Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-27
4 BLOODY, BRUTAL MURDER.
The Decisions of the Kentucky Court of
Appeals ReYeDged by Defeated Lit
igant-TeXas 0utdOne-A Judge
Assassinated-ShOt through
the Heart
Without Moments Warning-A Hang
man Wanted at Frankfort-The Law
Must be Sustained at a Ropes
End, or our Civilization will
be Failure.

FRANKFoRT, March 26.-Judge J. NJ.
Elliott, of the court of appeals, was as
sassinated and instantly killed on the street,
in front of the Capitol hotel, at one O'Clock
to-day, by Thomas Buford, of Henry county.
Judge Elliott had rendered an adverse
opinion to a case Butord had in court for
some time. Buford loaded double barreled
shotgun, waited for Elliott to come to
dinner, and walked up and shot him through
the heart without warning. Buford was ar
rested and is now in jail. There is great ex-
element and strong feeling against him.
Butord, after his arrest, acknowledged that
the other barrel of the gun was loaded for
Judge Pryor, and said he would have killed
him also had not some children been in the
way. He Is a brother of General Abe Buford,
of Woodford county.
PARTICULARS OF THE MURDER.
LOUISVILLE, March 26.-The news from
all parts of the State deplores the assassina-
ton at Frankfort. The COuriey-J0uynaps
special tonight tells the story as follows:
FRANKFORT, March %.
AT quarter past one o'clock this after
noon, IN front Of the ladies' entrance of the
Capital hotel, Colonel Thomas Buford, of
Henry county, shot and killed Judge John
NJ. Elliott, of the court of appeals The
weapon used was a double barrel shotgun,
loaded with twelve buckshot in each barrel
Judge Elliott, in company with Judge Thos
ID. Hines, was coming up Ann street; when
they we're met at the steps of the hotel by
Butord, who appeared equipped for hunting
Buford spoke first to Judge Elliott, say
ing: Judge, 1 believe l will go snipe-
hunting; won't you go along?" Judge
Elliott replied, No" ''Well, then said
Butord, ''Won't you 90 and take a drluk?''
At this point Judge Hines turned away and
had gone about six feet when the gun was
fred and Judge Elliott fell upon the side
rrall x-rTtla - Z.
looked down upon him and said, I'm
sorry" He then lifted his head and put his
(Buford' 81 hat under it. Judge Hines turned
back and tried to raise the body, but life was
extinct. He thought it was an accident I'M
til Buford spoke to a deputy-sheriff and a
policeman who came up at once to the scene.
Buford gave up his gun, saying to the
policeman, BE careful with that gun; put
twelve buckshot IN it for Prior" Submitting
to arrest, he was taken before Esquire
Gwynne, and upon a brief examination was
committed to Jail. On his way to the mag
istrate's office, or before he started, Baford
handed letter to the deputy-shenff, ad-
note l ask earnestly that it be delivered to
the person to whom it is directed The let.
ter's contents were as follows:
CAPITAL HOTEL, March %, 1879.
Whatever may happen to me, desire that
my niece, Annie D. Wallace, shall have
everything, both in equity and law, that be-
longs to me. l only ask that my body shall
be laid by sister Mary F. Buiord, whom
loved so well, and whose robbery and as
sassination l wish to try and avenge.
THOMAS BUFORD."
The body of Judge Elliott was taken to a
room IN the Capital hotel, where a coroner's
inquest was held and the following verdict
rendered;
We the jury find that the dead body now
l.zg. IL l. n
county, Kentucky, who was at the time Of
his death a judge of the court of appeals,
and presiding temporarily at Frankfort; was
killed and murdered in said city on the
twenty-sixth instant by being shot through
the body by Thomas Buford with a double
barreled shotgun.