Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-11
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AT ROCKPORT

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AT ROCKPORT
An EstiInabIe Citizen Murdered i'm Cold
Blood by the ParamOur of His Faith
less Wffe-Tne Murderer Caught and
Hanged from the Nearest Tree-His
Confession and Death.
We are reliably informed that one of the
most bloody tragedies that ever darkened
the annals of this State, occurred at Rock
port, on the Tennessee river, on Friday
night last. We could not ascertain the
names of the parties concerned, but the
details of the bloody affair come to us from
persons upon whom we can implicitly rely
On the night in question, neighbor of
one of the most estimable citizens of Rock
port, called upon him, and in the course of
a conversation suggested that as the night
was pleasant the two should go out for a
walk. Nothing 10th, he acquiesced in the
proposition, and the two rambled away
together, taking the direction Of quiet
piece of woods not far distant. Not long
afterward, the sociable neighbor came run
ming from the woods at the top of his speed
as if pursuers were at his heels, and to the
first persons whom he met, he related
the particulars of terrible rencontre with
some negro soldiers, and to give color TO
the statement showed where his coat sleeve
had been cut open and a wound inflicted.
His story seemed plausible, and little
doubt was expressed in regard to it until
next day, when the body of the gentleman
with whom he had been seen TO walk out
was discovered in the woods, lying in
pool of clotted blood, and covered with
CHASTITY, gaping wounds, which appeared to
have been inflicted with a knife. Sus-
piciOns were at once aroused against the
man who had told the story of the negro
soldiers, and an investigation was quickly
made by the exasperated citizens, into all
the circumstances leading TO the bloody
ard mysterious murder. After careful in
quiry it was found that although some col
ored troops had passed through the place a
few days before the startling occurrence
none had remained. They therefore could
not possibly have committed the crime
and beside, there was no reason for It's
committal on their part
The facts in regard to the murder APP
pearing so plain, a number of citizens,
reused almost to madness by crime so
cold blooded, unprovoked and unjustifable,
at once seized upon the suspected man. and
procuring a stout rope, hurried him to the
nearest tree, from which they declared he
should swing in expiation of his offense.
The trembling wretch begged for mercy,
but his stern captors were determined that
he should die. While the rope was being
adjusted, seeing that there was no earthly
hope for him, he made full confession of
his guilt, declaring that he had been led to
the commission of the crime through the
devilish arts of the unprincipled wife of
the murdered man, of whom he had become
enamored. She had agreed to marry him,
if he would quietly put her husband out of
the way, and he had finally made up his
mind to risk everything that he might
possess her, and ON Friday night had un-
dertaken the execution of plan which he
thought would secure for him forever the
coveted prize.
His story, however, still more exas-
perated the men into whose relentless
clutches he had fallen, and the rope was
quickly thrown over a stout limb, and in a
few brief moments the murderer was a cold,
stiffened corpse, swaying between the clear
blue sky and the lovely earth beneath,
while a slow, sad, dirge-like sound rnstled
from the green forest leaves, as if in pity
OF the miserable being who had been thus
suddenly called to expiste his sins in
death.
A short time after this closing scene of a
terrible tragedy, the Sheriff rode hastily
mp, having hurried to the spot in the hope
of rescuing the prisoner from so sudden a
death, and bringing him regularly to trial
for the crime. He represented to the self
constituted executioners, that although the
enormity of the oiense, and the great re-
spect felt for the murdered man, were cal
cnlated to eXasperste the most cool and
clear-headed, the course they had pursued
could not be justified. At last accounts,
however the lynchers had not been put
under arrest.