Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-05

A BAND of Midnight Raj de rs-The,
Abduet a Young Man aud Riddl,
Him with Bullets. -.uff i'if


Him with Bullets. -.off Hilf
Startling Developments OF a Horrible
,iI.E Conspiracy.
IN 90 1914 u. 4a.f 49, l-a ar
On Friday night, the 18th ult.,
between II o'clock and daybreak,
a band Of men, whose number we
did not learn, called at the residence
I of Mr.. Albert Maxwell, residing
about twelve miles west of this city.
in Rutherford county, and demand
ed the person of John B. Vaughan,
the son-in-l law of Maxwell. HAY
ing secured Vaughan, they left the
house with him, nething being
known of the direction they took
or what disposition they had made
OF their prisoner until the Sunday
morning following, when the body
OF the latter was found about three
miles from Maxwells, near Lizard,
in the eighth civil district, riddled
with bullets. The remains of the
unfortunate man were found in a
sinkhole, some twenty feet deep, by
his wife and a woman who accom-
panied her. -'"
1 We have learned the father-in-
law OF young Vaughan stated to
several persons, that the men who
called for him were not masked, and
that only two of them entered the
house. 1t is also stated that Max
well did not know any of the raiders.
AS MIR. III. was well acquainted
throughout his entire neighborhood,
it is reasonable to suppose the raid
ers had gone to his house from
considerable distance.
Vaughan was young man, it is
said, OF a rather reckless DISPOSE
ton, and was withal very dissipated. |
We have not learned what the
offense was that called forth such
summary judgmen though it has
been intimated that he had threat
ened, at various times, several law
abiding and peaceable citizens of
the county, and made himself OBJ
noxious generally
An inquest was held upon the
body of Vaughan, on Sunday last,
by Esquire Boring, but we are not
in possession of the decision of the
jury. Shoot. ...
Since the above was written, we
have received the most startling
intelligence from the neighborhood
in which the above tragedy &C.
Cured, 1t being rumored that
John B. Vaughan, assisted by a
man named Pope and his son, had
melted the negroes to attempt an
instruction, the citizens deter
mined to make an investigation oil
the whole affair. Accordingly /
many witnesses were summoned, |
both white and black, and the ex-
animation was had at Locke's Meet
ing House, before Esquires G. W.
Mclaughlin and Brown Boring.
The investigation lasted nearly
three days, and was attended con-
stantly by about four hundred ex-
cited people. ....- -..
The evidence at the examination,
we were informed, showed that a
man named Pope, together with
his son, had entered into a conspi-
racy with Vaughan for the purpose
OF causing an instruction among
the negroes, during the progress of |
which they were to rob and muir
der until they obtained as much
money az they wanted, when it was
their purpose to leave the country.
1t was agreed between the parties
to the conspiracy that Vaughan
was to take Pope's daughter with
him. Hearing of the devilish plot,
Miss Pope absented herself from
home, going off to some neighbor's |
house. Rumor says the above
statement was given in evidence by |
the daughter of Pope herself. 4
1t is also further stated that
Vaughan had agreed to raise three
hundred negroes for the undertake
ing, and Pope was to furnish as
many more, and with this force
they expected to accomplish their
hellish designs and then leave for
parts unknown.
A number of colOred witnesses
were examined, who stated on oath |
that Vaughan had made speeches to
them in advocacy Of the insurrec-
ton, but they all, of course, denied
entering into the murderOus plot
1t is said Pope's daughter stated
to the family with whom she sought
refuge, that eff they knew as much
as she did, they would never sleep |
again" The girls testimony leaves
not the shadow of a doubt that
such a conspiracy was on foot.
1t pains us to be called upon to
record the above statement; for we
had not conceived it possible that
such devils in human shape dwelt
among our proverbially quiet and
law abiding people. If Pope and
his son are guilty, they ought to be
punished to the fullest extent Of the
law-Murtreesboro (Tenn.) 1f0ni-
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