Convicted Murderer, Figure In The Beauchamp-Sharp Tragedy. From a fairly prominent family Beauchamp was a respectable law student before the murder. In the early hours of November 7, 1825, he fatally stabbed Colonel Solomon Sharp, a former attorney-general of Kentucky at Sharp’s home in Frankfort, Kentucky. During an 1824 political campaign a handbill had been circulated accusing Sharp of seducing Ann Cook and fathering an illegitimate child by her in 1820. Beauchamp who had married Cook in 1824 was furious at the allegations and murdered Sharp when he answered his door. Tried, convicted and sentenced to death he and Ann persuaded his jailers to allow them to stay together. On July 5, 1826, they attempted a double suicide by taking laudanum. The attempt was unsuccessful but a guard was placed in the cell. On July 7th the day set for the hanging, they pesuarded their guard to allow them some privacy. They then made a second suicide attempt, this time with a knife. Beauchamp was hustled off to the gallows but was so weak from his wounds he had to be supported by two men before being hanged. Ann succumbed to her wounds at nearly the same time. They were buried in an embrace in the same coffin. The Beauchamp-Sharp tragedy created a national sensation at the time and has been the subject or inspiration for many books and story plots. The most famous of which are probably Edgar Allan Poe’s “Politan” and Robert Penn Warren’s “World Enough and Time.” (bio by: Steve Dunn)  Family links:  Spouse:  Ann Cooke Beauchamp (1786 – 1826)* *Calculated relationship