Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-30

1HE KILLING AT TRISSE or MOsDAY
--On Christmas eve Geo. Walton killed
Geo. Ryan at drinking saloon in Triune
Williamson county Mention mas been
made Of the circumstance in the papers OF
the city; and in one Of them, two state
nieBts have been given-the frst, as we: are
informed by a citizen Of the vicinity, 81
proIimating the truth of The case. and Inc
other, headed "BRUTAL OUTRAGE--GBo.
RYAN MURDERED FOR BETNG UNION
MAN" ETC, being gross perversion, and
doing great injustice 70 the community re-
siding near the scene Of the affair.
The facts as related BY this gentleman
who knew the parties, and heard the ma
terial portions Of the evidence before the
three committing magistrates on Friday,
are as follows:
| Geo. Walton, young man OF eighteen
4 or twenty years Of age, a subject Of long
standing and incurable scrOfulous disease Of
the hip joint, diminutve in size and a
cripple, was at a saloon on the main street
Of the village in a Gtate Of intoKication.
He was IN a variable bumOT, sometimes
jocose and again quarrelsome. imme-
diately before the killing, he was in front
Of the saloon dancing and exhibiting "a
step" with his deformed leg, and declaring
that he could whip any man of his weight
in the town. He made this remark TO
young man named Bostick, who replied
properly 10 a drunken man and passed on.
Walton continued TO repeat his boast
and said he did not want TO fight
a friend but was ready for any man
who did not like him. At this iunctuFe,
Mr. Ryan, who was standing near, and
who was a man Of stout, athletic,rame weigh
ing one hundred and eighty or two hundred
pounds, said he could not do il, and started
towards Walton. Waltonranintot the saloon.
Witnesses on the street swore that as Ryan
pursued him through the door, ne drew, or
attempted to draw a weapon. The saloon
keeper testified that he heard shot while
STOPPING behind the counter, and when he
rose, Ryan had Walton by tkecollar against
the wall. Immediately Walton fred,
reaching over Ryan's shoulder, and during
the scufhe fired again, when Ryan fell to
the floor, and in few moments expired.
Walton left the place and secreted him
self, fearing an attack from the sons of Ry-
an. The deputy sheriff was in the village.
but very properly did not proceed to
search for Walton while there was proba-
bility that if brought upon the streets he
would be attacked by the young Ryans.
When the brother Of Walton informed him
that his brother preferred to surrender him.
self TO the law, il he could be satisfied that
he would not be assaulted, warrant
was procured and Walton came forward
and submitted, and demanded an investi-
cation. The investigation elected the facts
as given above. Our informant did not
hear the conclusion OF the Justices. but pre-
sumes that Walton was committed for trial
before the circuit court, and released on
bail. He waved defense in detail before
the magistrates court, preierring 10 have /
the matter tried before the circuit court.
Ryan was known as a Union man, and !
one of strong prejudices. He was quite |
unpopular in that vicinity. Walton is a |
youth merely, Of rather wild and dissolute |
habits. An occurrence i month or two |
since with Mr. Ryan and his sOn had pro- |
duoed an ill-feeling between them and |
hence the alacrity Of Ryan's resentment Of |
the drunken remark Of Walton, and his |
assault upon him, resulting as it did so /
speedily in a fatal termination.
The statement Of our contemporary, that |
the sheriff and citizens seemed Indifferent |
to Mr. Ryan's fall and permitted Walton
to escape is grossly unjust TO them. Mr.. |
Ryan body was taken care of by his family /
and the Masonic fraternity Of which he was
a member; and as we have stated, Walton
only secreted himself from the fury Of
Ryan's sons and gave himself up TO the
law on the plea that the killing was in self
defence.
Mr.. Ryan's politics had nothing to do
with his death. He resented the re-
remark Of drunken man, and attempted
to punish him, and was killed. Structures
on the affair which impugn the whole COM
munity in the region Of Triune, nine-tenths
Of whom did not know Of it until after its
and cared little for either party
to it, are unwarranted. To make a killing
under such circumstances the ground of
against the whole people, is
despicable psrtizanship.