The Evening critic., 1883-04-30
THE HARRopsBuRo TRAGEDY.
Miss Buckner's Statement - Mrs.
Thompson Says Davis was InnO-

Miss Buckner's Statement - Mrs.
Thompson Says Davis was InnO-
cent.
The tragedy at Harrodsburg, KY, last
week, in which Congressman Philip b.
Thompson, of Kentucky, shot and killed
Walter II. Davis on railroad train, has
excited general interest throughout the
country. Miss Buckner, q cousin of Mr..
Thompson, who is now resident Of Gin
cinnati, and whose statements to him are
said to have caused the tragedy, makes
statement to the Harrodsburg correspondent
Of the New York Sun:
Miss Buckner said, in substance, that last
December Congressman Thompson and his
wife went to Cincinnati and sent for her to
sup with them at the Burnet. Thompson
then asked her to stay with his wife all
night, as he had to 60 on that evening.
She declined, but invited Mrs. Thompson
to stay with her at the st. Claire. The
next morning, while shopping, they met
Mr.. Davis at Fourth and Race streets He
addressed them familiarly and expressed
desire to call. After her return to the
hotel she left her rooms for some medicine
for violent headache, and on hcr return
found Mrs. Thompson at the piano and
Mr.. Davis sitting near her. At
3 o'clock Mrs. Thompson ex-
presseu ner intention OF going
out with Davis, against which Miss Buck
ner protested. At $50 o'clock Mrs. Thomp-
son returned. AS she entered the door she
fell, being very drunk, and as she did so
two quart champagne bottles rolled from
under her cloak. They had the st. Nicholas
brand. She said they had been to the st.
Nicholas and that Davis had given her the
wine. After supper she had so far re-
covered that she went out again with
a.,,,N t1.., t1nA 1f H..
who threatened to tell If they persisted.
Being sick she retired, and was awakened
from heavy sleep by the voice of
Mrs. Roth, the wife Of the proprietor.
When she opened the door Mrs. Roth and
the watchman were there with Mrs.
Thompson, who was so drunk that she
could not walk, but fell on the floor where
she lay some time. Miss Buckner says she
wrote to Thompson only that his wife had
become drunk, and had shown herself in
that condition in the hotel but never men,
toned Davis name, and that the first in.
formation that Thompson received was
from his wife, who visited him and gave
him the facts in Washington.
At the funeral service over Davis, on Sat-
urday, Rev. Mr.. Young paid glowing
tribute to the character of the deceased.
Mr.. Davis widow bore the ordeal better
than was expected, but she and her sister,
lu-laW laluteu db INC grave. NILS. lnOmp-
son, it is said, was at the funeral. She was
certainly at the house shortly before and
after. She is vehement in her protesta-
tions of the innocence of both herself and
Davis. She said: II will die proclaiming
him innocent Oh, why was not killed
rather than poor Walter!" She says that
her husband has been killing her by inches
for years; that she has cried until the
fountain of her tears is dried. She has
become haggard in a day. The Thompsons
say they feel only pity for her.
Mrs. Davis says she does not want
Thompson's blood, but that her husbands
character shall be cleared. Her family and
relatives are wealthy, and if Thompson is
indicted the ablest counsel that can be Sc
cured will prosecute him. No court was
held on the afternoon of the burial, and
judge, jurors and litigants attended the
funeral. There were over hundred car
riages in the procession, and many that
were present did not follow the body to the
cemetery.
Davis said to his partner, T. B. Fisher,
the day before he was killed. that he was
innocent of wrong, and that if he could see
THOMPSON he could explain all