, 1865-11-28
TIE sHELBYyMLE HOMICIDE.

GkA&e1RfAl Oh l1sG C1fEufnS20uce& oil tue
mnrder Of Lieut. George Tacxctt,
Who YVES Shot bY Thos- M. Thornton
NJ shelbYville, Nov. Fl, 1865.
Ed5tnrs Chicago Tribune:
On Tuesday afternoon young Tackctt was
sitting IN the clothing store Of Messrs. K1ec-
man d, Goldsten reading & newspaper behind
the stove, with bis 1aee town1d the door,
when Thomas II. Thornton, son Of G1h. Vim.
F. Thornton, and partner With his father in
the banking business there, walked into the
store stralght up 10 the stove, and with re-
rolver already cooked and drawn, without
saying single word or letting Tackett kno%
at his presence, shot him In the left breast
near the heart. Tackett stunned by the bali,
staggered and made an effort to pass Thorn
ton and get out the door, When Thornton
ag1in shot him.. With these two balls In him
he etin tried to escape, hut Thornton
pursued him, shooting rapidly until Tackett
fell in the middle Of tho street,
morally wounded by three Of Thoruton's
shots ; but even then, while Tackett lay vel.
teriDg in his gore, not satisfied with his
bloody work, Thornton shot again, aud still
ngasn bent OYER the pSostrate foFm Of the
dying man, md shot linn through the head,
tho ball entering about the centre Of the back
sidc Of the head, and lodging near the eye
Thornton then coolly walked away to his
Office, where IL would eeem be had horse
ready prepared, behind the Office, which he
mounted and swiftly rode away through the
bnck streets out Of town.
A casual notice Of this awful crime has mp
psa7ea in ssys5s. paps5s, n Which Il Is sid
.. The facts OF that charge, like the facts Of
many such stories, Gre not generally known,
but those which are known to the outside
world are about Ike this: Somewhere about
two years sinco, Tackett, then a mere boy
clcrking for the fhoEntons, by the reqaest Of
Thornton, or ut least with his consent har-
messed up Tornton's horses or saddled them
and escorted Mrs. Thornton and her family,
!; or the lady above, on her drives, either as
driver or escort. lie often walked with her
! to and from church and 3undoy Schools, nud
people, always busy with such matters, soon
talked about it, and the scandal becoming
known or quite general Iackett was dismissed
from his place and forbidden tt c house. Mrs.
| Thornton qlwhys SPOKE 10 him, however, when
| they met, and some time aitcrwnrd called at
! the store where he was then employed, and
that afternoon they were seen together talk
| Ing in the cemetery near Thorntun's House,
! The day after this, Thornton took his vile
| to St. Louis from which she has never return
| cd, md Tnckett hearing Of threats and know.
Ing the power Of the Thorton fnmfty, left
\ town aud Afterwards entered the army, and
was commissioned Lieutenant. Whiie In
the service, 1t Is said, he met Thornton 1tc'
auent|y In st. Louis, and he has been home
several times since, and had been homo about
two months when be was thus cut od.
! Thornton, after taking Lis wife away, re
turned and at The next Court procured di
vorce, but 1t was done privately, and mont
but the Witnesses knew whit the evidence
was as no defence wns made
Many people believe, from the age and posi-
tlon which Tackctt occupied IN the service o
Thornton, that, u there was sny seduction
The boy was sed,i2ed md not the woman
End, not being second joseph, be could no
resist the wlles Of q pretty woman, whfls
many, still more charitable. and knowing
Mrs. Thornton as proud, fine looking. In
tclligent woman, member Of church, bcncv
o1cnt to the poor, and respected, not only fo
her own good qualities but for her very ricl
and respectable relatives, believe that NJ
criminal Intercourse was cvcr fndulEcd In b,
them, and that she saw young Tackett fol
other and better motives. This Is swha
young Tackctt always maintained when talk
ing with his mother and other friends.
The sad a1air has cast gloom over tn
town, yet no man, however high or rich
should thus defy the laws Of God and man
tlat two years Is time enough to heal g wounl
made by ffuit woman-I indeed she "a!
fra1 and guilty. Of leading boy to sratif!
Thornton has fed and youns Ta:kett'l
brothers have offered thousand dollars re
ward 10 bring him to trial.