Year: 1859

"SN' w Wy IhSh HOHi all AtlanJlc eX


change, and they are said to be correctly


given:


On the night of Sunday the eth of Novem.


her, 1925, Col. Solomon P. sharpe one of the
foremost lawyers in Kentucky, formerly At
torney General OF the State and member of
Congress and at that time leader of the
newly-elected State Assembly, was murdered
at frankfort, under circumstances of peculiar
atroety. He was aroused from his bed by
SOMEONE knocking at his door, and he was
there seized by the assassin, who, after some


words, Stabbed him to the heart, almost in
sight of his wife, who rushed to his side, but
too late to hear a word from him, or to learn
in any way who was his murderer.


Suspicion fell, however, on young lawyer
named Beauchamp, who was arrested, tried
and condemned, apparently on false evidence


but who was yet the real murderer Party
| animosity, then furiously excited throughout
the State, by some question relative to the
Courts ascribed the murder to political ha-
tired for Sharpe was the leader of his party
and the idol of the people, nor was it until
after the trial that the astounding story of
Beauchamp's actual crime. and his reasons
for it, were made public by his own ingenious
confession.


Some years before, apparently as early as
1918, Col Sharpe had seduced Miss Ann
Cooke q yourg lady of respectable family,
educated and refined, and, as appears from
her subsequent course, Of unusual force and
severity ofcharacter. Proud. and of intense
feeling, she withdrew entirely from the So
ciety where she had been admired and court
ed and, with her widowed mother, her books
and her slaves. she hid her disgrace in the
IoAo &c a oly


1t was here that young Beauchamp, in
fatal hour for both, sought her out, urged
himself on her acquaintance, fell passpnately
in love with her, and, led on 10y his passion,
devoted himself with barbarous magnanimi
~, to her dreadful thirst for vengeance on
her betrayer He could not have been more
than nineteen years old Mt this time, and he
had been on the point of commencing the
study of law with Col. Sharpe, when he was
repealed from such a connection by the story
of his Yllainy toward Miss Cooke Gener.
GUS. though ungovernable of temper, he look
ed with aversion on a man so stained regard
ing him as "no better than horse thief" as
he himself naively syas.


His natural pity for Miss Cooke was
strengthened 10y the praises bestowed on her
beauty and wit by friend of his. who had
been her former admirer. He visited her in
her self Imprisonment, but she refused to see
him he insisted, and she at last came forth.
but she received him coldly. He pretended Il
desire to use her library, and borrowed a
book. which gave him pretext to call again
in few days, when he again saw her Lit
tie by little her reserve wore off, while his
enthusiasm for her grew into fervent love-
He urged his suit and besought her hand in
marriage. which she at first steadily refused,
and only yielded finally on condition tina, he
should first kill Col. Sharpe


This was in 1921, and in the Autumn of
that year he went to Frankfort. for the ex
press purpose of challenging Sharpe, and of
shooting him if he declined. The two walk
ed out together along the river at Frankfort,
and when they had come to a retired place
outside the town, Beauchamp disclosed to
sharpe in what relation he stood to Miss
Cooke, and asked if he would fight him
Sharpe said he could not fight in such
cause-he would let himself he killed rather
than do it and falling on his knees, he i'm
plored Beauchamp not to kill him. The hate
of the enraged man turned to scorn at what
he thought the most glaring cowardiee-he
struck sharpe in the face, called him by the
most insulting Names and swore he would
cane him in the streets every day until he
forced him to q duel. They pa ted, and ear
" next morning Sharpe left Frankfort and
Beauehamp lost bis opportunity.


Miss Cooke now resolved to kill her betray
err with her own hand, and together with
Bcauchamp, she contrived plot as artful as
that by which Leonore betrays Lothair, to
bring him to her house. where she could shoot
him. This failed, and after IA long time she
gave up her cherished plan, and left the mur.
der again to Beauchamp, who meanwhile, by
sophistry, such as familiarity with dread
full purpose often produces, had persuaded
himself that it would be right to kill his enc
my, not openly as he had at first proposed
but by assassination.


Accordingly, after his marriage with Miss
Cooke, in June 1925, he formed his plans for
the deed. Never mas murder more deliber
ately committed. For more than year lie
was busy making arrangements so that no
evidence could be brought against him. He
even deferred the act till after an election,
hoping that Thompson, who ran for Cover
nor against Desha in 1924, would pardon him
if he were chosen, as he was not Disap.
pointed in this, he determined to kill Sharpe
at such a time that his death would seem oc-
casioned by political enmty; for which rea-
son he chose the beginning of session of the
Legislature in which, as we have said, Sharpe
was a prominent man.


He Travelled to Frakfort, as if on business,
lodged at the house of q relative of Col
Sharpe, and disguised asa negro, he lurked
about the house of his victim till he made
sure he was within. lie then knocked called
him to the door, showed his face that he
might have the agony of knowing who his
murderer was, and then stabbed him to the
heart The unfortunate man knew his assas-
sin, but so sure had been the blow, that the
only words he spoke were, Pray, Mr..
Beauchamp," at the same time striving to
throw his arms about his neck but no one
heard that exclamation anG Beauchamp had
the satisfaction of seeing that no such evil
dence as this could be brought against him.
He fingered near the house till he was seen
by Mrs. Sharpe then went back to his lodg
ings After having resumed his own dress
and with tranquil and satisfied heart, as he
says himself, he lay down to sleep.


In the morning the whole town was in ex-
citement at the horrid deed. Beauchamps
host suspected him, but his calm demeanor
drove away all his suspicion, and he was al
lowed to leave Frankfort without molesta-
tion. As he drew near home, his wife. who
had been anxiously awaiting his return, saw
him approach waving red flag, which had
been the token of success agreed upon be-
tween them. She was full of joy. like himself
Mt the fulfllment of her just vengeance, as
they thought it, and talked over all the de-
tails of the crime with fearful satisfaction.


Beauchamp was soon arrested, as he ex-
pected TO be, bat contrary to expectations,
he found that all his pains to destroy evidence
had been fruitless. Crcumstances-those
fatal eaves-droppers-b bore too sure witness.
and where link was wanting in the chain