Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-29
LYNCH LAW IN WEST TEN
NESSEE.
Murderer and Ineendiary
Hunted D0Wn-His Feet
prints Traced by Moon. =
light In the Snow. gar 80
lie Is Brought to Bay and Cap
tured. Taken to the Woods
and Left Dangling 10 a Tree .

tsil 1881 4fA - ~ ~ = a
An occasional correspondent at Bart,
lett, ten miles from Memphis, on the
Memphis and louisville railroad, fur
nishes the. Memphis Agalancke with
the following: ~ ,
BARTLETT, TENN, Dec. %, 1868. Our
community was startled this morning By
the recital Of most fiendish and diaboli,
csl attempt made upon the life Of our fell
low-citizen William A. Miller, Esq, who
resides two miles north of Bartlett, last
night at twelve O'Clock. A negro named
John NJ. Bell, who had worked In the
neighborhood during the year at different
times, has been lurking around the
premises Of citizens for several days past,
and it appears he was determined to make
''raise'' Of money by q most daring at
tempt to take the life Of q peaceful, quiet
citizen, whom he suspected Of haYing
money. About twelve O'Clock last night
John Bell proceeded to the gin-houss OF
Mr.. Miller, which is withintwo hundred
yards of his dwelling, and fred it. he
then went to the dwelling house and
stationed himself with an AK behind a
large rosebush at the door, intending
when Mr.. NJ. rushed out Of the house to
fell him with blow of the ak. But, for
tunately, when Mr.. Miller discovered the
Clubhouse on fire he went out by another
door and soon aroused all the hands upon
his premises.
The would be murderer made his es
cape, and fearing that he might be
caught started at q brisk run from the
place. The moon was shining, and there
was sufficient snow upon the ground to
track him. The fire soon collected sever
al Of the neighbors, who went to work to
discover the tracks Of the incendiary.
This they did after little search. The
negro came toward Bartlett at double
quick" and some dozen or more Of the
citizens pursued at a very rapid speed,
and when the negro reached the village
he attempted to make such movements
that his pursuers would be baf1ed, but in
this he was mistaken, for they soon dis
covered his track on the railroad below
Bartlett, and pursued with greater speed
until they came upon him just at Wolf
River Railroad bridge, where he was
ordered by the leader Of his pursuers to
halt. he stopped and informed them
that he would not be taken, but seeing
so many around him he surrendered.
Bell was taken back to the scene Of his
depredations, where he confessed that
his object was to murder Mr.. Miller as
he ran out, and go into the house, break
open the trunks and get all the money
he wanted. He confessed that his inten-
ton was to murder Mrs. Miller, too, if
she gave the alarm. When captured he
had the ak, which was identified by the
owner, a negro man, Crump, from whom
Bell had stolen it several days ago.
Yesterday morning, Christmas, the
body of a negro named George Biggs
was found on the railroad, about a mile
above Bartlett, lying on the track and
when the accommodation tram came
along, at nine O'Clock, the train passed
over it, severing it in a number of places.
The officers of the train thought the ne
gro was drunk, aad did not see the body
in time to check up. The jury of in
quest saw that the skull Of the uRlortu-
nate negro was broken in, and it appears
now that this negro, John Bell, killed
Biggs early yesterday morning for sum
of money which Biggs had-he having
been paid off the day preyious-and put
the body on the track of the railroad tc
avoid discovery of the murder. This
| much John Bell confessed.
1t is proper to state that the coloree
people on Mr.. MS place and others wer'
as eager to capture Bell as any, and they
| did good service in the chase. Bel
begged ifthey would let him so to Mem
phis he would get money enough to pay
for the gin house and cotton burned. Bu
the citizens thought it would be best tt
administer Judge Lynch, and Bell is nov
dangling from the limb Of tree abou
one hundred yards of the place Wher
the gin house stood, and a'jury OF IN
quest is being held by E. W. Caldwell
ESQ, which l think will read about lik
this: John Bell, colorei man, came
his death by a rope being placed aroun
his neck, which was fastened to tn
limb of tree by parties unknown-h
having nothing to stand upon-const
auently died, Saturday morning, Deceu
Der &c, 1868" ID. 2. 5.
P.S-For the benefit Of all concerne'
| / would state that this was no Ku-klu
outrage. This is the third person hun
| in thic community in two wears,