The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-22
A MONTICELLG TRAGEDY OF MANY
YEARS AGO.
Inter ssting and Graphic Sketch of n
Fatal Attempt TO COwhide u
Gentleman,
THE HEROIC WIFE.
TO the Editor Of the Comet: !:
THE HEROIC WIFE.

TO the Editor Of the Comet:
Your brief mention in the last COMET G
the recent death of Hon. Joseph A. Engle
hard, Secretary of State, of North Caro-
lima, calls to mind tragical incident con
nected with the history of The family
which, at the present time, may not b
deemed inappropriate for publication. Hi
father, Edward Englehard, came iron
Germany, and about 1927, settled at Mon
ticello, where he became prominent ant
wealthy merchant. He possessed, in
high degree, the admirable qualities of hi
own race-economy, industry, honesty
He was man of good education, attractive
in person and address, and soon made him.
self very popular with the people of the
county.
At that day, there dwelt on Pearl river, q
few miles below the village, charming
young lady of "sweet sixteen, of ample for
tune and good family, sister of DR.. B. W.
Benson, then Secretary of State. She was
the belle of the county. To her the hand
some young foreigner paid assiduous atten-
ton, and a marriage was the result They
lived some years very happily in the quaint,
commodious old mansion, built by Gov.
Lynch, overlooking the waters of the
Pearl, where their two children, Joseph
RIt Ia
often comes unexpectedly to the hap
piest households Englehard being a
German was man of peace. He was not
devoid of courage, but he sought to avoid
the quarrels and personal encounters so
common at that early day.
Some years before his marriage there
came from the State of New York to Mon
ticello two young men, brothers, DR.. Joseph
W. Pendleton and Zebulon e. PendletOn.
They were men Of talents, both being grad
yates of Columbia College. They had
come, in search of fame and fortune, to
the far South-a golden field i'll which at
that day many rich harvests were garuered
One or both were, l believe, at different
times elected to both houses of the Legis>
tature. Though usually of mild manners
and gentlemanly bearing, they seemed early
to imbibe the notion that frequent dis
play of personal courage and some dissi-
patton, were essential to popularity among
the brave and beligerant people with whom
they had cast their lot. Acting under this
mischievous impression they, like the gif>
ted Printiss, became foremost in many
wild carousal, exhibiting no reluctance to
engage in personal difficulties, and they
finally carried it so far that they acquired
the unenviable reputation of the "bully."
Among others they thought to run over
and unofending Dutchman, and
one day a slight dispute ended in z. E. Pens
lleton threatening to COW hide Englehard. |
True to his word he procured the whip,
nd, about dark, sought his intended vice
i'm at his residence. He found him in the |
lining room alone, his wife having finished |
he mansion Pendleton was a powerful
nan, and then in the very prime of his
trength. With short prelude of angry
words he seized Englehard by the collar,
,ulled him violently to the floor and com>
nenced inficting severe blows with the
gnominious whip.
A. large, sharp carving knife lay on the
lining table. Mrs. Englehard, hearing the
oise below, rushed down stairs, and taking
n the situation at glance, seized the knife
it cleaned a moment in the fre-light-l
nd suddenly Pendleton ceased to strike,
ed precipitately from the house, and stag
ering across the Courthouse square, fell
cad in his own doorway. Both his boots
ere found partly filled with his own life
lood both his legs were severely cut; the
lrving knife had done the fatal work.
The event created profound sensation.
nglehard and wife were justified by public
pinion and triumphantly acquitted, and
ON that day to this, no man here has att
mpted to avenge his real or supposed in
Iries by resorting to the cow>hide. En-
ehard, though justified, always regretted
e association of his name with the fatal
,currence, and its recollection, at times,
st sombre shadow over his declining
,ars.
A short time after this event, Englehard !
Id the Lynch mansion, and removed to (
ckson, where, as you know, he became y
lding merchant and influential citizen.
e died some years before the war, and his .
widow became the wife of
u. Shotwell. of Kinds county. Her :
tighter, Rosa, was married to Il. H. 9
inter, formerly of Madison county, a c
lative of ex-Gov. Foote. believe that $
e and all the other persons to whom this q
etch relates now dwell in the Land OF !
adovs. q. S. MCMILLAN. a
Senator Lamar concluded his speech in 1
ply to Senator Hoar's unmagnanimous
usioas to Hon. jefferson Davis as fol-
VS.: