New-York tribune., 1870-08-06
THE BoL1oN-DIcKENS VENDETTA.
THE BLOODY RECORD OF A sLAvE-sELLING conf
PANY.
The Memphis AraLanche of July 81 has the

bLOODl isLOOAD VI "a 1~N l. 'i@i-A-'-'N ~N--
The Memphis Araianehe Of July 81 has the
following:
Col. Thomas Dickens, well known TO the people OF
elby County, was way lad Yesterday morning ana lIs
lite DESTROYED in daylight on public road TIC whole
city was shocked and astounded by the news The man
nrf in which the terrible crime was done added 10 the
horror that seized the pube lnndi ana esleSlay ue
cause the victim Col Thomas Dickens whose iCud
with wade H. Bolton and whose aequttl for the killing
of Wade H. Bolton is sn fresh in the memory Of our
readers. Col. Dickens had passed Friday night
C,ek about Six miles northeast Raleigh, in this
county. Yesterday morning he mounted hls horse ana
st,rted for home distance of four miles, and while
riding eisurey along, all ne,about m and not sus
pectng any evil or harm he was suddenly nre4 on DE an
ro9d. Tie man discharged the contents Oh doune ,'
bsrreled shotgun into the body OF me o1a man.
killing him and ngiug his body dreadfully Inc Work
was deliberately done both barrels were hredne aer
another with interval of few seconds AT the nrs
fire the Old man was shot of horse and after he fell to
the ground the second fire was hedfd. Inc gun was
PAGES Of COL Dickens the effect OF the balls terrible
inanging and tearing the body 70 pieces The horse
young man charge Oft. The shooting had been heard
plainly in tie direction from which the horse came ana
the blOtches of blood on the saddle ana rulhp vi 'he
horse al once spoke of murder. - ,...,
Iu May, 1857, Isaac L. Bolton killed Kentucklan named
NJ Milan This occurred at the slave mart OF BOlton,
Dickens Co. in Clinton-st, near Howardrow Memphis
Tue tal Of l. Bolton was one OF the celebrates Gr dne
year, aud his irfd took place in Covlngton, Upton
CouGty He acquitted by jury every one o. whom non
bribed. The expenses incurred by TINS ulai
were enormous. Lawyers fees, witness fees, ana
juror bribes, absorbed at least SlOO!0V All Oh
TO the firm Of Boton, Dickens & Co This firm com
posed OF Isaac i. Bolton Thomas Dickens, wade H..
Bolton. and Washington Bolton The firm EXPIRED day
or two after the killing of Mcmillan. Ana Ih0mas
Dickens and Washington Bolton refused 10 agree TO share
any part Of the loss or expense Of defending Isaac and
demanded that the money Of the firm used for that Pur-
pose should be refunded Wade sided with MS DrOlheT,
refused ~ settle, and this began the deadly war;
The bitterness of the eud was silent during the war,
n Dickens in Missouri and Washington Bolton III
Kentucky. In 1862 Washington Bolton died at ms resi,
dcnce Shelby Depot, In this county, and III 1864
Isaac L. Bolton died at his home Big Breek. In 1865
Dickens returned from Missouri TO Tennessee, and I'M
Dickens and Co settled Wade H. Bolton had charge Of
he books and Dickens contended, Of the property OF
tho great trouble, and no settlement could be made,
and The war began between Thomas Dickens
tenpts were made To assassnate Dickens at his resi-
meIoe OF Ms iailn, three miles northeast OF Raleigh
IN no IaeG. Bat IN the Spring OF the same year
of Dickens while he friends were SUPPER aud
gegan tne NOik OF slaughter. They wounded Dickens,
sbOONne mn above the right eye and In the arm
wounded young man named Humphreys In the arm,
and lie1 man named Wilson, and negro girl named
Nancy, VINO had been trusted family servant Of Dick
for fifteen years.
Wade H. Bolton was, by Dickens. believed 10 be the
at the bottom OF all the attemts on his life but
could not fasten any guilt him y facts The feeling
of hatred grew 80 strong that il certain either
Wade II. Bolton would Kill Dickens or Dickens destroy
Bottom the crisis June 1850 when cal Dickens
encountered Bolton IN COurtsqu and shot him The
days and resulted in his acquitl The feud il was sup
poned at an end. All the Or iual actors uasse
sway and Dickens over 60 years old alone rpuiaincd
Dickens now has fallen on the highway mangied and
butohered Col Dickens leaves surviving him Ouly one
child, DR. Sam. Dickens Isaac L. Bolton, several daug
fers and one SON. M. Seth Bolton; Wade Bolton no Off
sprinQ and Washington Bolton several Daughters and
one These were engaged as partners buying
and selling negroes sna @ soteon from i 10 1881 Their
cipal mother house was in Memphis but there
branch houses in Yicksburg, Aiss Rlcbnond KY, and
Richmond, Va The amount OF their operations reached
s<alkSRs 81 dollars