The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-09-07
FATAL RESULT OF 4 RUNA VA 2
MARRLAGE.
CENT INSTRUMENT OF THE AFFAIR.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Am erican.


PULASKI, Aug. 30, 1S81.-Surely W.
are living under the evil stars, and trage
dy follows tragedy in such rapid success.
sion thst we do not recover from the
effects of one before we are appalled, by
another. The saddest tragedy of the
long and bloody list occurred about two
miles from town last Saturday night, in
which love and pistols figured success
fully. The circumstances of the sad
affair are these For some time a love
affair between DR.. Walter Mcknight, of
Big Cheek, 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 a team belonging to Mr.,
Marion P. Ezell, they came to town,
procured license aud went to the resi-
dence 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, ,iwhoihad 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,
aud another man, who dashed up to the
wagon and asked if Mcknight was
there, at the same time drawing pistol
and cooking it. Mcknight and Ezell
both leaped from the wagon, and Har-
grove fred on them. He first shot at
Mcknight, The ball passing through his
coat-tail He then turned and shot
Ezell, who fell dead on the road The
horses took fright and dashed off with
the girl in The wagon. The wagun was
turned over and broken to pieces and
the girl badly battered and bruised but
not dangerously hurt, After Hargrove
had searched in vain for Mcknight be
took his sister up behind him and start
ed towards home. She became very
sick and lie put her down in the road
and made good his escape. In that con-
dition she travelled two or three miles
on foot to the second toll gate where
she was taken in and cared for. Poor
Ezen was found about daylight Sunday
morning dead in the road. The news
spread rapidly. The town and comuni-
ty were much excited over it. Sheriff
Arrowsmith with a posse starred in
pursuit of HargrOve, and the Coroner's
Jury was summoned, who succeeded In
getting Mcknight and his bride before
them and ELECTED the facts above mar
rated. Marion Ezell, the innocent VIC
tenn of this dreadful tragedy, was very |
peaceable, quiet Christian man, highly |
esteemed by everybody, and who, when
he reluctantly consented to drive the
couple to town, never dreamed of the !
least trouble coming of 1t. 1t seemed !
that a few months ago this same Har- |
grove married Meningitis sister against |
the wishes of her parents, and Mcknight |
helped hIm to eIope with her and now.
when Mcknight marries HargrOVe's |
sister, this appalling tragedy follows.
Hargrove has not been captured. The
report comes to town to-day that Har-
groves father was at Prospect yesterday
morning about daylight, trying to bor-
row money for his son to escape on.
Ezen was buried in the cemetery here
to-day, at 10 A. NJ. He leaves a heart
broken wife and six children. After
the inquest yesterday, DR.. Mcknight
took his bride to his home on Big creek.
Thus ends this sad chapter. Who next