Year: 1870

Bed-FeRrfuI BIunder of a Murderer


Correspondence of n. Y. Sun.


NASHVILLE, East Tennessee, April 21.-
A terrible tragedy was enacted on Thurs
day of last week, in one of the upper dis
tricts of Sewer county. A poor widow wo-
man of the name of Stratton had been to
Knoxville to receive pension money to the
amount of S85. On her return she sought
and obtained lodging, on that, Thursday
evening, at the house of one Joe Burkhard
In the border of one of the mountain set
Elements


Being much worn with the long journey
performed on foot, the woman retired at an
early hour, occupying bed with Burkhard's
wife, The man himself went out immedi-
ately after supper, and did not return until
the hour at which the women were going
to bed He sat beside the fire q short
time, then tinkered about the room few
minutes, and finally departed the second
time.


Some time in the night Mrs Stratton
awoke from an unpleasant dream She was
greatly disturbed in mind, and evidently
apprehensive Of danger. She tried to calm
her agitated thoughts and sleep again, but
found it impossible. The oppressive sense
of peril became intensified. The room was
silent and utterly dark, yet the woman fan
cied she heard sounds without that boded
no good. The money in her possession was
no comforter then.


Finally, unable to endure this state of
suspense longer, she awakened Mrs. Burk
hard, and begged to be permitted to occupy
the back side of the bed, saying that she
was afraid to lie in front. Mrs. B., evil
IDENTIFY considering this a freak of timidity,
at once changed places with the woman,
and in short time was asleep again.


Not so the other, however. Weary as
she was, she could not sleep nor drive 5ar
from her mind. An hour passed in usual
silence. Finally movement was heard
without. The muffied tread OF feet sound
ed before the house. The door was softly
pushed open, and two human figures
stealthily entered the apartment Noise
lessly they crossed the puncheon floor and
approached the bedside where the two
women were lying. Mute and breathless
with terror, Mrs. s. saw one of the ruffians
lay his hand on the face of her unconscious
companion, while with the other hand he
drew long knife across her throat. She
distinctly heard the low, kissing sound
made by the keen blade as it cut its way
through the yielding flesh, then the dull
grating as it crossed the bone, and felt the
warm blood of the victim as it spurted
across the bed and fell upon her face.


Overcome with the horror of this bloody
scene enacted by her very side in the midst
of silence and darkness the fear of SIM
liar fate paralyzed the poor woman, and
she thought she was dying. Daring not to
move or make sound, yet scarcely able to
control herself, she lay with closed eyes
and wildly beating heart, helplessly await
ing the termination of the fearful drama.


The murderers laid hold of the hfeless
body of Mrs. B., believing it, of course, to
be hat Of the stranger, and dragged it onto
the floor, and thence out into the yard, no
doubt to search for the money which Burk-
hard knew Mrs. S. carried in her bosom.


The latter, the moment she saw them
disappear through the open door, sprang
from the bed, in the hope of making her
escape. She well knew that as soon as the
assassins discovered the mistake they had
made, they would destroy her without
mercy. The miserable cabin possessed one
wretched excuse for a fireplace. 1t was
built of split timber, lined with mud, and
outside extended up perhaps foot above
the level of the mantel log.


Through this broad opening Mrs. S. saw
the light shining from without, and there
she sought an exit. Plunging through the
hot ashes and buried Goals, with feet un-
clothed, she clamored over the low wall of
the fireplace, and fed toward the nearest
house, a half-mile distant.


The alarm was given, and in a remarka-
bly, short space of time small company of
citizens assembled, and proceeded to the
scene of the murder. They happily
the place in time to surprise and capture
Burkhard, who was engaged in packing up
few articles of clothing, preparatory to
flight. His daughter, a girl of II or IS
years, was assisting him in this operation.


The hardened wretch manifested very
little if any concern for what had trans
pred, and seemed only to regret the failure
of his original design. His accomplice had
escaped but every effort is being made to
secure his arrest. The unhappy victim of
this revolving crime was found partially Sc
creted beside the corn-crib, some distance
in the rear of the house.