Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-19
sHAgEake's SHOOTERS.
Further Details OF the killing Of
Levi Preston.

yards or so from Shakerag, is a sensa.
tional theme in the vicinity of thu
murder, and is also a topic of interest
to many people here.
A strong circumstantial case il
made against John Clarke as tn,
person who did the killing, and it also
appears that James Cothran was with
him when the deed was done, pro.
vided, of course, Clarke did it. Both
Of the men named are now under ar.
rest and in Jail here.
The jury of inquest, held under
Esquire Holman's authority, it is I'm.
derstood have withheld their verdict
for the present, expecting to find ad.
ditional testimony. Up to yes
terday evening the evidence
was not satisfactory, and though il
pointed strongly to Clarke as the Kill.
Ter, yet numerous links are missing
and several witnesses, knowing a good
deal about the actions of Clarke were
not examined, though they doubles:
will be very soon.
The murdered mar Preston was
considered a very dangerous person
when in his cups. He had
numerous Quarrels with neigh.
bors, and several with darkies in
the vicinity. He emigrated
from Kentucky to the Nonconnah
bottom some two years or more ago,
and last fall he was arrested, and lay
in Jail here for a good while, on a
charge Of killing Jack Bailey, one OF
his colored neighbors. He had a row
with Bailey, aud in company with
another man, beat him up very badly,
about the middle of June last. Later
the man died, and it was said that the
injuries received in the fracas
caused death, but after considerable
trouble Preston got off, the testimony
going to show the man died from
overhead while working in his field.
Duringthe day previous to Preston's
death he had three different rows, and
appeared to be in a particularly quar-
relsome mood. lie on numerous occa-
sions got into brawls aud sought COM
bats with various people, and always
got the best ola fight, even whom he
tackled two persons at the same time,
which he did more than once.
In the fuss with Clarke and Cothran
on Wednesdayafternoon he cut Clarke
in the breast rather badly. He also
hit Clarke with a whip, according to
Clarke's statement, and he followed
Clarke and Cothran from Moments
to Arnold's grocery, the two places
being some distance apart.
After this row Clarke went over to
the residence of Captain B: r. Sharpe,
who lives a mile and a quarter from
where the trouble happened, and near
the middle Holly Springs road, some
seven miles from this city, and Dor
rowed Sharpe'S hundred dollar breech-
loading shotgun. He told Captain
Sharpe that a chicken thief had been
annoying him, and he wished to shoot
the scamp. He and Cothran we're to
gether in a buggy and were muddy,
but said their buggy had
capsized them in the road. The
pair were in jocular temper and though
Captain Sharpe noticed a knife cut in
Clarke's coat he thought nothing of it,
and had no idea either of the men had
been in trouble with anybody.
The gun was loaned to Clarke by
Captain Sharpe willingly, as Clarke
had kept the weapon some time ago,
its owners absence, on
a visit Of several months,
and ct the same time Captain
Sharpe handed Clarke several charges
of bird shot, thinking they would be
heavy enough to punish a chicken
thief. He didn't dream that Clarke
had any intention Of shooting a man, as
his temper was genial and pleasant ,aud
he had heard nothing of the troubles
at Moments and Arnold's groceries.
Later in the evening a gentleman
named Tuggle, who takes his meals
at Clarke's house, during the absence
Of Tuggle's family, went to his supper
and found Mrs. Clarke %wringing her
hands in distress over the conduct of
her husband, who, she said, had Dor
rowed Captain Shapes gun, aud had
gone to kill a man. She begged Tug
gle to follow Clarke and prevent him
from doing it, so report says.
1t is also stated that another neigh.
Dor met Clarke while he was on his
way to his ambush and he said he was
going to kill Preston. He afterwards
told a mar he had killed Preston, and
tried to get him to carry Shapes gun
home, which the man declined to do.
Captain Sharpe had not received his