came. The fig
ure remained still for a moment, then
advanced toward the young lady in
the open door and the latter second
time called is that you, Joe2'' There
was still no answer, and as the figure
kept advancing Mary closed the door,
secured a shotgun standing against
the wall, opened the door and a third
! time demanded of the unknown man
his name. The man had by this time
, reached the steps approaching the
porch and the alarmed girl, receiving
no reply to her question, commanded
. the unknown man to stand still, de-
|, claring she would shoot. The man
was still silent, took another step to-
! ward her, and the brave young girl,
: leveling the gun, sent the charge Of
shot into the body of the intruder.
HER BROTHER KILLED-sPREADING
> THE NEWS.
Almost instantaneously she realized
that she had shot her brother and civ.
ing one wild exclamation of grief anC
horror she advanced to the prOstrat,
: form of her loved brother to hear hi
: last words, My dear sister" With
the aid of her sisters Mary dragged
! the form into the house and ther
: rushed frantically to the house Of he
q sisters mOther-in-laW, where she tolC
what had happened, directed tina.
word be sent to her mother and rushed
on to the house of the next neighbor
Different neighbors soon heard of tn
tragedy, but the young mar was deai
before any of them reached the house
The victim was aged TWENTY-FIVE,
years, was the fayorite brother 0
Mary, who shot him, and the especia
1t pride of the family. Mary is a deter
mined young lady, who is admired an,
IA respected by all the neighborhood
lie Her friends fear she will lose her rea
L son from the sad calamity. 1t i
10 thought the brother failed to spea
}y because he wanted to test his sister
at nerve. The funeral Of the victir
took place yesterday.
re A FORTUNE STRANGELY SECURED
is Richard Hotham, the young man
ne father, is the lucky gentleman who, i
ID in 1861 or 1862, picked up a fortune o
of the railroad zeal his home. He wa
walking along the road when his al
be tentiOn was attracted by a folde
lis newspaper, and on picking it up h
We was amazed to discover that it er
tn closed $4,000 in bills Of variot
nv amounts. lie took the valuable pacl
at age directly to an attorney, and sougl
NJ legal advice. Advert saments wei
d. inserted in various papers throughol
NJ the country, in the hope Of discove
o: ing the loser Of the money, and fl
tic over a year diligent search was mae
ic. far and wide; but no one ever al
ny peared to claim it, and Mr.. Hotha
ay eventually appropriated it to his oW
he uses. A short time previous to Il
he finding of the money a large EXPIRE
zee robbery had been perpetrated ne
to Harper's Ferry, and it was the gener
nd belief that, being closely pressed ]
be pursuers, the thieves had thrown Il
re- money from a car window, intendiI
ers to return for it on the first opport
oh nifty Of eluding the detectives, M
nd Hotham At present lives on a fine far
are in Westmoreland county, in an elega
ion home which he built with the mon
ar which came so strangely into his pc
SO. session.
we The faint of Republication Is sproa
lis ing among New York towns. Angl
The lea, Allegheny county, which bond
by itself for $4,000 for the Rochest,
an Nunda and Pennsylvania railroa
lite has at a special town meeting resolv
m raeraf N.nVN.auN M. .-