Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-16
= TUESDAY. OCTOBER Is. Isss.
ZION RonERTsoN coUNTY


Correspondence Of the Union and Ameriean.l
SPRINGFIELD, Oct. Is, 1s66.-Nothing ol
interest has occurred in our quiet county foI
some time past that would give your CORES.
p0ndent subject upon which 20 write any
thing interesting to the many readers Of the
UNION AND AMERICAN; but az our October
term Of the Circuit Court there has been two
cases tried. the result Of one Of which es-
pecially, cannot fail to be read with unusual
interest BY all lovers Of justice.
Il will be remembered that some time ia
August, 1865, a horrible report went the
rounds Of cur papers, Of rape committed
upon the person Of beautiful, though poor
young lady, named SARAH +. WATSON
living IN Cheatham county, by, 1t was sup
posed, Methodist preacher, named RAnlEY,
under the most singular circumstances;
RAMEY alleging that band Of guerrillas,
commanded By one Capt THAYER, com
PEELED him to 20 to the house of the widow
WATSON, and tell her that she either must
yield her eldest daughter, lSARAH,l 70
the embraces Of THAYER, or be (TRAYER(
would kill them all. The widow and the
daughters s0bbed and shrieked and beggsd
RAAIEY TO help them escape in the darkness
Of the night 20 the house Of a neighbOr;
but he told them that il was impossible
that the house was surrounded-and there
was no chance but submission. SARAH, not
Withstanding her tears and piteOus requests
10 this cowardly or villianous man, 70 20 aud
endeavor to persuade this Captain 10 forgo
his damnable intentions was forced 10 sub
NIT 70 save her poor mother and sisters.
RAMET, shen told the widow and other
daughters they must 20 up stairs, There are
but two rooms IN the house, one above and
one below,1 and assisted them himself 10 do
50. he then compelled ihe poor girl to
take of her clothes, told her she would know
the Captain as he was about his size, only a
little shorter-put out the fres-darkening
the room 80 no ones face could be seen-and
then went out and after few moments i'm
aginary conversation with the supposed
THAYER, came in, and, having no heart
wherewithal 10 listen TO the wretched girls
heart-rending supplications, completed his
hellish purpose. He then went out, and re-
turned shortly in his own person, and in
quired If the CdptGin had injured her, and
adgised The use Of something % PreUezt concep.
tion
Shortly afterwards he was suspected, as
no other horse tracts we're seen but
his own anywhere around. There being
no civil courts at that time this
took place the 9th day Of May, 1854, J
and the widow poor, the matter died away
till about The time Of the publication Of the
above facts which, first appeared, think, in
the Louisville C5mier, in 1865, at which time
he was tried by the Methodist Church Con-
ference as to his guilt in this affair, and sub
sequently turned out Of the church.
The case was adjourned from Cheaiham
county TO this and was brought up last Tues
Al. 4
pl0yed in IL: For the prosecution, States
Attorney JAS. Z. RICE, Hon. JEo. +. HOUSE,
Col. ]. T. BAILEY, Gen. w. A. QUARLEs,
J. w. JUDD, Hon. Jo. c. STARK and r. w.
PRIrcHErT, Esq, Of Knoxville; for the
defense, Maj. WASH. LOWE, Hon. J. G..
GUILD w. =. LOWE, Esq, and Hon. g. A.
HENRY. Over seventy witnesses we're sworn
and put under the rule, thirty-three for the
State and thirty-seYen for the defense The
examination was long and very close, and
only closed Thursday evening.
The opening argument was made in
behalf Of the State BY r. w. PRITCHETT,
Of Nashville, and well may Nashville
boast Of him, for though his first speech
before jury, il was a splendie effort, win
ming the highest eneomiums from the
talented gentlemen present. Hon. 10.
GUILD made one Of his "bulgers," but hav-
ing no ground upon which to base HE argu-
ment il was torn to pieces by the talented
gentleman, Colonel BAILEY who fol-
lowed him. J. w. JUDD's speech was re-
plete with grave argument and deserves
special mention; but the clincher" came
with the speech Of Hon. JNo. +. House.
who reviewed the whole case with a clear
ness aud precision that could hardly leave 4
doubt on the minds Of the jury as TO the
guilt fthe defendant Maj. Lowe for the
defense, made an able speech. General
QUARLEs closed the case, and the jury was
charged by Judge CAMPBELL in his usual ex-
celent style. At II o'clock, P. NJ. the jury
went cut, and Sunday morning were dis
charged, they not being able to agree. They
were eleven for conviction and one for ac-
quital. The case is to be tride again next
court.
The other case mentioned is the State rs.
pHII.LIP. ID. CHowNING, for murder, on
which the jury also disagreed. These pris-
oners have been tried three times with the
same result They have been nearly year
in iail. SKILTON.