Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-04

Miraculous Escape Of a Murderer
from the Halter-He Leaps from a
Bluff and Saves HImseIf-His Subse-
0upnf Raeaufura

MAFacuiOus Escape OF a MurdeFe
from the Ealter-He Leaps from
Bluff and Saves HImseIf-His Subse
quent Recaptare.
The excitement at Columbia which fol
lowed upon the discovery of the cold
blooded murder Of Jno. Bicknell, WORTHY
and highly esteemed young man of tina
place, the particulars of which we have
heretofore published, nearly eliminated OF
Monday night. Between nine and ter
o'clock, large party of horsemen entered
the town efrom southerly direction and
surrounded the Jail in which the murderer
Walker was confined, throwing out picket'
on all the streete to keep back any citizens
who should attempt to interfere with their
movements. Forcibly entering the prison,
they demanded the keys, which were given
up to them, and proceeding to Walkers
cell, quickly brought him ont, after which
he was placed on horse with a man who
appeared to be the leader of the troop, and
the two were lsshed together, back to back,
the murderer in the meantime imploring
his capiors not to kill him without a trial.
In answer to his supplication, they prom
ised that he should have fair trial, and
that no injustice would be done him.
Major Thompson and others urged that no
violence should be committed, but retOrts
we're made that the murderer would only
get justice drought lynch law, and that il
he were left to the courts he wonld event.
ually be pardoned.
AT this point, a portion of the body
which had surrounded the Jail, started
across the Square, and cries of "There
he isw "Shoot him Shoot him A." echoed
on every side, accompanied by number of
pistol shots. These demonstrations led TO a
supposition that the prisoner was with the
company which had started of in this man
ner, but the movement proved only feint,
for while the attention of the crowd was
attracted that way, a small party who really
held Walker, galloped out of the town, and
we're out Of sight and hearing before the
ruse was discovered.
None of the strange horsemen were
known to the citizens of Columbia, and the
young men of that place who we're mem
bers of the Ku-Klux Khan, il is said, took
no part in the proceedings. The men
who entered the cell of Walker appeared
to be negroes, or white men with wigs and
blackened faces.
The Indignation OF the people seems TO
nave been as general among the blacks as
among the whites, and before the arrival
of the party who took away the prisoner.
Sheriff Sullivan was in constant anticipa-
ton of lynch law being resorted to- Little
could be ascertained as to who or what Wal
ker was, the strange statements he made hav-
ing no connection whatever with each other.
During Sunday he feigned madness, and
previously endeavored to avoid the ques-
tons of visitors by saying that he had but
few hours TO live and desired TO spend
them in prayer.
Nothing more was heard of the lyncheTs
and their prisoner until yesterday, when,
TO the establishment of every one, Walker
was brought into Columbia by a small
party of men, and again lodged in Jail. 1t
seems that the cayalcade which had carried
him away took him to point OH Duck
river, mile and a half from town, where
every preparation had been made for his
execution. The spot selected for what was
! intended to be the last act of the terrible
tragedy, was almost upon the edge of
high bluff, and overlooked the swift and
swollen stream below.
The scene was terribly impressive. The
biackened faces Of the seif-constituled but
determined executioners as they adjusted
the rope and lifted the prisoner from the
saddle, the solemn darkness of night and
the rush Of the gloomy tide beneath as it
swept along with dirge-like sound, were
fit for scene of death, and the blood
stained murderer seemed 10 realize how near
he stood 10 the brink OF a fearful eternity.
He asked to be permitted TO pray, and was
allowed to kneel upon the bluff As his
voice went up in supplication to his .God,
every head was bowed. He had struggled
through portion of his prayer, when he
Suddenly stopped short, and with the
spring of panther threw himself over
the bluff, and there was a loud
splash as he reached the water
aud struck out for the opposite bank.
The astonished party on the bluff sprang TO
its edge, and commenced firing on the
fugitive, and twenty or thirty shots whistled
past him. The swollen condition of the
stream and the coldness of the night for
babe pursuit, and Walker reached the
other side in safety, but so thoroughly
chilled that he was compelled TO go to a
house in the neighborhood. While he was
warming himself and recovering from his
fatigue, the man at whose house he had
stopped gathered a party of neighbors and
Walker was again placed in custody, his
new captors afterwards taking him back to
Columbia
The prevalent opinion is that Walker
will never see a Court House So afro
cious was the crime, and so undoubted the
proofs against him, that it seems a matter
of impossibility to hold the excited popu-
lace in check.
We received the following dispatch at
half-past eight o'clock last evening, as all
that could be given:
COLUMBIA, March 3.-Walker is still in
Jail. 1t is reported that he is 10 be taken
TO LaWrenceburg tomorrow.