Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-02
MURDER.
Col. Tom Dickens, ST., Murder
ed by Unknown Assassins.
The Deed Done on the High
way and in Broad Day
light.
Broom be Memphis AppeaI. JuI, %.

Il CITY was startled yesterday bY
auulof' vague at first, but gradually as
sun 1Inlng form, to the effect that Col
tom dickens $50 well known 10 he pui-
NJ from MS connection with the feu,srk
aole vendetta, OF feud, which for many
years has been carried on with moi W.
paralleled vindictiveuess, and has coo, ~
many liyes), had been shot ana ti,.J
during the morning, while on lis ~,
to the city. Wy
On repairing to the Sheriffs ogics wa
learned that the report was true. AID
while there CLEANED the followizg ylrticu-
lars OF the affair, which embr.c, all fAe
information possessed by the authorities
up to the time of writing, being thestatc-
ment OF the only witness to tHe h.rrid
deed:
For obvious reasons, and at The ftul,,l
OF the Sheriff, we do not give the name
OF the Informant. The following, how
ever, is
TIE STATEMENT.
Il starred from Capt. DJuElts' place
about quarter past seven O'Clock in the
morning, and took the Raleigh and BIZ
Greek road toward Big Creek. I had
gone three quarters OF 4 mile, or perhaps
mile, and was then in what is called
Hatehie bottom, when I met Col. Tom
Dickens, who was ridiag the other way.
IL was raining, aud I had nv umbrella
raised, holding 1t in such position as to
shelter my face. / noticed that Col.
Dickens, for some reason SHE'D off as if
he was afraid of me. Seeing this l
threw my umbrella over NY shoulder, and
said, GOOD morning, Col Dickens" He
replied IN the same manner, and rode on.
A moment had scarcely elapsed when |
heard gun shot, and heard Col. Dickens
say. Murder ~ | was startled-frieht-
ened, but looked around instantly and
saw Col Dickens only a few feet from
me, striking his horse with a rod or stick
$50 it looked to me) as if to urge him on.
In an instant another shot was
fired, and l saw Col Dickens.
reel and fall off his horse.
falling toward the left side. l was totally
unsrmed, not having a weapon OF any
sort on me, and frightened so rode off
as rapidly as | could. As soon as |
reached the first house, (NVilliams' / be-
l!eYe,) L raped on the gate and Mr.. VIII
hams came out, | sand there is a man
killed down OF the road, and detailed the
circumstances. Williams asked me if
would go back with him. / sssented, and
IN company with Williams and another
man, whom | don't know, went back to
the spot. We found Col. Dickens stone
dead, lying where he fell. His head was
In the road, and his feet slowed up to the
side, against a tree. An umbrella had
been raised, and sheltered his head. We
did not strip the body, but could see that
1t was literally riddled with buck-shOt.
There were shot holes through his neck
and the lower part of his head, through
his chest, and in the abdomen. | went
atterward back to Capt. Ira Douglas
place, and Informed the Captain. He
and others went down to see the body.
Capt. Douglas said that he heard the
shots. He said that there were three or
four, but did not hear them.
FURTHER FACTS.
The above embraces the whole state
ment made by the informant. BY cross
him, and from other sources,
we learn the following additional facts:
The umbrella found protecting Dickens
head had been placed there by some party
while the lOitleSs lCGS absent. Slot,
as Colonel Dickens was, it is an irnpOssi
bIity that he could have raised it. It is
therefore probable that it was put there by
the assassin or assassins who fired the IA
tai shots.
is one peculiarly fitted for a deed Of the
sort. 1IatChie bottom is a mile and half
wide, and there is not a house or a human
habitatiOn in 1t. When Colonel Dickens
was shot he was between two small oaks
that grew one on each side of the road.
A grape vine runs over them, and con-
meets them, making q sort of arbOr over
the road. Right there the road has been
cut out, and close by it stands a dead tree,
near to which is a large stump. 1t is the
opinion of those who examined the place
that the fatal shots were fired from behind
them by parties concealed there in wait
for the purpose. The informant, on
being asked the hour at which the deed
was committed, said that as near as he
could guess it was half-past eight o'clock.
WHERE COLONEL DICKENS WAS GOING.
1t is supposed from various circum-
stances, by those who know him, that
Col. Dickens was going from John Boil
toms farm to his own home place, which
is about three miles northeast Of Raleigh,
on the Raleigh and Randolph road. He
generally went armed, when going
through the bottom or along the unfre-
luented roads, with q dOuble-barreled
shot gun, but yesterday morning was IN
armed.
WHO DID U2
This is a question that We must leave 10
lime and the detectives to answer. Under
he circumstances, we do not think it
proper to hazard even a guess. 1t is, how
ever, in the opinion of the public, at least
all whom we have heard speak of it, an
other entry in the CORY record of the hOr-
rible vendetta which for fifteen years has
been waged between Col. Dickens and
others, called, generally, the ''BOlton-
Dickens feud.h As soon as information
Of the deed.Was conveyed to Gen. Wright,
be sent out several of his most trusty
deputies to investigate the affair, and take
such steps as might be necessary in the
premises. Up to late hour last night
hey had notreturned.
TIE black white-and-red flag of the
North German Bund viii, during the
coming campaign, be waived for the first
ime over the field of battle, the field Of
Tictory or of defeat. The flag is but
our years old, having been adopted by
he North German Parliament when the
present Bund was established, after the
var upon Austria.
Pence Warrants
A peace warrant was issued from the
,flice Of Justice Wilkinson against Aleck
Hite for threatening violence to John
squire. He was required to give bonds
n the sum of $3.50 not to modest the
aforesaid John any more.
Stealing IrGns
Richard llightOwer was arranged be
'Ore Justice Brien, yesterday, charged