The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1868-07-30

He told them to send IN about thirty men
to hold as reserve, aud chat he would
come and meet them.
At ten o'clock p. m. NtutlaI night;
he rode out about three miles, pSssihg a
squad of negroes.
A short distance beyond this point he
met the citizens, selected eight Of them,
and rode into town, disturbing no one, and
saying not word to anybody. They re-
manned in town ON the watch for an attack
for little better than an hour, when, be-
lieving there would be no difficulty, our
informant told them they had as we'll go
home to their families.
Accordingly, they started, and had got
about mile and half from town, when
they were fred upon by party of negroes
and white man concealed in ambush.
The ambuscade consisted of sixteen ne
groes and two white men, making eigh-
teen in all.
Young Ezell was shot by the assassins
and mortallv wounded. A young man
named Bcasley was also shot through the
foot and his horse was badly hurt.
We have since learned that young Ezell
died on Saturday night. The citizens Of
franklin we're up all night Sunday night,
guarding the town, and no little excite
ment prevailed, in apprehension of furth-
err hostile demonstrations on the part Of
the negro assassins and their white lead
ers,9
There was no disturbance yesterday,
though the inhabitants were ready for an
emergency and abundantly prepared for
the worst.
The Columbia Herald gives the follow
ing information of how the negroes are
conducting themselves in Maury county:
"Last Sunday night the family of james
Freeland, deceased, were awakened by
sudden scream, and the violent entering
Of the room from the room up stairs.
After striking light it was discovered to
be Mr.. link Freeland, bleeding profusely
and unable to speak, He narrowly escaped
being shot while in the dark. lie knew
not what had occurred, and appeared even
unconscious of being dangerously wounded.
On going up stairs the would-be assassin
was discovered, a negro boy about ii years
old. He is represented as having been a
very ferocious looking negro--having a
very peculiarly shaped head. He after
wards confessed to the deed, and gave his
plans in detail. Several weeks previous
he asked some one on the place whether
sticking in the throat with knife would
produce death, and was answered in the
affirmative. A short time thereafter he
desired to know Of the same person
whether an axe would prove a more seri-
Gus weapon than knife, and again re-
ceived IAN Affirmative answer. lie crept
/ up stairs stealtltly with an axe; got down
upon his knees beside the sleeper, and
cut Mr.. Freeland across the throat, inAlct-
ing a dangerous and probably fatal wound.
cit seems that a party started with the
prisoner for Columbia to put him in Jail,
and were met on the road by autobiography
who took the prisnoer forcibty from them
and Immediately hung and shot him. In
this confession he implicated several other
negroes, who were immediately arrested.
No convicting evidence could be brought
against one Of them, woman, and she
was released. Another one, young ne
gro man, arrested as al accomplice, was
brought to town and lodged in jail. On
Tuesday he was ordered to be tried in his
own district, by Esquire Harries, but be-
fore the trial came off he was taken from
his guard by a party of men, unknown,
and has not since been heard from.
ANOTHER MURDER.
The same paper also has the following
''Last Sunday morning, on the Colin
Campbell place, 3 miles Southwest Of Big
byville, a foul murder was committed upon
Isaac McCulloch, by Henry Stubs, both
negroes. Stubs wife had told him that
McCulloch had attempted to whip her.
Without waiting to find out whether the
story was true or not, he loaded his gun,
an army gun, with shot and balls, and on
Sunday morning went "gunning" after the
said McCulloch. He found him walking
in his watermelon patch, ana went towards
him, but the latter, on seeing the gun,
made an effort to escape, when, Stubs
shot him in the back, some ten or twelve
hots taking effect"