Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-21
A NASHVILLE LEGEND.
Thrilling Story Of Ned Buntllne's Early
Life.
to tho Cincinnati Commercial

bSOOhuS quite 4douAoldb4c HOW iOI
newspapers to unearth and bring be-
fore the public in all the ghastly ashi-
ness of their grave-clothes old crimes
that have lain buried so long that they
are almost forgotten Of mankind. This
is a history that has to do with one of
the best known popular authors ofthe
day, and the tragedy, in which he was
) one of the principal actors, has not
been written of for twenty-three years.
During this long period L. u. c. Jud-
son C'Ned Buntline'6 has been work
ing away on fortunes tread-mill until
he has attained reputation in his par
ticular line which towers far above
the great number of fash and tinsel
authors who are his associates in
the manufacturing of blood and thun-
der stuff for the morbid appetites of a
great many of American readers. Jud-
son might easily find enough in the
history of his own checkered career to
make up a book which would prove
his masterpiece. That he is a man of
iron nerve, and possesses a terrible
amount of determination, all admit
who know him. That he was, in the
year 1915 at least, possessed of the
qualities that are indispensable lin the
building up of one of his almost un-
heard OF characters, the following trag-
ic leaf Of his life will, | think, fully
illustrate. The fact | have from reli-
able parties, and every citizen OfNash-
vile who had arrived at years of
knowledge when the event took place
will remember the circumstance.
In 1915, then, Nh. Judson, an impe-
cunious young author, unknown to the
world and fame, lived in Nashville,
and picked up a precarious livelihood
by Bohemianizing. Like many an
other young man possessed of genius
and a handsome presence, he was
poor, and on hat account was looked
down upon by an old man who pos
sessed a superfuOus amount of this
worlds goods and a lovely daughter.
JudsOn loved the daughter of such a
man, and his love was Teciprocated in
the passionate, devoted way that
Southern girls always do such things.
An influence such as it is very hard
for an ordinary girl to resist was
brought to bear upon the young lady
who Worshiped the gifted young writer
and one day she was married to a man
named Henry Porterfeld, whom she
declared she could not and would not
love. Young JudsOn did not die on
the contrary ne saw more of his dull
einea than before the marriage took
place. This is what rumor said.
Mr.. Porterfeld was a wealthy. mid
dle-aged merchant of Nashville, of
good family and a proud, unrelenting
man. Rumor at least reached him,
and made him listen to what she had
to say. But even then, and for a
long time after, when n~umberless re-
ports Of his wife's carryings-on with
JudsOn reached his ears he would not
heed them, trusting implicitly in his
better half integrity and her respect
for his honor. One day in April.
1915, his closest friend came to him
and told him snch a story of Mrs. Por-
terheld's intimacy with the Bohemian
that he was compelled to believe, and
In a towering rage he accused his wife.
who at first denied, but afterward.
when his rage became terrible. she adj
mitted her guilt and told the man
whom she had sworn to love, honor
and obey, that she had BETRAYED him
and tramped upon his honor. Porter
field, more like a lunatic than a sane
man, armed himself and started out to
search the town for the man who had
broken up his home. Some Of Jud-
sons friends had in the meantime told
him what had happened, and advised
him to be on his guard.
Like a wild man. Porterfeld rayed
through the quiet streets Of the town.
People stood in shop doors and looked
from windows upon him, but none
dared TO approach or interfere with
him. All the morning he kept on the
streets, peering into stores, hotels,
~bar-roOms, and every public place, but
no sight of Judson relieved his awful
search. After the dinner hour the
people who kept the shops put up
their shutters and barred their doors.
and pale-faeed mothers frightened
their children into not going Into the
streets by telling them that a terrible
man vas there whom everybody fear
ed. II wa a strange thing that. with
all his madness and the terrible
thoughts that surged in his breast. and
occupied his brain, the injured hus-
band never dreampt Of doing any per-
sonal violence TO the woman that had
brought his trouble upon him. After
she had admitted her guilt, she seemed
to lose all the fear and shame that had
before characterized her actions. and
rising up in the beauty and grandeur
Of a woman's wrath, she had hurled al
the head Of her husband the fact that
she never loved him, and that she
would die for the mar whom he threat
ened to kill. So it happened that, in
addition to the warning that Judson
received from his male friends, there
came one from a tall, dark, beautiful.
woman, who sought him in the place
she knew she would find him, anl
mingling her tears with her words, she
told her lover Of all that had taker
: place, and urged him to fly with hel
at once.
The day had worn away, and o few
lights shone here and there through
! Nashyille's deserted streets. Their,
was a great superstitious feeling upol
d, all men. IL wa known that JudsoI
bad not left the town, and as Porter
field, who had not partaken Of food o.
rest, was still as wild and determines
TO kill his foe as ever, everybody fearet
Z that before the morning sun agail
came 10 Tighten up the world, a grea
tragedy would have been enacted
Judson, who was preparing to leay