Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-22
The Trial Of Thoma. sharp.

I The Trial Of Thomas sharp.
Yesterday at the time appointed, large as,
Semblage of persons convened in the CrlnlnaI
Court room to hear the proceedings in the trial
of Thomas Sharp charged with the Stabping OF
| Wiley Bowman.
| After considerable delay, the prisoner was
brought from Jail, and appeared in the court
O'clock. Justice W. F. Yardley then proceed
ed to omen the court B[essrs. j. +. J. Lewis,
$. n. Vance and 10. Wilds appeared for the
prosecution, and Jas. n. Ray, Chas, H. Flour
noy and George Washington for the defense.
TODD Sharp and Fannie Bowman being called
for by the counsel for the defense, were ordered
to be brought from Jail to give evidence.
The warrant was read by Attorney j. +. j.
Lewis, charging the prisoner with maliciously
stabbing and cutting Wiley Bowman, to which
| he plead mot guilty"
then called, sworn and sent out under charge of
| officer Netherand to be placed under rule:
James West, Sarah Stokes, Charles Jarnagin,
Margaret Me Bee, Mary Estep, Lizzie Brum-
| NETT, and Nelson Howard.
| Mr.. Chas. Flournoy then called the following
witnesses for the defense, which were sworn:
Ham Ryan, VIM. Davis, Burrell Carter,
Henry Woody, John Estep, I. w. Dunn, Fam
ME ROwman and Susan Sharp.
| DR.. French being placed upon the stand, tes-
| tilted that he examined the wounds of Bowman
| on Saturday, about ono hour after the occur
| renee of the affray, and found fourteen wounds
| inflicted with a knife. He examined the patient
| again yesterday and also to-day, Wounds were
| meath tho shoulderblade and up and down the
| back. His condition was critical and he will
probably die.
He stated on cross examination that if pro-
! perly cared for he would get well, but that he
was not properly cared for.
james West, the prosecutor for the State, de-
posed and said that he was at McBees last
Saturday night-heard Sharp say he was going
| to protect his pcople-saw him strike Bowman
in the head with knife. Bowman pushed
Sharp away and fell upon him when Sharp
stabbed Bowman in the hip-knife was about
that long measuring on his hand about half
hands lengthy.
Cross examination first saw knife opened
when they were down. Sharp had his feet to
Bowman's head and Bowman's head was Mt
Sharp's fect-didnt see Bowman have anything
-dindn't hear the difficulty.
Sarah Stokes was next called She was there
at the time mentioned. Sharp struck first with
dirk knife. The Sharp party wanted her to
prevent her doing so, and said the girls had a
plot TO chastise her and cut her with knives
Saw five or six cuts on Bowman after all was
over.
Cross examncd-Bowman only put his hand
on her arm while telling her not to go. She was
not excited at the time.
Charles Jarnagin said: He was at Jake Nc
Bees last Saturday night, was in the house
when the ball broke up and did not know any
thing Of difficulty there that night.
Margaret McBee, lady of the house where
the ball occurred, said Saw Sharp there but
did not see him do anything to Bowman, but
said he would disembowel b. This occurred
after the ball had broken up.
Cross examined-Sharp threatened to shoot
through the house and she begged him not to
do so. She had given ball-kept n dance
house. Sharp treated Bowman and said he
would make him drunk in order that he might
give him beating-Sharp burst the door open
about 100 persons were present.
Mary Estep: Was at the place of the difficulty
Sharp and Bowman were down together-did
not see Sharp cut Bowman.
TODD Sharp depOscd that she was present. |
They were all in the house dancing. Sarah
Stokes wanted to go home with them. Bow
man went out and said she should not go Bow |
man struck the first blow with knife did not
see her father have any knife.
Cross examined-A hat was produced with |
two holes cut in it, which the witness said were
cut during the fight. She was on good terms
with Sarah Stokes.
Fannie Bowman, for the Defence stated that |
she was present at the time in question. Sarah |
Stokes asked to go home with them (the Sharp |
party. When they started Bowman trid to
prevent her going-Bowman struck first blow |
with Authenticated the hat which Sharp had |
Ont had no holes in it then-ball room was
very small-before the difficulty Bowman was
going to cut TODD with knife and threatened |
her father.
Cross examined Bowman told TODD he
would cut her heart out.
Alice Taylor, for the defence, was present
saw Bowman strike first blow
Cross examined: Bowman cut the hat while |
it was on Sharps head.
Ham Ryan-On Saturday evening saw a lot |
of men in the road above town-heard them
speak of dance and that Sharp was coming up
to take 'the gals away-Bowman said if he did |
he d blow his brains out-went over to his home
near the ShieldstOwn Church-after dark heard
a number of pistols fire and n big gun-didn't |
know who fired them.
Cross examined: Never was in pcniten-
tiary. .-E --.
VIM Davis-Hcard some shots in the direc-
ton Of McBees on the night in question-didnt
know Bowman-lived about half mile from
McBee'S.
The counsel for the defence introduced JAS
Hamblin who identified the hat exhibited in the
course of the trial as his own which he had e1-
changed with Sharp for his on last Satur-
day night and stated that at the time it was not
cut-saw hat Sunday morning and the cut was
in it.
As number Of witnesses were net examined,
his closed the testimony and the attorneys pro-
,ecded with the argument which was opened
On the part of the counsel for the prosecution
nv Attorney Wilds. All except Attorney
Washington participated in the argument, which
being concluded, the prisoner was held in a
bond of four thousand dollars to appear at the
next term of the Criminal Court, in default of
which he was sent to jail
Serious Amusement.