The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-03-13
THE PACAS.
The strange stsry OF a Leading Maryland
Family.
Now York San.

United States to England), at last died,
his son William B. Psca fell heir to the |
estate. William B. Paca had three sons,
John P, Chew and james Phillips
both of the latter weak-minded. And |
so the family lived up to and through |
the war, being ardent unionists.
William B. Paca lived at Wye Hall
when the spring of 1875 opened, his sons
having grown to manhood. On the
mainland lived Mrs. Mariana E. Pacs,
widow of Williams younger brother,
Edward Tilghman Paca, and her son
John and brother, Albert Jones, both
remembered now as manly young fellows.
On the morning of the 9Th of March,
1875, John and Albert we've leaning
against fence by the roadside when
William B. and his sons came riding by.
William B., who seems to have been OF
overbearing manners, spoke hsrshly to
bis nephew, bidding him leap the fence
and approach his horse. The uncle
Aourished riding whip, and John feared
that it would be drawn ACROSS his shout
ders should he obey. He therefore stood
by the fence and laughed. The two
Younger sons of William B. Pacs, Chew
and James, had their ducking guns
across their saddles. As soon as they saw
the laugh they unstrapped the guns.
"Pll take john" said Chew.
"Pll take Albert" replied james.
John and Albert turned to run, but
the aim of the imbeciles wss perfect.
John and Albert Tell dead in their tracks.
William B. and ais son, John P, were
tried at the May term of the Talbot
county court, 1875, and found not
guilty. The imbeciles had done the
shooting. Chew and James were tried at
the May term of the Caroline county
court, and acquitted. They were imbe-
Giles, and if the killing were murder,
then the father, William B., and the
sound minded son, John P, were respen-
sible for it. So there was no one pun-
ished for the crime.
Shortly after his acquittal the news
papers announced that William B,
Paca, son of a signer,' had been found
dead at Wye Hall, Queen Anne's,
Maryland" A year passed. John P
Paca, the heir of Wye Hall, moved
about like shadow. One morning his
body was found stretched lengthwise OF
his fathers grave, bullet hole in his
head and revolver in his grasp. Not
many months after this fourth violen.
death, james Phillip, one Of the imbe.
Giles, took the pet dog of Wye Hall and
led him down to the river. He tied 8
heavy stone about the dogs neck and
moved to the edge of the boat landing.
He raised the struggling, swapping dog
in his arms and gave forward toss. In
the nick of the fall the imbecile's arm
caught in the rope, he was dragged for
ward with the dog, and James Phillip
Paca, pet dog and stone went into the
Wye with splash, never.,to come up.
The maiden name of Mrs. VIM. B. Placs
was Phillips. She was an excellent
woman, and loved her husband and boys
dearly. She stood the strain for a long
time, but at the last tragedy lost her
mind, and is now an inmate of the Bal
timore asylum fof the insane. One of the
Pacas, Chew, still lives. In the spring
and summer he can be seen playing jump
rope with the children.
Soon after the news of the death OF
Mrs. Mariana Paca (who was q blood
relative OF John P. Kennedy, the author
of note), had reached Wye, puff of
smoke came from the extreme end of the
right wing of Wye Hall. The islanders
gathered quickly, shoremen ran across the
| lC6 buC OlCukSIe
stopped their work at the mouth Of the
Wye, sailing up to see the end Of the
Pacas. Several men hurried for buck
cts many entered the hall to save the
furniture, but the mass stood with their
hands in their pockets, while the wind
whistling from the Chesapeake made
havoc with the burning place. There
was one thing to be saved, explained the
keeper to crowd urging them to go in.
"What.s that" exclaimed the bystsn-
ders, thinking Of bags of Paca gold.
"The great painting of Governor Pacs,
the signer of the Declaration of Indepen.
dence," said the keeper.
Yet the picture was not rescued.
! "A pair OF drawers straWs in lemon.
ade.-[ Puck. A pair of pants-two
dogs after long chase Philadelphia
Chronicle. A pair of slippers-two eels
: TAIpany rous A mir of Shoo'S-+v,c