Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-25

! :
t1ing OF the dead actor, Mr.. b. +. Porter,
whose tragic end, on "Wednesday night, has
cast such gloom over our community. he
was a man Of hne personal appearance, gen
tlemanly 10 his manners, and an accom-
plished actor We learn that ha was the
whole support OF u widowed mother, residing
in New Jersey, whom he has provided with
comfortable hone; that for several years he
has been supper ing and educating an orphan
niece, who Is now at school IN a convent;
and that an old man, who has no claims to
relationship, has been tikeu care OF by him.
Ii is sad TO reflect that man so considerate
and generous should be Iuthlessly cut off 10
the meridian of manhood and 10 the midst of
his usefulness. Tue hearts of men naturally
90 out in sympathy TO his bereaved mother
and friends in their sad misfortune. His
body was inclosed in a metallic c1sket, and
forwarded yesterday morning to Saltersville,
New Jersey. Ii Will be received by friends
in New York, and conveyed to his home.
On, hundred and forty dollars were sub
scrbed at the office OF the Texas aud Pacific
railroad company to detray the expenses OF the
burial, and through tickets were furnished
to New York for the casket and an attend
ant. This was very generous, and gratefully
appreciated by the entire troupe, the mem
bers of which are in great affection.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST.
An inquest was held at two o'clock Thurs
day morning on the body of Benjamin f.
Porter, shot by James Currie, about two
hours previously. R. G. Hanson, acting
coroner, summoned the following jurymen:
Messrs. w. N. Kennedy, Thos. Z. Whitaker,
G.. l.. Womack, Nat Kramer, +. A. L. meas
ter, and J. B. DAvidge, before whom the fol-
lowing testimony was intro iuced. The first
witness was n. A. Harvey, the keeper OF TIE
lunchhouse and saloon known as the White
house, and is as follows:
n. A. Harvey, being duly sworn, deposes
and says, after looking at the deal man: |
have seen that face; | saw this man IN life at
about twelve O'Clock of the night OF the
nineteenth Of March, 1879. This man and
another one, VINO Ia row over IN my house
wounded, and a lady, came INTO my lunch
room. The man who is now IN my house
wounded called for beer and lunch. This
man said, 81 won't take beer; give me cup
of coffee; l don't drink" l gave them the
lunch, beer and coffee, as they had ordered.
While they we're eating and drinking Jim
Currie came in and called for a lunch also.
| got it, and when / went to give him Cur
rie) his change he said, Keep that. Don
you want to buy dog?" He then walked in
to the back room, where my bar ls, and
called for drink of ice water, which | gave
i'm. Then he said, ~ guess | had better
take a little bulge with it." l told him he
had better 90 slow; that he had enough. he
said, mo, | must have some. 1t Is too good
thing around here" | gave hlm a drink.
After taking the drink, he said, pointing
down into the lunch room, There's a first
class -" or There's a high-toued -.
| do not remember whether he used the ex-
preston "frst-class" or ''higb-toned," but
think it was 'frst-class." l said to him,
"JInl, don't know whether she is a lady or
not; she has behaved herself, and l would
rather you Wouldn't make any such remarks.
| Tnen he said, That's all right, partner,
and he walked down out of the bar-room,
1. =. Ia rg,,,Nl or,
house, /. e., the lunch room, he turned around
and said to the deceased, Here, you threw
10 Your hand this way quitting his hand up
beside his headj when | passed you while
ago. You can't give me any gait OF that
kind" The deceased said: My friend, II
you have alluded to me, hadn t
thought of you; / was talking to
| ''If you say that, you're a damned liar. ="
/ This man here (df ceaseG) said: Il m in COM
pany wild: q lady, and would prefer You
| wouldn't make tes:srks OF that kind in her
! presence, aud If you want difficulty you can
/ see ne anywhere you like outside the house,
or something like that. Currie then said :
| Damned Hne Lady, - - said:
Jim, jam, stop that, aad vas getting up
! GA the counter, and about bali way oyer Il.
| \ bort that time the man VINO is now ~ ply
! honse wounded. turned around and said: Il
| will protect lady anywhere, and began to
pull of his coat as ne got OFT tie stool. Just
before TINS the man IN my ro%ee said TO
| Currie: go away; there's a lady here.
To which Currie answered: Maybe you
! want to take 1t up, you damned - -.
Just then Currie puiled out pistol and COM
| ,nenced shooting He fred On the man who
is in my house wounded. The deceased here
| Jumped eff the stool to catch hold OF CURVE.
Just as the deceased got off the stool Curne
fired on hiEl and said: God damn you
! In lot = 'ha
threw his handle across Bis stomach, and
either went out or fell out Of the !fopt door.
He fell in the room, bat | don't know
whether be recovered his feet before be
got out or not. Tie man who Is IN my
house wounded ran through the bar room,
broke open the door and ran out tnreSgh the
kitchen into the yard. When the dlth 3uity
commenced ! was behind the counter; about
the time the shooting commenced Jumped
over the counter, and the lady caught hold Of
me. | think Currie fired three or tour shot:
in all. He fred first at the wounded man
and then immediately turned and fired at the
deceased. Tue shots seemed to strike hun
about the middle of tbs STOMACH. He wa:
very close to tae deceased. IS the EonndeC
man ran through the door into the oar-loon
Currle shot at him sg2ip, Before Currlt
pulled out his pistol, when he put ais EanC
behind him as though he was going TO dfaW
/ a pistol, the deceased man said: You neeC
not sheet me; I'm an unarmed man, auc
don Z want any trouble." AS the wounded
Ean was pulling off has cost be said: I'm
unarmed, but I'll protect lady, anyhow,
This occurred in the State Of Texas, anC
county of Harrison. There was no one In tht
house at the time OF tk!s occurrence excep
the parties that have mentioned.
! y. A. HARVEY.
In order 10 understand what was meant
in the above 1t Is necessary 10 state that Mr.
: Porter was in the habit, when couYeFsiDg, o
putting his hand up 10 his ear. This CTrrit
construed into an insult; but 1t will bs seer
that Me-. Porter told him that nothing otf5ns
i've vas intended, and that he was not ever
thinning Of him.
Harry Rees Dayies, being duly sworn, says
know the deceasedj his name is Benjamin
7. Porter; he Is an acto~, travelling with thu
| Ward & Barrymore combination. About
twelve O'clock on the nineteenth of March,
1879, was taxing a lunch In the Texas anC
Poetic lunch room. Heard pistol-shots, anC
heard some one say, Il am shot; am shot.
Heard footsteps and heard body TALL on tn,
| Sidewalk. Went out and found Mr.. Porter
the deceased, lying on the sidewalk. CalleC
Tor assistance aud brought hlp into the hotel
and was with him In the hotel untl! be died
WHICH WIS at FIVE minutes past one O'Clock o.
} HARRY REES DAVIES.
DR.. +. P. NJ. Johuson, being duly sworn
a little after twelve o'clock on the night o
the nineteenth OF March, 1879. | am
practciug physician. / found the decesse'
r IN a collapsed condition when | cane in, colt
and pulseless. l pom an examination ! toun
=, DIS oil or uhe ball ha / entered the stomach
of de- aased, which caused mis- death in abou
forty nicgtes after first saw him. Whe
first saw ni15 he was in the Office of tn
Texas and Pac.ae iotel The deceased bod
! before the coroner's Jury ls the one | rete
TO. [. p. NJ JOHNsoA' > D.
VERDICT OF THE JURY:
We, the jury End that tue deceased, Ben
jamin F. Porter, came to has death from
pistol-shot from the hands of James Currie.
W n. KENNEDY, Foreman.
ROBERT HANSON,
J. p. Precinct No. 3, Harrison county, and En- o1ci
| Coroner
T. E. Whitaker, c. D. Womack, Nat Kra
mer, r. 4. Lancaster, J B. Dayidge.
WAIVED EXAMINATION.
I Il