The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-08-17

he HtghUay"R epleu OF OHe OF TN
BIoodiest Feuds Record.
Colonel Thomas Dickens, vel
known to the people of Shelby Coun
fy, and whose name is familiar too the
readers of the Avalanche, was Way
laid on yesterday morning by some
fend, and his life destroyed, in day
light, on a public road. The whole
city was shocked and astounded by
the news. The manner in which the
terrible crime was done added to the
horror that seized the public mind,
and especially because the victim was
Colonel Thomas Dickens, whose feud
with Wade Fl. Bolton, and whose &C
quittal for the killing of Wade ii.
Bolton is still fresh in the memory OF
our readers.
- Colonel Dickens bad passed Friday
night with his neighbor, John G Boil
ton, who lives on Big Creek. about
six miles northeast of Raleigh, in this
county. Yesterday morning he mount
ed his horse and started for home o
distance of four miles, and while rid
ing leisurely along, all alone, about Z
A. NJ, and not suspeeting any evil
or harm, he was suddenly fired on by
an assassin concealed in the under
growth near the public road. The
fend discharged the contents of a
double-barreled shotgun into the
body of the old man, instantly killing
him and mangling his body dreadfully
The work was deliberately done both
barrels were fired, one after another,
with an interval of a few seconds
At the first fire the old man was shot
off his horse, and after he fell to the
ground the second fire was heard
The gun was loaded with buckshOt,
and as the assassin was within len
PAGES of Colonel Dickens, the effect
of the balls was terrible, mangling and
tearing the body to pieces. The horse
turned back and was caught at Boil
toms store by the young man in charge
of it. The shooting had been heard
plaiuly in. the direction from which
The horse came, and the blotches of
blood on the saddle and rump of the
horse at once spoke of the murder
But the terrible catalogue of crimes
linked with the Bolton and Dickens
families instantly appeared to the
minds of the people at Bottoms store,
and it vas with difficulty that any
one or more could he found brave
enough to go to the scene of murder.
"Who did the deed ?" is the ques-
ton asked by every one, and answer
ed by no one. The deadly feud be-
tween Wade H. Bolton and Thomas
Dickens is involuntarily alluded to
rs furnishing an explanation. But
how is it possible that this can be so,
when Wade Bolton is deads Who
represents Wade Bolton?
In May, 1857, Isaac l.. Bolton
killed q Kentuckian, named Mcmillan
This occurred at the slave mart of
Bolton, Dickens & Co, in Clinton
street, near Howard Row, Memphis.
The offense of Mcmillan was the sell
iDg7te Bolton a negro boy brought
from Kentucky, as a slave for life.
The boy was sold by Bolton to Thorn
as B, Crenshaw, of this county. who
learned that the boy was, by the terms
of his Kentucky master, TO be made
free if carried out of the State. He
sued for his freedom and gaiued it
Mcmillan was violently assailed by
Bolton for his conduct, and the quar-
rel ended in Bolton taking the life of
Mcmillan.
The trial of L. L.. Bolton was n
ef the celebrated criminal cases of
Tennessee. His imprisonment lasted
one year, and his trial took place in
Coyington, Upton County He was
acquitted by q %juryevery oneof whom
was bribed.
The expenses incurred by this trial
were enormous. LAWYERS fees, wit
ness fees, and juror brides absorbed
at least one hundred thousand dollars,
all of which was paid by property said
to belong to the firm of Bolton, Dick
ems & Go.
This firm was composed of Isaac l..
Bolton, Thomas Dickens, Wade III.
Bolton and Washington Bolton.
The firm expired a day or two af-
ter the killing of Mcmillan and
Thomas Dickens and Washington
Bolton refused to agree to share any
part of the loss or expense of defend
ing Isaac. and demanded that the
money of the firm used for that pur-
pose should be refunded. Wade
sided With his brother, refused to set
and this began the deadly al
The bitterness ofthe feud was silent
the war, as Dickens was i'll
Missouri, and Washington Bolton in
In 1868, Washington
Bolton died at his residence near
Depot, in this county, and in
.S64, Isaac Z, Bolton died at his
ONE on Big Creek: In 1862 Dick
ms returned from Missourito Tennes
ee, and Immediately took steps to
the business of Bolton, Dickens
Co. settled. Wade II. Bolton had