Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-07
( Z MOST aHlORRIn RIlTEHERY.


4
4 sleeping Man sought In BED and
His Head Nearly Severed from MS
shoulders with An Az. -. - ~
VI From the Memphis Avalanche. June 8 -
The most -horrid, airocious human
buIehery We have ever recorded swas perPe-
trased early yesterday morning, iiaiIs,i las
Captain Matt. Dwyer, residing near
Raleigh, caine TO John Lanahan,s house, on
Wolf river, near the bridge, about three
miles north ofthe city, 90 Monday, to re-
main several days. Wednesday night
Lanahan, WHO'S qaarrelsome when druSk.
became intoxicated, and commenced abus-
ing his wife, Hestruck her a blow in the
presence of Capt Dwyer, who, exasperated
at the cowardly aetiop, promptly Knocked
the brute down, giving him good beating
and kicking. Lanahan made no further
demonstration toward his wife, and, salts
fed thai it would not Be necessary to pro-
tect her further, Capt DEyer some lime
aderward sought his sleeping room, cccu-
pied BY himself, stepson of Lanagan'e,
aged sixteen and a man whose name We.
have not learned s' - =
Early yesterday morning. after having
adjusted his troubles With his wife. both
having occupied the same room as usual,
LanahaH arose, dressed himself. CHAINED
an axe and lefs the house. De cut wood
a short time and then returned bringing
the weapon with him, He, pFcceeded
stealthily TO Dryers room, where the
Captain and the boy were soundiy sleeping.
Carelessly walking to Dwyef's bed be sud
denly. raised the az and dealt the uncon-
scious victim powerful blow. The sharp
weapon. was buried to the, handle in the
Captains neck nearly .seyering the head,
from the shoulders, and producing instant
death. The boy, awakened BY the blow.
sprapg ont of bed, only TO discover Dwyer,
bloody corpse and the bed crimsoned
with gore. The man In the other bed was
awake when Lanahan entered, but paid no
attention to the murderer until the bloody
work had been accomplished. Before re-
covering from the horror with which The
ghastly spectacle filled him, the murderer
again coolly thew the ak, still drip
ing with blood, over his shoulder and left
the room. - -Is.. u i...t --.-g ,l,.s-.,,
He returned to his Wife's apartment
carefully washed and redressed himself,
putting on clean shirt, and LEFT the house,
carelessly as asthough nothing had happened.
The alarm was quickly raised, and some
one. hurried into the city for the police. /
Officer Sanerman was found, and in com
pany with a couple of others, started in |
pursuit of the murderer. A short distance
beyond Chelsea, Lanahan was observed
leisurely approaching, evidently with the
intention of surrendering to the aathoFi-
ties He was brought in and lodged in
jail. He confessed having killed DWyers
and expressed no regrets, but sought 70
convey the impression that Dwyer had |
been Improperly intimate with his wife, |
who is quite old and unlikely to attract any |
one. ~. .t.s "a ....-..f b. "a ~ |
Captain Dwyer served during the war as |
a Captain in the Fifteenth Tennessee (COn-
federate) regiment, portion of the time |
by Col. Moses White, of this
city. He was generous, Warm-hearted,
brave TO rashness, and universal faYorite
with all. No one who knew him ever be-
lieyed him capable of dishonor, and the in
timation that he had held illicit relations
with Mrs. Lanahan is wholly gratuitous.
The murder was the deliberate action of
brute in human form, brooding over merit
ed chastisement for lhe Infamous crime of /
whipping weak, defenseless woman. /