Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-02

The killing of Mr.. POindexteF.
We conclude this morning the evidence in the case
Of ALLEN A HALL The argument of counsel, which
viii give in next issue, will furnish better
summary of the facts, their character and bearing
than we, under the pressure of other duties would
be able to present There are some things, hOwev-
er, that we now deem it necessary to say in vindi
cation of the honor and memory of Mr.. PORDExTER.
Mr. PonDExTER, as one of the editors of this pa
per, as in every other relation in life, was, to
personal knowledge, extremely averse to the use of
any language that might be regarded inconsistent
with the character and honor of gentleman he
therefore scrupuiously avoided trespassing upon
the rights Of others and required an observance of
the same courtesy towards himself 1t is also mat
ter known to and to others that he manifested a
special concern, fro-9 fear of being msjudged by
the public to avoid any difficulty with the ndivid-
ual who took his life and whose face he had never
looked upon to know to the fatal moment of his
death
He felt aggrieyed at the general tone and spirit of
the Ne,rs its stctures upon this paper, and per-
sonay insulted by the charges against his veracty
and honor contained in Its leading editorial Of No
vember 10th, which called forth the personal para
graph in the Union AND ANERICAS of the following
day. For that paragraph he was called to accounl
by young HALL 10 which he promptly responded,
taking such steps as he regarded necessary to
give ample and fair satisfaction to the party az
grieved. [See the testimony of Mr.. WHTTrHoRSE,
published on yesterday That matter having end
ed, he had ample reason to suppose that no new
provocation for a difficulty would immediately fol-
low in advance Of any fresh cause on his part.
The appearance of the card, over the signature
of ALLEN A HAIL, in the Nelcs of the following
morning, was regarded by Mr.. P. as purposely in
tended to force difficulty and as so scandalizing
his character as to render it absolutely necessary
that he should see the author and resent it.
The bitterness, vindictiveness and deliberation Of
this card, under the circumstances, were such as
to leave him no other alternative. And we leave it
10 an honest public to say, in view of the evidence
whether it not prepared under a knowledge of
Mr.. P's character; but however prepared no gem
tlemon will question the right and duty of Mr.. P.
70 vindicate himself from its mputations
He did not know the senior editor of the Nel1s'
even by sight He determined, therefore, to call on
him at his place Of business, and invited friend TO
60 with him, to whom he expressed his intention to
resent the insult by a blow with his open hand !;
arming himself, however, for any emergency that
might arise rendering defence of his life necessa-
~. Not finding the editor OF the AelzS in and I'M
willing to attract public attention by his movements,
he agreed with his friends to abandon the idea of
seeing him at that time, and with this agreement
separated with his friends and started for his own
Office Regarding himself the aggrieved party. he
had no cause TO anticipate difficulty unless he
broughtlt on; and having resolved upon different
course for the tine he hosted his umbrella to pro-
feet him from the rain, and started in rapid walk
for the UNION AND AMERICAN office, which is upon
the same street on which he killed, and beyond
the Ne1rs Office, from whence he separated with his
friends. There is some considerable ascent in the
street up which he was passing He walked, as
was his custom with his head down, the umbrella
dropping before him, little dreaming that in few
moments ne would be riddled with buck-shot, from
the hands of one whom he had never seen, to know,
and might have passed upon the street unrecOgnized
and whose features, if he had known so well,
he could not have distinguished at the distance of
forty feet.
The particulars of the killing-the manner in
which the gun had been procured and prepared the
evening before-the anticipated attack and the
preparation of parties to accompany the editor OF
the Mems from his house to his Office in the morning
the deliberate manner in which the party using
the gun came from his retired and private to
the front Office. and there cooked the gun before
leaving the ROOM and then stepping into the street
interceptng him upon the highway, commanding
him to stop thrice and shooting him almost simul-
taneously, are matters fully stated in the proof
as to require no alIuson from US. We say to our
friends, as mater of Judgment with US, that it is
highly questionable whether Mr. PoNnEXTER ever
IL, 81, IA IN
With regard to the testimony we desire to say
that no immediate friend of Mr.. PoINDEXTER witness
ed the shooting Most of the witnesses were to him
entire strsugers-tlc important ones for the defence
are members Of the AetrS office and parties to the
previous preparation that was made for the killing
Il has been sought Justify the accused by an eff
fort TO prove Mr. PoNDExTEB dangerous man"
Party opponents examined for this purpose
who knew nothing or little Of him personally, and
but little Of the estimation in which he held by
the majority of those who did know him personally.
Il is a gratifying fact that could be found to
testify that the deceased dangerous man
among those who had ever known him well Of
chose introduced by the prosecution to defend his
veputation against this attack Of all shades
of political opinion opponents well as friends
The entire proof goes 10 show that, in the language
of Mr.. Jackson 'ferocity or aggresgiveness was no
part of his character" Even the defence cOuldnOt
question and their own witnesses show that he was
polite and gentle in manner, mild and pleasant in
disposition, animated by high sense of honor, and
brave and fair in defending himself against sup
posed injury.
The common sense of every one will rise up in
witness that it Is impossible for such man to have
been dangerous 3" in the sense in which that word
was here employed Frail and diminutive in size,
feeble in health dim in vision and honorable in the
highest degree, he was intercepted upon the public
highway and shot down with double-barrelled
gun heavily loaded with buckshot for only such rea
sons as are be found in the testimony of this
We leave 70 an honorable and correct puslic judg-
ment to pronounce the verdict of approval or con-
demnation.