The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-05-24
SHOCKING DUt mn fnagfDL
4 wssassa iiastssa hins NE issades -
lie ssaelli1 ~ itis ii.ms faastfsf siih
The fsfinef ~ ths uallly it#sss I've
fsmliiss riaHasa tH asafHiaa4
80

fFfe A#HfiNG ~ Hff NofHf NHaHtHff VIZ
The fs',ass ~ the usiily flssss I've
fsHsiiiss fiaHasi IN aeefHiaa4
f1traWi,, ~ asr u
4 terrible tmaedy occurred VI Chr resi-
drueo u Monroe Gfay ten miles southeast
" this place, yes,efiay morning, which
baa plunged twu families late drcp
mourning An effinR wis aud m un.
priheirIed husband have bacn hurried 10
untimely ravek
Mpuroe Gray, with his wife and two
children, girl Of ten aud hoy ~ twelve
lived On farm which hr rented from
Wm Dltch, wealty farmer VINO
lived ON The eastern outskirts oi the
village, Until few months ago Gray
lived In this town. Ills eyes
had been diseased and he had used up
nearly oil Of his money IN having them
treated In Fast ~. Louis. lie finally dc
flded To 60 10 farming agnlu and ~ he
had little or no money h. applied 10 Ditch
who advanced him funds aud let him 70
on the farm where the tragedy occurred
Thursday Gray drove 10 Dltch's hous,
and asked him to 40 with him 10 his
(Gray's) farm To sec about repairing
dixie a few miles 10 the east, Ditch nc
oompanlcd Gray back to his home aud 70
malnod there all night. II was arranged
that yesterday morning they should 20 over
TO The house Of u contractor named Axlcy
a few miles east OF Gray's, to engage him
" do some work.
About eight O'Clock Gray went out "a
his barn TO hitch up his team and left
Ditch sitting with Mrs, Gray Ia the sit.
ting-room OF the small thrce.room house,
Gray had been In the barn but short
time, when, In reaching up to take down
some harness, some timothy seed fell In
one Of his eyes. lie placed his hand oven
the optic and started back to the house
TO have his wife get the seed out. As he
opened the sttlng.room door he saw that
the room was empty, and Instantly bis
suspicious were aroused. lie had heard
that Ditch had been In questionable rcla.
tlons with the wives Of other men, but
never suspected that his home circle
would be invaded.
lie stealthily entered the room, crossed
II to the east side, pushed open the door
OF his wlic's bedroom and there witnessed
sight that aroused all his manhood TO
the highest pitch. lie closed the door OF
the bedroom aud crossed to the west side
Of the sitting-room TO q stand, la the
drawer OF which were two large navy 70.
yolyers. AS he grasped the weapons the
door OF the bedroom opened, and Ditch
appeared. The latter Immediately graspcd
a chair with which 10 defend himself, and
as he did 80 Mrs. Gray also came out and
begged her husband not 10 shoot.
Gray, however, took deliberate aim
with one Of the weapons and fired two
shots, both OF which took effect In the
body Of Ditch. As the latter fell 10 the
floor Mrs. Gray ngain appealed TO hei
husband 10 spare her life, but he refused
10 listen 10 her. lie fired and the bal
from the large ii.callbre weapon passed
through her abdomen and she fell by the
side OF her paramour. The first bullet
fired at Ditch cnterc, his right side jusl
below the nipple, and the second passed
through bis abdomen.
Gray left his wic and Ditch lying on
the floor dying, and started with his tive
children 10 the house Of . nelghbor, u
whom ho told the details Of the tragedy
When he returned an hour later, both vic
! tins werc lying dead In almost the sam,
position 10 which Gray had left them
} Then the news Of the affalr spread oyel
; the country like wildnre and before noon
the little cottage was filled with farmers
and In the yard outside stood little knot
, Of people discussing IN subdued tones
the details Of the horrible drama that hat
been enacted.
J Mrs. Ditch, the wife Of the murdered
man, was informed by messenger Of tb,
death of her husband, and not being adj
yised Of The particulars visited the house
Of Gray, where most touching scene
J was enacted. No one had told her of the
cause Of the shooting; she had simply
been told that Gray had shot her hus.
band, but when she reached tho house
the nature OF the tragedy dawned upon
her aud she burst into n violent nt of
weeping. She embraced The body oi her
/ husband aud seemed TO have forgotten
everything but that he had been ruthless
ly taken from her, and - have forgiven
him for bis inndelity ~ her. Friends
took her away and soon after she accom-.
panied the dead body Of her husband back
10 their now desoiate home In the VII.
iazc.
The Coroner was not In the county and
his Deputy held an Inquest, which was
rather an lmproInptn affair and developed
nothing beyond what has been given
above. lie decided 10 require Gray
10 give bond In 81 900 for bis appear
ance before the Grand jury, but this
did not seem ~ be necessary as
Gray showed no inclination "
make his escape. lie seems 70
feel fully the nature Of his act
and displays no grief over II. lie acts ~
II he was convinced that be had dealt
Justly with those who had 80 deeply
wronged him. lie Is willing 10 take all
tbs legitimate consequences, aud will
stay hefc until wanted.
sheriff Wilson went down 10 Grsy's
farm a. soon as he was notified, but did
not offer 10 make an arrest, - be felt
confident that Gray would not attempt "a
leave the country.