The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-02-22

| LlOSU outrageous pOlI1Cttl CllL1Cl III lhC
chequered annals of time.
TENNESSEE.
A ROMANTIC MURDER
L ATLANTA, GA, Feb. Is, 1873.
A great excitement prevails in Pick
ems county, situated III the upper part
of this State, over the capture and re-
| turn to Jail of a murdereSS who, for
| nearly a year, backed by a strong and
desperate escort, has detied or eluded
the law.
| JEALOUSY.
The story of the crime committed by
the woman is a unique and terrible
| one. Several months ago a young
man, named Bob Southern, who was
handsome, reckless fellow, became
enamored of Kate Hambrick, the pret
| ty daughter of a well-to-do citizen of
the same county. Kate was popular
girl, strong-willed and impetuOus, but
| generally liked. The parties were re-
| spectacle and very well thought of.
| The suit of Southern was successful,
and, in due course of time, he welded
| the woman he had woocd. The mar
ried life of the young couple seems to
have been happy enough for some
length of time, when Mrs. Southern
! began to show signs of jealousy and
distrust of her husband. She was ir-
ritabIe beyond expression when. she
found him in the company of another
| woman, and several "scenes'' are re-
ported to have taken place. There
was no outbreak, however, and no one
suspected the extent to which the dew
| ilish spirit ofjealousy had taken pos
session of the wife. Her suspicious ap-
pear whether justly or not, but it is
| believed unjustly especially directed
toward a Miss Narcissa COnOrt, to
whom her husband had been paying
some attention,
UNwONIANLY REVENGE.
During the Christmas season of last
year a large country ball was given in
the county, at which Southern and his
wife and Miss COnort were all present.
1t appears that Mrs. Southern was
feeling particularly desperate about
the suspected 'affair" between her
husband and Miss Conort, and she
warned him that she must not dance
with her or pay her any attention at
all during the ball. 1t is said that she
also notified Miss ConOrt that she
must not accept OF encourage such at
tentions if they were offered. Her
warnings were disregerded, however,
and as the evening progressed South
ern led Miss Narcissa to the middle of
the floor for q dance. Reports conflict
here somewhat. 1t is said that the
wife again warned the couple that
they must desist from dancing, This
is also denied. In any event they per- !
sisted and remained in each others
company during the dance. Kate
Southern then seems to have deter
mined upon a desnerate revenge. she
went outside of the house and looked
for her father. When she had found
him she borrowed his pocketknife.
saying she wanted it for son4a lrltiing
purpose. AS soon as she received it
She opened it, and, concealing it in her
dress, re-entered the ballroom. With
out any warning at all she rushed up
Oh her supposed rival, Htteriag snnie
hGarse, halt=artioulate sounds, and
plunged the knife into her breast and
throat. OF course CONSERVATION seized
the guests, and, before they could in
| terfere, Miss Conort was fatally wOun-
ded. She was fearfully hacked, Kate
| Southern having used the large blade
of the knife, She clung to her victim
like tigress, and seemed crazed with
fury. Miss COnort died very soon.
The scene in the ballroom is described
as horrible.
ESCAPING.
The first stab would have been fa-
tai, but Kate clung to her and stabbed
her again and again. At one cut she
slashed through her belt and inflicted
a terrible wound in her stomach. a
young man named Honey rushed to
the door, and closing it quickly, put
| his back against it, and swOre that no
man should leave theroom. The men
as a general thing gathered about him
to sustain him. Bob Southern drew
pistol, and taking his wife, by the
arm, said, Gentlemen, I'm going to
leave this house and my wife is going
I to shoot through ~ With this he
| started for the door, and showing
through it was soon lost i'll the dark
| ness.
A BODYGUARD MUSTERED.
However lightly Bob Southern had
| treated his wife's requests or COM
mands before her crime, he attached
| himself to her with desperate devotion
| after it was committed. He at once
began to arrange to get her out of the
| clutches of the law. In this purpose
| he was assisted by his father, William
| Southern, and his brothers, James
and Miles. The family of the wife
| seem to have taken no part in the
matter. The old man Southern and
| his SONS, however, left their farms in
Gilmer county and came over to
PiGl1ens and put their lives and for
tunes to the disposal Of the husband
and wife. They We're all desperate
| 4 .I.,gl
Kate In their company, when they
fled from the county. They Travelled
in such force.that they were able to pre-
vent any searching inquiry into their
affairs by the people of the rural dis
tricts through which they passed.
| They succeeded, therefore, in dropping
out of sight, and nothing was heard of
them until short time ago,
PURSUIT.
1t then came to the knowledge of
Mr.. w. w. Findley, of Fannin coun-
ty, a gentleman of great energy and
nerve, that IA party or people answer
ing the description of the fugitives
from Picksns had settled upon farm
near Franklin, n. c. He at once de-
termined to go in quest of them. He
secured four assistants and startad.
q. lnSN ltdClSu 1ldy SNulSg ~ u, anu
there received information that con-
WINGED them they were on the right
track. Getting positive Inflammation
as to the locality of the farm on which
the fugitives had settled, they hurried
on, riding down the Western Caroli-
ma tnFupike, hetween the Nantabala
and the Valley River mountains.
They reached the farm at nearly dark,
and found it deserted. They were in
formed upon inquiry that the parties
ocpupying it for Ihe leaF past had
given it up the day before, and had
gone with all their provisions up the
turnpike. 1t was believed that they
were making for Tennessee, their pal
icy being evidently 10 crop only one
year in one locality and gradually
reach the West. 1t was demonstrated
to the perfect satisfactiep Of Findley
by the testlmany of the neighbOrs that
the Southerns had occupied the de-
serted farm. They pushed out there
fore, in hot pursuit, riding day and
night. They Were enabled by occa-
= Il 20, H..