The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-04-08

Frieaman's eayFeand.
The people in the northwestern portion
of this County, when they became con-
WINGED that foul and atrocious murder
had been committed In their midst, were
as one man fired with indignation. and
determined that no stone should be left
unturned in trying to develope the true
facts in the case and bring about le-
gal punishment Of the murderers. Ac-
cordingly they set to work last week,
and searched every nook and corner, cave,
sink-hole, and bluff in the Greenfield
BEND, -everywher the dead body Of
Samuel Friedman. an ex-Confederate
soldier, might possibly have been secret
ed. No success attended their efforts,
however, until last Saturday morning,
when NJ. Samuels, of Columbia, Mr.. Lee
vi, OF Nashville. and the following nam
ed gentlemen of the Williamspot coun-
try got on the right trail in the Green
field Bend: Buck Revere, Esq. George
Stockard, Ben. Greer, John Walker, W.
Revere, Jesse Taylor, DR.. ]. T. s. Green
field, G. s. Head, A. Head; r. c. Puck
ct, A. Southall, Jesse Brown, Judson
Cant, col This party took Esther Nc
Anelly, a colored woman, of the Green
field Bend, along with them, as kind
of pilot to the place from whence she
heard the pistol shots proceed. She led
them to an elm tree near her own spring,
about two miles from Williamsport, and
about half mile from the river. Here
they found evident traces of the life and
death struggle. The roots of the tree
were sprinkled with blood, and Esther
told them that the leaves were bloody
also at first, but these had been removed
by the frequent rains and people hand
ling the leaves. They then started for
the river, and when they had gone about
quarter of a mile, blood was discovered
on some oak leaves; and very distinct,
considering the fact that nine weeks had
elapsed since it w:s shed. The party
continued their march until they reach
ed the river under an immense perpen-
dicular bluff, where they found spool
of white thread, and leather strap.
All these things were taken by tie party
as "proofs strong as holy writ" that the
missing peddler had been murdered and
thrown into the river. Having this set
tied and firm conviction, they next pro-
ceeded to discover the place where he
had been launcf ed into the cold and an
CRY waters. A sugar tree was discover
ed blown down into the river, and it was
suggested Immediately, as the murder
ers were known to have had no canoe.
On Sunday morning they went out on
the log and plunged his long hook which
he had brought along for dragging the
river, down into the water among the
brushes. The first grab brought up
some rotten clothes. Finally they hook
ed the two straps with which the feet
and head were tied to the huge rocks.
They COLD not bring the body to the
surface, however, so very great was the
weights that pressed it to the bottom,
and it was determined to cut the tree
loose from the bank, in order to pull the
brush out of the way. Before the log
was severed, however, the axe fell into
about eight feet water. Without hest
tating moment, -characteristic of the
impnlsive and self-sacrificing Souther-
ner,-Esquire R. c. Pickett plunged
into the water and got the axe. The
tree could not be entirely removed, and
Judson Giants canoe was brought into
requisition. The body was in IA feet
water, and could not be lifted by allthe
hooks combined. Finally, however, the
ligature which bound the feet gave way,
and Ben. Greer and Mr.. Levi jumped
down into the water and caught hold OF
The feet. G. W. Stockard, T. NJ. Walker,
Judson. COL, and Bill, col, had hold of
the body with their hooks from the ca
noes, and with united pull the waters
..gave up their dead" Moses Samuels,
a merchant of this place, examined and
recognized the body, and was SO over
come by fatigue, excitement, emotion,
and the poisonous effluvia from the de-
cayed human flesh, that he had slight
fainting spell. The bluff was so steep,
and the dead body was in such state
of decomposition, that it was taken to
Williamsport in Judson Cant, the ferry
mans canoe, where an inquest was held
ON the bank of the river by Mr.: Stock
ard, Justice of the Peace.
Justice Stockard summoned jury and
the following verdict was rendered:
State of Tennessee, Mau1.y Coanty-An
inquisition held at Williamsport, in the
county and State aforesaid, on the Sd of
April 1870, before g. w. Stockard, a
Justice of Maury county, upon a dead
body, supposed to be that offs. Friedman,
by the Jurors whose names are hereunto
subscribed, who, upon their oatbs, do
say:
was rendered lifeless by violent means,
and that those means were applied by
some person or persons with intent to
IIIY A hole, apparently made by bull
uOSS plainly visible IN the Dack OF Tue
| pugd, near the left ear; there is also a
sMe through one of the legs, evident
also made by bullet, said hole near
| the knee joint I; third hole likewise
supposed to have been made by a bullet,
was also seen near the lower extremity
of The spine.
The head and face were perfectly bare
| of both flesh and skin, and the front OF
the neck was also bare of most of the
flesh and skin; yet from slit in the
| wipd-pipe and the smoothness OF some o.
the edges of the remaining skin, we are
ofthe opinion the throat was cut. We
further say that G. w. Stockard anG
others testified in our presence that sale
BODY was found in Duck river, abou
two miles below Williamsport tina
when taken out of the water, rope wa.
attached to the body, which they sup
posed had been used in weighing dow
the body.
p. Levi having been sworn in on
presence by G. W. Stockard, testifiet
that he recognized in the body above re
ferred to, the body of S. Friedman; tina
he had travelled with said Friedman
had slept with him and knew him mos
Intimately; that he recognized his finge
nails. or rather three of his finger nails
- l. Ia