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

IN connection with four distinct broils that he has
had here he was regarded as a quarrelsome and
oupracious man; ] can only judge from the nature
81 those broils as to his being dangerous man,
and am not permitted to speak as to what they
were.
- cross examination.
B. Fogg. Direct examination by Mr.. E. g. Ew-
ing.
A. Hall; always understood HIM to be quiet and
man; never heard of his being engaged
in any quarrels. Icannot say that am acquainted
with the character of Mr.. Poindexter, except from
what have heard within the last six months; that
arose from particular cases; knew him in Clarks-
Vile some wears ago; drew no conclusion from him
then: from what heard for the last six months or
A yearI could not state much about it; the concu-
sion that / would draw is, that he was very hon
orable high-minded man, but sensitive in every
thing that regarded his personal character or poht
ical matters and he was resenttul; he was man of
spirit VINO would resist any attack upon him; he
was rather quick to quarrel in matters affecting
himself or party; think he would resent an inlu-
nv much quicker than most people, and would re-
sort extreme means to carry out his purposes he
would resort to those means which regarded as
the means of men Of spirit and of courage.
No cross examination.
John Hv. Smith. Direct examination by Mr. E. H.
Ewing.
am acquainted with the character of Allen A.
Hall. He was regarded as very peaceable man; /
think / was acquainted with the character of
Mr.. POindexter in this community. His character
was that of being a very sensitive man. and when
his sensibilites were aroused or he took ohence'
he was ready to resent it with the most dangerous
weapons and in the most dangerous manner. His
character was that of a sensitive dangerous man.
Cross examination by Mr.. A. Ewing
did not regard him as dangerous unless aroused
or put in position to excite a difficulty.
DR.. J. B. Mayfeld. Direct examination by Mr.. T.
H. Ewing.
l am acquainted with the character of Allen A.
Hall | don't know of any more peaceable citizen.
was acquainted with the character Of Mr.. Poin-
dexter He was fighting man and dangerous
man.
No cross examination.
r. F. Woods Direct examination by Mr.. h. ii.
Ewing
am acquainted with the character of Allen a.
Hall always regarded him as peaceable man.
am not acquainted with the character Of Mr.
Poindexter except with reference to several dlih-
cuities | cannot say as | know the estimation OF
the community never heard It much spoken OF.
No cross examination.
Dr. J. T. Menioye. Direct examination by L, II.
Ewing.
| am acquainted with the general character of
Allen A. Hall. never heard anything else OF MI.
Hall than that he was a peaceabe man. have
known him for more than twenty years. know
how he is estimated in this community where he
has lived.
No cross examination.
John Morrow. Direct examination BY Mr. E Il.
Ewing.
I am acquainted with the character of Allen A.
Hall for peace and violence. always regarded
him a peaceable man.
know less of Mr.. POindeXters character than OF
Mr. Halls think | know how he stood in this
community for peace and violence. lie was regard
ed as a dangerous man when excited or brought in
contact with one He had the character of being a
fighting man.
Cross examined by Mr. Bate.
The most peaceable men are sometimes most dan
Gus when excited.
". H. Gordon. Direct examination by Gov.
Brown.
/ am acquainted with the character of Mr.. Allen
A. Hall. He is peaceable man, remarkably so.
Isuppose am acquainted with the character OF
Mr. Poindexter. He was generally considered a
dangerous man. whenever offended. or imagined he
was. He had the character OF being fighting
man.
No cross examination
Dr. F. H. Badger. Direct examination by Gov.
Brown.
/ have seen MrsP oindexter shoot gun. Twas going
over the river to try gun, in company with some
other gentlemen, and met Mr.. PoindeXter and asked
him to 90 with u.s. He shot couple of times, about
forty-five or fifty yards at sheet Of paper. he
succeeded as well as any of us. He hit the paper
II was a sheet of letter paper.
Cross examination by A Ewing.
don't remember how many shot were in the
gun The paper was placed on the side of the toun-
dry 1t was about ten days or two weeks ago.
Direct examination resumed
1 never saw him shoot at birds on the wing.
asked him if he good shot on the wing and he
said he was tOlerabe shot.
Cross examination by Mr.. Bate.
He did not say whether he could see whether the
birds fell or not after he shot He did not say that
he was obliged 10 have some one with him TO tell
him whether the birds fell or not.
H. nv
Brown.
l have seen Mr. Poindexter shoot a gun. DR..
Badger another gentleman and myself went over
the river to try gun and asked Mr.. PondeXter to
go with We put up a sheet OF letter paper to
shoot at 1t was at distance OF over forty yards.
He shot at the target with the rest of us. He re-
marked that he was pretty good shot on the wing
and invited me to go with him in Montgomery cOun-
ty sometime this fall.
No cross examination.
Herman IL. Cox Direct examination by Gov.
Brown.
| was on Cherry street last Friday week. The
first thing saw was Mr.. POindexter himself was
in the second story in COper's building and heard
voice the street, that from previous knowl-
edge of difficulty, not between this defend
ant but his son and Mr.. POindexter, led me
me TO think that the difficulty was about to come off
and started towards the front part Of the Office;
when started and got within ten or twelve feet OF
the iron railing THAT goes in front of CoOper's
neously with that | heard the report of a gun
and discovered that he was wounded. and l
then pressed forward to the railing and he
seemed TO have gone back one step, and then IN
ward and then to fall His face was rather inWards
saw that he was wounded severely, and saw Mr.
John Hail. and thought Hall had him on the pave
ment and refusing 10 rush upon him. ran
down there and Just before got to him, saw some
gentlemen pick him up and then started up to the
Ne5rS Office When got there | asCertained that 1t
ToI, Hall no
dexter was with his face towards the AelcS office,
going I'D Cherry street, | suppose, when first saw
him. He had umbrella that l thought was NOT
IN In his right hand was something which took
to be a pistol at the moment. When ran down and
saw no pistol it occurred to me that was mistaken
and that he had no pistol cannot tell whether his
hand was in the act of being extended or had been
drawn back | saw him almost simultaneously with
the shot. Hearing some one calling was what at
tracted nv attention. had not seen Mr.. Hall be-
fore that morning. | was apprehensive it was
meeting between Mr.. PoindeXter and Mr.. John Hall.
| could not state what the words used were.
1t was a very positive tone Of voice and one
that indicated that the difficulty was about to en-
sue | cannot say whether Mr.. FOIndeXter was
advancing or not when | saw him. just at the
crack OF the gun he gave back and made an eX-
clamatOn, As if he was wounded, and the umbrel-
la shut back. He began falling then, advancing
up the street. whether Intentionally or not, cannot
say He had not fallen on the pavement when left
the railing. l saw nobody a. all except Mr. John
Hail with his shawl him. leaning his back against
the wall. l never saw any umbrella over him but
it was under his arm. think it closed.
Cross examination by Mr.. A. Ewing
l saw him Just at the time of his being shot 1t
might have been second before after. My
impression is that his umbrella was under his arm
| thought at the time l something in his hand
and that it was a pistol. When | went Gown and
did not see the pistol, thought it not pistol
Afterward, when l learned there was one there |
again thought it was pistol ltmay have been the
handle of his umbrella.
Examination by the Justices.
When / heard the sound | was between Gen
Bates office and my own. 1t about 20 feet from
the railing, As heard the voice it occurred to me
that this difficulty was going to occur. The first
thing that caught my eye was Mr.. PoindeXter.
nirect examination resumed by Gov Brown
ran two or three steps before | could see Mr..
Poindexter and was ten or twelve feet from the
railing.
A. C. Roberts. Direct examination by Gov.
Brown.
don't know much of Mr.. POndexter's expert
ence with firearms; have seen him shoot; it was
front of the Capitol the distance of about thr
" steps; he hit the object he shot at; it about
the size of mana larger man than am; he hit
Mr. Beaumont in the leg. (The counsel for the
objected to this mode of examination
bringing in evidence of particular instances) 1t
was not exactly across but dagonally up the street,
one gentleman was standing the edge of the
street and the other the opposite side on the
sidewalk. THE witness was asked to explain the