Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-09-12


saming that Sharpe, surrounded by his
friends, would makea show Of resistance
provided himself with pistols, with Whioh
70, finish him. Sharpe felt that;
He who fights and runs away, US
May live to fight another day.
So before breaklof day he was on his horse
en- route for Bowling Green. Beaashamp
returned to his homo. Miss Cooke now
resolved to take vengeance in hor own
hands. Daily she, praoticed with pistols,
till her aim became deadly. Sho tried to
lure Sharpe to her house. He avoided hor.
Beauchamp refrained from any further
attempt on Sharpo's life to give Miss Cooke
the opportunity she wished for. 1t never
came, and this desire to kill him herself
gave to Sharpe many day of life. In
June, 1924, Beauohainp and Miss Cooke
were married. And then he claimed he
had the right to assassinate his wife's
seduoor. Sharpe was now candidate for
the Legislature, but his treatment of Miss
Cooke added to his unpopularity, so he an.
nouuood that Miss Cookies child was the
offspring Of negro. He even produced q
forged certificate to substantiato this un-
hoard Of villainy.
I Beauchamp heard the talo, and resolved
that Sharpe's hour had now como. He
repaired to Frankfort, and, unable to obtain
lodgings at tho hotels, passed the night with
Scott, tho keeper of the penitontiary.
He retired early, and prepared for his
murderous deed. Instead of shoes he put
on yarn stockings. He concealed his face
in red bandanna handkerchief. lie So
orcted q long knife in his bosom. Stealthily
he orawled unobserved out of his lodgings,
and repaired noiselessly to Sharpe's resi-
dence. Drawing his dagger he knocked
three times.
"Whos there7" cried Sharpe.
"Covington," replied Beauohamp,
(Covington was an intimate friend Of
Sharpo's.)
The door opened, Sharpe appeared, and
Beauohamp seized him by tho throat. Ho
tried to escape. ar1
Mrs. Sharpe appeared at rear door.
Beauohamp tore of his mask and thrust
his face close to his doomed victim. "And
do you now know me7" ho scofingly
sneered.
Sharpe drew back and cried, "Great
God, it is heP'
These were his last words.
Beauohamp plunged his dagger deep into
his heart. The bloood spurted upon tho
walls and dabbled tho floor. "Die," was
all Boauohamp said And he died.
The hue and cry was soon raised. The
assassin was followed by an eager crowd of
pursucrs. Captured, arrested, he was
was brought back and triod, no was CON
viotod; ho was sentenced to bo executed.
His wife remained with him to the last.
She made no attempt at conoealng tho fact
that she instigated and urged on the assss
sination. She gloriod in it aud secuted at
the threats of indioting her as accessory
before tho faot. Tho night boforo tho
execution she procured an ounce vial Of
laudanum, and persuaded her husband to
cheat tho galows if he could. Tho lauaa-
nun was divided. She swallowed onc-half.
Hc took his portion. Thon they knelt and
prayed. They sang for joy; they shouted
that thcir sins had beon forgiven, and in
delirum Of ecstasy reused the othor inmates
of the prison Tho poison did not work.
She sworo that sho would starve herself to
death, dio with hor husband, and be buried
in tho same coffin.
June s, 1926, was grea. day in Frank
fort. Tho city was throngcd to 500 the
last of j. 0. Bcauohamp. The. black and
ominous gibbet was erected on HILTON
near by. The drums beat mournful direes
from an carly hour. At IL O'Clock Mrs.
Hcauchamp told tho jailer to leave hor for
q few moments with hor husband The
jailer left, but was soou recalled by the deep
groans from their coll. He returned and
found them weltorng in thoir blood. They
had stabbed themselves with a knifo the
vito had concealed. His wound was not
fatal. Ills wifc soon expired. I,chuchau.p
was carried to her bedside as hor lto's blood
was cbbing fast. Mo felt her pulse.
"Farewell, child of sorrow, farewell,
victim of persecution aud misfortune! You
arc now safe from tho tongue of slander.
For you Two lived, for you L did," lie
kissed hor lips; he was ready.
The blood was triokling from his wounds.
He was too weak to sit up, 80 thoy laid
him in covered wagon and hauled him to
tho gallows.
Ho waved his hands to the ladies, whose
weeping eyes oheered him with sympathy
and consolation. They woro compelled to
holp him TO get on his cofiu. Ho was too
weak to sit upon it unsupported.
"Give mo some water. Let the drums
play 'Bonaparte's Retreat from Moscow"
were his last words.
They buricd the self murdered vito and
the executed husband in the same coffin,
folded in each othur's arms, Even in
doath they were not divided. Their grave
is at Bloomfield, KY, marked by modest
shaft. Before her death Mrs. Beauohamp
wrote tho following epitaph, which was
engraved on the tomb stone of tho misguided
pair:
Entnnahod halo.u In On al o4La.,a