The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-11-28
Terrible Retribution.

most bloody, unfortunate and mysterious
tragedy The people of the Second Civil
district (Hickory Valley have, for several
months past, been annoyed by horse thieves /
and housebreakers Last Thursday night |
one week ago, evil minded persons visited |
the premises of Cannon Smith, tore his hog
pens down, turned his swine out and after |
doing all they dared, left the place. On the
following night, another gentleman's print |
ses were visited by thieves, who attempted |
to force the windows Of the residence, but
ascertaining that the inmates were awake, !
the intruders left without accomplishing |
any thing farther than creating considerable |
alarm in the family, whose name we cannot |
now recall to mind Saturday night (2lst) |
strange and suspicious persons were seen at
! Hickory Valley. The citizens of the place
and neighborhood anticipated the designs of
the unknown parties and kept close watch
on valuables throughout the night This
precaution had the desired effect and moth
ing was molested. Feeling satisfied that all
was not right, from what was deemed the
| best of reasons, eight or ten Of the neigh
bors collected Sunday morning and insti
tuted a search for the night providers who
| had caused them so much uneasiness. The
party was composed of gentlemen of IN
doubted character and of high social posi-
tons, not one of whom deigned to do ought
but what was perfectly legitimate and right
After searching through the neighborhood
!
North of Van Buren,, and about nine miles
south OF this place, near the waters Of Spring
creek, they struck the trail of four men, and
followed it as best they could, Arriving at
a house occupied by a widow lady named
Reynolds, the party in search did as they
had done before, asked few civil questions
of lady whom they met at the door of the
cabin. One of the party asked for a drink
of water; It was refused Another asked
the woman if her husband was at home,
she said no, that he was in Memphis. Sus-
picjO grew strong, and one Of the party
stepped up to the door as if he was about to
enter, when the woman pushed him back,
saying that he could not come In there At
this time, Benz. Avent, young man of
about % years of age, stepped to the door
. and looked in through crack, as he did so,
5 without a word of warning, and never
t dreaming of danger, gun was fred by a
party up to that time unseen from within
the cabin and poor Avent reeled backward,
= having received the contents of the murder
= Gus weapon in his eyes and forehead. The
party outside had no time to parley now,
: and each one placed himself in an attitude
t Of defense or safety, believing that they had
9 come upon the persons whom they were in
T search Of Captain Miles Sedberry engaged
in conversation with the party within the
+ house, and a man came to the door with a
e dOuble-barreled shotgun in his hand-it
was Crockett Reynolds, husband of the
: woman who had denied his presence After
/ being told that he had killed Avent without
f provocation, he was commanded to surren-
t der, which he did. The party of citizens
: then started for Hickory Valley, distant to
s the west, some four or five miles, where they
arrived late in the evening with the prisoner
u Here it was thought best to bring Reynolds
f to Bolivar for trial before q committing
), court, and Captain Miles Sedberry, NJ. N
= Perry and W. II. Hamlet were entrusted
s with the safe conduct of the prisoner.
e When the parties had arrived at the first
Z ravine South of MiddIeburg, they suddenly
e encountered fifteen or twenty unknown per
p sons, who in the darkness of night had con
, cealed themselves up to this moment The
guard was halted, and Reynolds was taken
t from them, not however, without the direst
threats. The guard was ordered to leave at
d once on penalty of death, and they were
c thus forced to abandon their charge Moth.
, ing more was heard of Reynolds until Mon.
e day evening" when a body, supposed to be
= his, was found IN an old we'll near the rail
5 road track just this side of Middleburg
e Reynolds lived in Memphis, and at the time
It he skot Avent it was not known that he was
; in the neighborhood, though he often made
trips to and from the city above named tc
; his mothers where his wife resided We
have heard it said frequently that he was q
. bad man, and that his record was anything
d else but what it should be- OF this how
t ever, we know nothing of our own knowI
n edge, though we do know that young Avent
: is as honorable and heightened a gentleman
5 as ever boosted the pure blood of a noble
s and time-honored family The affair, take
L it all in all, is depIorabIe indeed, and has
= caused the profoundest regret and mortifca
Y ton to our people The shooting of Avent
was horrible; the retributien meeted out tc
Reynolds by unknown hands was terrible
o and we sincerely hope that we never vii
= again have to chronicle anything of the
= kind in this or any ether paper. The
shadow of death has dimmed the star Of ouI