Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-04-22

BLOODY FIEND.
-
A Burgling Darby Kills Two
Men, CrippleS Two
Others,
RObs a Dying Victim and Escapes
to the Woods.
He Sends Seven Bullets Through
Human Flesh and Bone, Makes
No Mistake in His Aim,
and is Never Once
Shot Al.
Strange and Tragic Adventure Of
A Numbering FeIOn.

The entire community in Critten-
den county, over the river opposite this
city, were startled yesterday morning
by the news Of the murder of their
much respected sheriff, w. +. Beattie
which tragedy occurred near sunrise,
not far from Charlottesville, on the
Goodlett plantation, about six miles
beyond Marion, the county seat, and
some fifteen miles northwest of this
city.
Brief mention was made of the
tragedy in yesterdays issue of this
Journal. The details of the strange
and unnatural murder came to hand
at a later hour, and are as follows;
A yellow mar about thirty. two
years old named Hays White, reared
in Crittenden county and living on
the Goodlett farm with his wife and
father, has been suspected for some
time past of burglarizing various
houses neal Charlottesville. Last
Monday he broke into the store of
w. L. Trexler, and was caught in the
act Of trying to open the safe. Next
day he was examined before a magis-
trate and committed in default of
$500 bail. Wednesday he started for
Jail at Marion, six miles distant, under
guard of Turner Hendrix, a colored
constable, and Emmett Swepstone, a
young white man, as assistant, The
three were mounted, the prisoner
moving in advance. Going two miles
of the six without adventure, Hays
White, the prisoner, suddenly drew a
revolver from beneath his garments,
in front Of the lower part Of his abdo-
men, and fred upon Hendrix, the bull
let boring through the flesh of his
arm. He shot again, and another flesh
wound through the side brought the
officer to the ground. He at once
crawled away some distance and hid
behind log.
The prisoner next turned his atten-
ton to the white guardsman, Swep-
stone, and he lost no time about it.
Aiming a shot at the officers head,
he tore the top of his hat off, and
grazed the scalp. The officer dis.
mounted without delay, perhaps fell
of, but managed to tumble on the OPP
posite side from the killer. The
latter also dismounted, and on
the opposite side from the
officer. Each uStd their respective
horses as a fertilization. Sw~epstone's
animal being the smallest, that worthy
was kept pretty busy lodging about
and trying to keep his anatomy Gov
cred. The negro trained his pistol on
Swepstone, exposed as little of his
person as possible, and gradually
moved his animated fortress toward
the officer. When as close as he wished
to get, he ordered Swopstone to drop
his weapon. The order was obeyed
promptly. The ex, prisoner picked up
the weapon, told Swepstone he didn't
want to kill him, directed him to
mount and move forward, and said
he'd take him along for protection.
The couple marched, the disarmed
officer in the lead. Passing neal Hen
dirk, the iendish White asked:
Turner, are you much hurt?"
YES" was the reply; I'm most
killed"
"TheD I'll finish the job" said
White, and he pulled trigger, a bullet
crashing through the back Of the VIC
tins neck and out of bis mouth, which
lay next to the earth. Three shots
through Hendrix the murderer sup
posed was enough to fix him, so leaving
the man for dead, he moved forward,
Swepstone that if anyone came
in sight and asked questions about the
to say that they had been shoot
snakes back in the swamp apiece.
As odd as it may appear, Swepstone
did as directed. DR.. Stull
met, and inquired what they had
been shooting at. The darby kept
his tongue quiet, and his pistol a little
to one side, Swepstone said snakes and
the party moved in opposite directions.
A little further on, White left the
cowed, and disarmed officer, and took
the woods. Since then he has not
been seen. The badly shot colored
constable was yet alive up to the last
trip Of the ferryboat, but it is believed
he cannot possibly survive. The shot
through the back Of the head did the
work.
Surprising that the escaped prisoner
would seek his cabin sometime during
Wednesday night, Sheriff W. +. Beat
tie with a posse lay for him. Their
mar not appearing up to about four
o'clock yesterday mOring, the posse
scattered. Half an hour after Hays
White sought his cabin, and the sher-
III heard Of it some time later. TAX
ing a young white man, named Mad
dox. his deputy, the sheriff went at