Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-31
7ATAL RESULT OF A RUNA.
WAY MARRIAGE.
rhe Brides BTOtheE:,,SIays an
Innocent Instrument of the
Affair.
!. Nashville American.lI

PULASKI, August 29.-Surely we
are living under the evil stars, and
tra agedy follows tragedy in such rapid
succession that we do not recover
from the effects of one before we are
appalled, by another. The saddest
,fagedy of the long and bloody list oo-
lcurred about two miles from town
last Saturday night, in which love and
pistols figured successfully. The cir
cumstances Of the sad affair are these:
For some time love affair between
DIR. Walter Mcknight, of Big Greek,
and Miss Alice Hargrove, Of near
Prospect, had excited some talk and
provoked the opposition Of the girls
family. Last Saturday night the lovers
managed to elope, and pressing into
service team belonging to Mr.. Mari
on P. Ezell, they came to town, pro-
cured license and went to the residence
of Rev. w. S. Harwell, who pro-
nounced the words that made them
husband and wife, after which they
mounted the wagon and started for
the residence of Mr.. Ezell, who had
also been pressed into the service for
the occasion as the driver of
his own team. When they were
about two miles out on the Elkton
road, and near the residence of Mr..
Cope Whitfield, they were met by
Fletcher Hargrove, brother of the
bride, and another man, who dashed
up to the wagon and asked if Nc
Knight was there, at the same time
drawing pistol and cooking it. Nc
knight and Ezell both leaped from the
wagon, and Hargrove fired on them.
He first shot at Mcknight, the ball
passing through his coat-tail He
ia turned and shot Ezell, who
dead on the road. The horse
fright and dashed off with the
Hgirl in the wagon. The wagon was
turned over and broken to pieces and
the girl badly battered and bruised
but net dangerously hurt. After Har-
grove had searched in vain for
Mcknight he took hissister up behind
him and started towards home. She
became very sick and he put her down
In the road and made good his escape.
In that condition she travelled two or
three miles on foot to the second toll
gate where she was taken in and cared
for. Poor Ezell was found about day
light Sunday morning dead in the
road. The news spread rapidly. The
town and community were much ex
cited ever it. Sheriff A. Smith with
a posse started in pursuit of Hargroye
and the coroner's jury was summoned,
who succeeded in getting McNight
and his bride before them and elected
the facts above narrated. Marian Ezell
the innocent victim of this
dreadful tragedy, was very
peaceabIe, quiet Christian man,
highly esteemed by every
body, and who, when he reluctantly
consented to drive the couple to town,
never dreamed of the least trouble
Ginning of it. 1t seems that a few
months ago this same Hargrove mar
ried Meningitis sister against the
wishes of her parents, and Mcknight
helped him to elope with her; and
now, when Mcknight marrieS Har-
groves sister, this appalling tragedy
follows.
Hargrove has not been captured.
he report comes to town to-day that
iargrove's father was at Prospect
Yesterday morning about daylight try
inc to borrow money for his son to
escape on. Ezell was buried in the
cemetery here to-day at 10 am, He
leaves a heartbroken wife and six
children. After the inquest yester-
day, Dr. Mcknight took his bride to
bis home on Big Greek. Thus ends
this sad chapter. Who next?