Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-10-18
Hunted Down,


Two men were arrested in Franklin
county, Tenn, a few days ago, as the
murderers of Elmore H. Horton.
The facts of this rather extraordinary
case are, that Mr.. Horton, who lived
fourteen miles below Winchester, and
near the mountain, was shot from his
horse by some persons from a concealed
place in the corner of fence. Several
persons heard the shots, and the. dead
body was found q few minutes after
ward. Upon examination it was found
that two men had been concealed in a
corner of the fence, just where the road
made a sudden turn into little branch,
and from where the horses tracks, and
the place where the body was found, it
was clear that he was shot while the
horse was drinking. The cracks of the
fence had all been stopped with weeds
except the one through which the guns
were put. This was Just before shutdown
Friday evening Horton was return
ing from town, and was within a
mile of home, in thickly settled coun-
try, there being several houses in sight.
The coroner's jury gave verdict that
the killing was done by two unknown
persons.
The death Of Mr.. Horton was tele-
graphed to Col A. S. Colyar, of Nash
vile, who at once commenced to make
inquiries, but found that no one had
left the settlement. Taking two or
three reliable men with him, Colyar
went rapidly from house to house to hear
the story of every man and his family-in-
terrogating each separately-as to his
whereabouts on the day of the murder ;
and at school-house where the chill
dren were all examined separately, one
boy stated that boy named Bill Martin
told him that Monroe and Hop Martin
were out on the mountain side that day
FRIDAY last hunting sheep. This Bill
denied upon examination. Monroe was
was then first seen and his story heard.
They agreed that they left the house of
one of them about one mile from where
the murder was committed, and that
they both went up the mountain and
stayed together until they returned. But
one said they came back before shutdown,
and the other that they returned eae
hour after dark.
Without being formally arrested, these
men were kept until the next day, but
not allowed to talk to each other. Soon
in the morning, Col. Colyar started with
one of them to show his trip through
the mountain, which he did, climbing
and clambering until he reached point
at the top of the mountain between
three and four miles from home, then
returning by different route. Imme
diately afterward the other was taken ant
directed to travel over the route which
they both agreed they had travelled to
gether only last Friday evening, and h,
reached the mountain by route at leas
two miles distant from the point wher,
the other reached it, The routes, going
and returning, were totally different, ant
no man ever took walk with more trepi
dation than did the last one, KNOWN,
that the other had first been over tn
ground. These two men were born an,
bred at the foot of the mountain ant
know every path.
i This was regarded as the stronges
sort of evidence, but on examining
their shoes it was found that they exact
ly conformed to the measures. Thei
feet fitted the tracks precisely. Bot
of these men lived on a farm adioin
ing that of Mr.. Horton, in sight o
his house, had long been hostile to him
and had threatened his life.