Year: 1879

It's not often that We in our journal
istis capacity are called upon to chron.
icls a. transaction SO filled with sym
pathetic recognition OF injury done as
that Of tn. murder Of Perry Dsmby by
a lawless gang Of young ruffians. The
ciicumst anc-s attending the affair were
not generally known until about noon
yesterday. On Saturday evening Perry,
who lives on the farm Of Randolph Pc
teIs, came in town with two young
friends of his, Charles Washington and
Samuel Clark accompanied bv his son
Alonzo. After visiting several friends
and calling at various stores and max
ing purchases, he abolt eleven o'clock
started TO return to his home. The
three young men were then with him.
His course ho,ptward was over the
causeway. II was known that Perry
had some money upon his person as he
had been given q short time previous,
about twenty-five dollars. The four not
suspecting for an instant that they
would be waylaid, proceeded along as
they had come, chatting and laughing
wholly ignorant Of the trouble that
was impending. Upon arriving direct
ly in front of Walther's saloon four
young meh advanced rapidly from a
dark covert and attacked Perry who was
few steps in advance. Perry's three
companions coming to the old mans
rsscue a hand to land repcontre took
place.


THE OLD MAN MURDERED.


Who the assaiants were was not
then known; they were drunk and
we're evidently more intent on mischief
than on any mercenary desire. The
struggle was sharp one, and the col
ortd men beginning to receive the
worst Of it, the old man who was down
in the road, with generous regard for
the safety Of his young companions,
plead with them to run and save
themselves; that they THE as'ailants
wouldn't hurt snch ap old man as he
was" The advice of Perry was taken
and the young men made good their
escape. How the old man had been de-
ceived in his opinion of his assailants
he was soon to know. After pursuing
the retreating colored men they all re
turned and tenewed the assault upon
Perry. 1t was most vicious one. AZ
ter maltreatng the negro in terrible
manner they left him groanng and mo
tionless in the middle of the road in
front Of McManu's saloon.


Here oHeof the propristors OF this
establishment coming to the door, saw
the injured man, and gsing to his as.
sistance placed him on his feet and
started him down the causeway. He
had not gone far when, from the in
formation cleaned, it appears he was
again attacked by the came crowd, and
the bloody work we'll nigh completed
He was either knocked in the ditch on
the road side, or stumbled in, for the
earth around and the mud in the
ditch, plainly gave evidence Of strug-
gle OF some nature. 1t was here that
his assailants must have left him, l,ft
him with just enough animation to
to drag himself up the embankment
over the pathway into the middle of
the road, where, his every energy ex-
hausted, he fell upon his face and ex-
pired.


1t was in this position that he was
found by the milkman Ridgeway, aud
also by the reporter Of the REPUBLICAN
soon after. He was dressed in check
shirt; short dark pants and coat; aside
from the blood stained appearance Of
his nostrils, there were no evidence of
bruises upon his face or head. His
clothes were thoroughly saturated with
dirt and filth from the ditch. The
place where he was laying was about
forty yards this side of where James
Temple, colored, was found with his
throat sutaboIt year ago. The news
the murder soon spread and before the
body was removed the scene had been
viewed by thousands. Suspicion i'm
mediately attached itself to the young
men who had made the assault in
front of the beer saloon the night be-
fore and by working up the matter the
officers soon had them arrested and
placed in the cells. They are as fol-
lows: Walter Finn, Jeffrey Smith,
James Monahan and George Kopp.


Indignation against the perpetrators
Of the deed was general. The murder
ed man DENNY was highly resp" cited
both among white as we'll as black.
He was very quiet and orderly, and
not the man under any circumstances
likely to pick quarrel with any one.
This unnatural death of DENLY calls to
public mind the tragic decease of the
colored man James Temple. DENNY
was the man who was arrested with |
blood upon bis boots and for time was |