Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-11
THE SWEETWATER TRAGEDY.
Particulars of the killing Of Capt. Andcr-
son.
Whisky the Cause of the Difficulty.
Full Details by an Eye Witness.

Full Details by an Eye Witness.
The following details of the tragedy that
occurred at Sweetwater on Thursday, the
9th instant, were written by an eye-wit-
ness and addressed to Capt S. P. Evans,
the difficulty having originated about an
arrest by Deputy Marshal Kittrell:
SwEETwATER, Tenn, Nov. 9, 1871.
Capt. s. p. E'Udres .rr-az-a-1 r-r
DEAR SIR AS thearrest of Sam. Ander-
son has resulted in, perhaps, the death of
his brother, Captain John Anderson: and
as l happened to be an eyewitness to both
the arrest, the tragedy, and indeed the res
cue and re-arreSt, thought it would not be
out of place to make detailed statement
to you, so as to enable, you to deal know
ingIy with Sam, who Will be at your of
flee tomorrow morning.
About O'Clock, Deputy Marshal Robt.
Kittrell came into my room, "a public
room where and my clerks were at work.
in company with Sam. Anderson, and
laying his hand OH Anderson's shoulder,
they walked to the back side of the room
together, when Kittrell drew a cdpias
from his pocket and read to Anderson, an
nOuncing at the conclusion, "You are my
prisonerp WhereupOn Anderson declared
with emphasis that he would not be ar
rested, and drawing an ugly knife from
his pocket, opened it, and hallooed, "Oh,
JOhn,o to his brother, who was there out
side the house near at hand. In mo-
ment john was in the hOnse with a
revolver drawn, demanding that Sam be
Immediately released. The Deputy Mar
shall was unarmcd, and so the by ISLANDERS,
some of whom were ladies. After brief
tatsSLe between Kittreil and Hon. Jesse +.
Owen, on the one side, and the two An
dersOns on the other, Sam got loose and
he and John rushed out of the house OH
to the platform, at which | closed the
door. when the AndersOns came back,
cursiDg and threatening in desperate
manner, and made some demonstrations
as though they intended to break into the
house, or break the windows and doors
down. The citizens, many of whom had
gathered upon the platform, endeavored to
persuade the AnderSOnS to desiSt and
leave the place, but they declined to COM
ply. Finally, II. G.. Boyd, who it seems is
Justice of the Peace, succeeded in having
them to mount their horses and start,
which they did as though they were going
home. Very soon, however, they return
cd and repeated what they bad just per-
petrated at the doors and windows, when
ESQUIRE Boyd again induced them to
mount and leave. This time we all felt re-
lief as Kittrell had intended to desist from
enlbrOiling himself any further just then,
prefcrring to have q posse before encoun-
tering a set of desperadoes any more. But,
to prevent any further trouble in the event
of their return, Esquire Boyd had issued q
warrant and placed it in the hands of
State officer to arrest them. And just as
I, and ] presume the others also, were be-
ginning to feel easy, here they came gal
Looping up, and John dismounted hastily,
and indicated by his actions that he in
tended to press in where Kittrell was and
assault him. At this iuncture, the officers
to whom the warrant for their arrest had
been handed, together with young Sneed
approached them.
The warrant had found its way into
Snead's hands. The officer before NEIL
toned seemed to address Sam, who was
yet on his horse while Snead said some
thing to John and they both walked about
eight, or perhaps ten, steps to one side,
when Snead attempted to inform John of
his object to arrest him and to pull the
warrant from his pocket at the same time.
At this John, whose hand was perhaps
about Snead's neck at the same time, gave
him push and declared thathe would not
be arrested, using an oath in the express
sion. A brief scuffie ensued between them,
when John and Snead drew their pistols
much about the same time, when it became
a question as to Who should shoot first, and
Snead suitng himself to the emergency,
succeeded in shooting him in the abdomen
which seemed to Immediately paralyze
John, who was easily .jerked to the ground
and his pistol taken from him by Snead.
This is brief, and think substantial his
tory of this case.
The conduct of the Andersons was dis
graceful in the extreme. After they were
appraised Of the cdpidS coming from the
United States Court they ''swore worse
than an army in Flanders" threatening
everybody whose name might be mention
ed or happent to be thought of.