Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-29
Another Bloody Tragedy In the
History OF the Bolton
Dickens Feud.
The Alleged Assassin, inmaB.
Killed In q Central Ala
bama Gave.
His Brother Badly Wounded
The Corpse Brought to Men,
phis and Identified.
From the Memphis Avalanche. July q.

From the Memphis Avalanche. July q.
A few months ago terrible trag-
edy was enacted at the residence of
Col. Thomas Dickens, on Big
Creek, which resulted in the death
of a man named Green Wilson, a
colored girl named Nancy Dick
ems, and the wounding of Col.
Dickens and a young man Of the
name of Robert Humphreys. The
tragedy took place aboutsix o'clock
in the evening, while the persons
above referred to were sitting at
the table at tea, and the girl Nancy
waiting on them. A knock was
heard at the door, and Humphreys
rose and inquired who was there,
when a person outside replied that
he was friend and the door was
opened. No sooner was this done
than two men entered with pistols
in their hands. Humphreys was
instantly shot down and badly
wounded, then lamps we're over
turned and extinguished, and
Green Wilson was riddled with
bullets, stabbed and killed on the
spot. Col. Dickens, in endeavoring
to escape from the house was shot
over the eye and in the right arm,
while the colored girl, in runnin g
across the yard, screaming for help,
was shot down and killed.
The terrible affair created the
very greatest excitement when the
particulars were brought TO the city,
and Sheriff Curry and a posse of
police promptly proceeded to the
spot, but were unable to procure
any definite information relative to
the perpetrators of the bloody
double murder. Coroner Samelson
held an inquest on the bodies, and
slight clue was got to the muir
derers and those who had been ace
cessory to the tragedy.
The Sheriff continued his inves-
tigation of the horrible affair, and
about a month afterward Il. G.
Patterson, a sori-in law of the late
Isaac Bolton, having married the
widow of William Dickens, son of
Col. Thomas Dickens, was arrested
on the charge of being accessory
to the murder. lie was brought
before Justices Hill and Griffith for
examination, and the investigation
lasted over couple of weeks; the
report Of the evidence and argu-
ments of counsel being fully re-
ported in the Avalanche at the time.
The evidence adduced clearly
showed that the double murder had
been perpetrated by two men named
Morgan and Inman, and that they
had been hired to do the terrible
deed. 1t was clearly made out that
Morgan and Inman fed the country
Immediately after the committal of
the murder, and for a time all trace
of them was lost. Capt. Patterson
was committed for trial in the
Circuit Court as an accessory to the
murder, but was admitted to bail
in the sum of ten thousand dollars.
| About a couple of months ago
Morgan and Inman turned up in
Marion. Alabama, where lnman 8
mother lives. AS they had been
suspected of horse stealing prac
tices, they were arrested and COM
mitted to jail, but as it was gener-
ally supposed in the neighborhood
that they would go unwhipped OF
| Justice, band of disguised citizens
made raid ON the Jail and took out
both the prisoners. They were con
veyed down the road short dis
lance, turned loose and a regular
fire opened at them. Morgan fell
mortally wounded, but Inman man
aged to effect his escape. He took
refuge in the woods, and on his
mothers house being searched Col
Dickens watch, stolen on the night
of the murder, was found and iden'
tilted. This made assurance doubiy
sure that Inman was one of the
perpetrators of the murder.
A rigid search was then made fol
7 James Inman, and it was learned
that with bis brother, Henderson
Inman, they had taken up thei
quarters in a deep cave in tn
woods. Information of their where
. abouts was transmitted to Col. Dick
ems a short time ago, and on Tues
day last, DIR. Sam Dickens left tn
;. city for Marion, Alabama, abou
9 fifty miles from Tuscumbia. ID
: was accompanied by Robert Hum
phreys, for the purpose OF identity
Q ing Inman. Requisitions had bee
$ procured from Gov. Senter to tn
. Governor of Alabama, for the OK
y tradition of Inman. When the
q reached Marion, posse OF Sheriff
IS officers were procured, duly depu
u tised, and preparations were mad
# to scour the woods in search OF til
fugitives, at an early hour o
y Saturday morning. Between thrt
y and four o'clock in the morning tt
= party surrounded the cave whel
N the brothers were under hiding, an
h called on them to surrender.
ag A reply was given in the neg
le tive, and those outside could PLAIN
n hear that preparations were beIr
y made inside to give one bold en0ug
Is Is to enter warm reception. The
~ waited to see what time would d
rt velop, and in few minutes bull
g. from the gun of James Inns
M came crashing through the bush
al in front of the cave, but failed
", hit any one. The fire was prompt
Ill returned and the moment it ceas
er he made a rush for the mouth of t
:. cave. No sooner did he make
no appearance than he fell pierced wi
Of several bullets from revOlvers.
mt was shot in the breast, back a
tie right arm. Henderson Inman "
M also seriously wounded, and it
generally supposed that he cam
recover.
ba The body of James Inman v
ar recognized and identified as one
oil. the parties who had been an acco
for plice in the double murder at