The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-24
A CUTTING AFFAIR.
4 EPISODE OF NEGRO LIFE ON
MADDEN AVENUE.
A Colored Man Stabbed With a Pen
knife-Thc Insane Freak OF n Jealous
Negro Girl-How Some People on
MADDEN Avenue Can Lie.


The toughest street in Memphis is Had
den avenue from Bcalc to Linden, and one
OF the toughest localities in It is known as
"IIadden's court" at No. 40. The court
is deep, muddy, filthy yard lined with
buildings ON three sides and peopled with
negro women, roustabouis and colored
laborers generally.
Last night ut about o O'Clock Sergeant
Burdick received telephone message at
the police station announcing that a
woman had been cut at M. 40 lladdcn
avenue. Officers Dallas Ice aud Biggs
were promptly on the scene, and after
learning the particulars OF the cutting
started in pursuit Of the pcrpcira,or, who
had made her escape. TnR ArPFAL re.
porter got there after the police left, and
found a group OF men aud women engaged
in animated gossip at the entrance to the
yard. As soon us they saw the reporter
they asked:
care You the doctcr?'
"No Where is the woman who was
cutY"
ave don't know nothing about no
woman being cut they all sang out IN
chorus, and the reporter had 10 apply else.
where for information. Tho reporter
crossed the street 10 a grocery, Kept by nm
Italian, and asked bin about IT, lie
hadn't heard a worl about II, either. A
sloycnly. looking white woman, standing IN
the doorway oi n house near by, WIS
next applied 10. She said: Has the
doctor como yct?' The reporter answered
in the negative, aud inquired where the
woman WIS Who had been cut aud nobody
knew a word about, yet II occurred right
under their noses and they knew oil
about II.
Just then oficcr- Dallas lee aud Blgg,
returned from iTuitlcss pursuit Of the
fugitive, and they promptly guided the re.
porter TO the place where the wounded
woman was lying, or rather sitting. as her
wound panied her 10 that tho sitting pos
turc was the most comfortable she could
assume. She seemed to BE- in great pain,
and said that her name was Lila shaw;
that, while chatting with some friends oI
both sexes, woman named Sarah Jane
Butler came In. and. without a word Of
warning, struck her twice with a pen.
knife. She Immediately sprang 10 hcI
feet, and, with tho assistance Of a chair,
kept her assailant ut bay until the men IN
the party intcricrcd. Finding she could
do no morc damage, Sarah Jane dashed
out OF the house and fed. The wounded
woman did not know she was cut until
one Of the party called her attention 30 the
blood discoloring her dress An cxamina
ton revealed deep cash in the bach
near the left side, evidently inflicted
with tho blade Of small pocket
knife. No motive Is assigned Tor thl
decd. but the ncIghbOrs thinl
Il was jealousy. Sarah Jane las q duskl
lover named Willis FELTON,, roustlbout
Of whom she Is insancly jealous, aud Il j,
on his account, II Is sid, that Sarah tool
the warpalh. None Of the bystanden
attempted 10 arrest the woman who III,
the cutting, aud after she was gone he
"rousiabOut scrcncly went IN bed, whcn
he was found by the police. lie knov
nothing OF the woman's whereabouts
Just What sort 81 place lIadden aycnu
Is may he gathered from the following
While the reporter was pursuing bis invcs
legations brace Of biuc-shirlcd, black
faced rousiabouls came out o. a salooi
near by. aud one said 10 the other:
THAT nigcr's got $40 OF so, VII
didn't you play with him. You woul,
have got Il all-cyefy cent Of II"
The reporter did not hear the rcply.