The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-31
Another Green One.

the name of Joseph l.. Peal. and stating that
he was lumber and flour merchant of Bethel
n. g., called at central police station this
morning and informed the Chief of Detectives
Wood that lie had been duped out CT S210 by a
confidence man. Mr.. Peal said that a few
weeks ago he received letter at his home
from man i'll New York, named j. H. Word.
who gave his address as $50 Mulberry street.
(care of Barber. The writer informed Peal
that no had lot of greenbacks which had
been printed from stolen government plates
and which he would sell to Peal at liberal
discount. Correspondence followed, and Ward
informed the Bethel merchant that
he would meet him at the Pennsyl-
vania railroad station in Philadelphia.
Peal placed $500 in his pocket, with which
to purchase goods and left home for Philadel-
phia on Sunday. Here the old familiar conf
denCe game was played upon him by an atfable
stranger from Tarboro, n. G., who knew all
about Peal, and was glad to meet him so far
from home, took him to dinner at his hotel
found himself unaccountably short of ready
cash, and would Mr.. Peal oblige him till the
obliged him with 500. Next morning he be-
gan to think something had gone wrong and
told his story to the police, and left for home
with the remainder of his money. Mr.. Peal
protested to have no suspicion that the money
he proposed to purchase might be counterfeit
a Sensational Murder.
BIHMGNGHAM, Ala, January 2G.-[Spccial. I
a cold-blooded murder committed last night
caused very sensational story to be made
public today.
John Leslie, a well known and popular
young man, owning large lumber business III
the crty, was shot through the head by Ben l..
Smith, The shooting was done at the house
of woman known as Sallie Boyd, and Leslie
was lying asleep on a lounge when shot. Smith
and the woman who then claimed to be the
wife OF Leslie, were arrested on suspicion, and
today the former made full confession, and
supplied the missing links in the following
sensational story:
Several years ago, in Talladega, Ala, Sallie
Boyd then beautiful young girl .na. ried 6
man named Giles. They lived together three
weeks, when the bride deserted her. husband
ana came to this city. She soon met
John Leslie, and became his mistress, he pro-
yiding her with neatly furnished cottage.
Ben Smith is young man about town. and an
uncle of Sallie Boyd. Recently he was often
seen visiting the cottage, and it develops that
his niece had suddenly taken great fancy to
him. a lew days ago she proposed to her
uncle that they put Leslie out Of the way for
good.
Smith and Leslie had quarreled bitterly
only short time before, and the woman
mnrdcrous plan was promptly agreed to. They
were to kill Leslie, then go away and live To-
gether as man and wife Last night was the
time fixed for the murder, and the woman
sent Smith word to come to the cottage,
conceal himself in the closet, and
wait mul she gave him the signal
that all was ready. Leslie was there and to-
wards bedtime lay down ON the lounge and
fell asleep. The woman signalled Smith, and
then went into another room. The murderer
approached the sleeping man, and fired two
shots into the back of his head, blowing his
brains out.
Smith then went home and to bed, while
the woman ran screaming to the nearest house
andgave the alarm. Her conflicting statements
quickly aroused suspicion, aud the fact of
Smiths frequent visits caused his arrest. The
woman has a child year old, and says that
leslie is the father oft She still claims that
she is innocent, but Smith made full confess
sion to the officers today, and all the circum-
stantial evidence corroborates lis story The
woman is only nineteen years old, and very
pretty. One strange fact is that I.cslie's most
intimate friends knew nothing of his visits to
the woman, and he was never seen at the cot
tage by any one living near it. lie stood well
IN business and social circles, and was regard
ed rs a moral young man. He lived some
time after he was Shot but was unable to
talk