Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-09-30
THE KNOXVILLE TRAGEDY.
of the killing of Gen.
LANES III. CiantOn by Col. ID. M.

Nelson.
From the Knoxville Chronicle of the 2Sth.l
The facts as gathered at the Coroners
inouest shall be briefly told; Gen. D.
II Clanton, of Montgomery, Ala, was
killed yesterday evening about SIX
o'clock on Cumberland street, near Gay
by Col. d. M. Nelson, OF Cleveland,
Tenn.
About the time mentioned General
Clanton, while conversing with A. 3.
Prosser, ESQ.,, near Bells stable, was in
troduced to Colonel Nelson by Tomlln-
son Fort, Esq, and upon the invitation
of Colonel Nelson the party proceeded
toward the st. Nicholas saloon to drink.
THE DIFFICULTY.
Immediately after being introduced,
Messrs. Nelson and Clanton began
conversation and continued it while
walking toward the saloon. Nelson re-
marked to Clanton that he could take
him to visit certain place in the city,
:f he, Clanton, was not afraid to go.
Clanton seemed to misunderstood Mel
son. as he asked him several times what
he meant by his being afraid, Nelson
said he did not know. According to the
testimony of Colonel Ford, Clanton
then remarked that if Nelson thought
he was afraid, he might pick his ground
and they would settle it then and there.
Clanton then stepped into the middle of
Cumberland street, looking toward the
ST. Nicholas saloon, which, by this time,
he had passed. Clanton called on Ford
to measure off the ground, which he de-
clined doing, at the same time telling
Clanton that Nelson was drunk and he
ought not to mind him. During these
efforts of Ford, Nelson ran into the
saloon and was gone a minute or So
where. no one positively knows. When
next seen he was coming out of the
saloon with double-barreled shotgun
in his hand, ready to be raised to an
aiming position.
READY TO SHOOT.
On seeing this, Fort left Clanton in
the middle Of the street, out Of the way
Of the terrible weapon. Just here we
take up the statement of very promi-
nent citizen who witnessed the killing
from his window in the Lamar House.
He saws as Nelson came out OF the sa-
loon he saw Clanton in the street stamp.
ing down his foot and saying, He told
me to take my position, and l am here
Then attracted by the noise of the sa-
loon door he looked over there and saw
Nelson aiming his gun against the
awning post. Nelson fired the first
shot. Clanton saw him coming out and
drew his pistol and fred Immediately
after Nelson. Nelson still resting his
gun against the awning deliberately fired
q second shot, which took effect about
the right shoulder, which he had turned
toward Nelson, preparing to return the
first fire.
HIS DEATH.
Clanton dropped down slowly, and as
he fell over remarked to colored boy,
the first to get to him, take my hat and
pistol-I have done all l can. lie
| lived but a few minutes, as will readily
be understood, when it was found by the
surgeons that there we're twenty wounds,
some fifteen TO eighteen shot or slugs
entering his chest Nelson ran back
into the saloon with the gun, and in the
excitement made his escape, going from
the back Of the saloon through store
to Gay street, thence-no one knows
where. Gen. Clanton was taken into
the Lamar House dead.
THE EVIDENCE.
The evidence before the Coroner s
iury showed that when Nelson came out
with the gun, Clanton had not drawn his
weapon, but was evidently waiting fol
Nelson to take his place and give him
some chance before shooting. Nelson
had been drinking freely during the day
and was very much under the influence
of LIQUOR at the time of the murder.