The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-10-05
A FRIGHTFUL HOMICIDE.
General ClantOn, of Alabama, Mur-
derel, -----.
Colonel Nelson, Of Bradley County,
Shoots Him. H.f 'r.
Our City the Unfortunate Scene of
. ..r the Murder. .r.....,.
From tho Chronicle, Of Thursday.

From the Chronicle, Of Thursday.
1t is our painful duty this morning to
chronicle a most distressing murder,
and one which has thrown our commu7
nifty into intense excitement and been
the subject OF painfully earnest, and We
might say, universal lament. The al
fair is doubly lamentable, because the
deceased was MT the time of the killing
visitor in our city as the agent in a
high capacity Of the State Of Alabama,
Our people feel keenly the effect the I'M.
fortunate affair must have upon the
community and share the general sor-
row that must exist over the killing of
such prominent man, . ...r. .,..'
THE MEETING. ......... ..r....
The facts as gathered at the Coroners
inquest shall be briefly told; Gen. ]. II.
Clanton, of Montgomery, Alabama, was
killed yesterday evening about 6 O'clock
on Cumberland street near Gay, by Col.
d. NJ. Nelson, of Cleveland, Tennessee.
About the time mentioned General
Clanton, while conversing with A. S.
Prosser, Esq, near Bells stables, was
introduced to Colonel Nelson by Tomli-
son Fort, Esq, and upon the invitation
of Col. Nelson the party proceeded to-
ward the st. Nicholas saloon to drink.
THE DIFFICULTY. ... r
Immediately after being introduced,
Messrs. Nelson and ClautOn began u
conversation and continued it while
walking towards the saloon Nelson re-
marked to Clanton that he could take
him to certain place i'll the city, if he,
Clanton, was not afroid to go. Clanton
seemed to misunderstood Nelson, as he
asked him several times what he meant
by Lis being afraid. Nelson said he did
not know. According to the testimony
of Col. Fort, Clanton then remarked
that if Nelson thought he was afraid, he
might pick his ground and they would
settle it then and there. Cluntou then
stepped into the middle of Cumberland
street, looking toward the St. Nicholas
saloon, which by this timehe had passed.
Clanton called Oh Fort to measure off
the ground, which he declined doing, ut
the same time telling Clanton that Mel
son was drunk and he ought not to mind
him. During these efforts of Fort Nel-
son ran into the saloon and was gone Il
minute OF so--where, no one positively
knows. When noxt seen he was coming
out OF the saloon with double barreled
shot gun 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 u very promi-
ncnt citizen who witnessed the killing
from his window in the Lamar House.
He says rs Nelson came out of the sa-
loon he saw Clauton i'll the street stamp
ing down his foot and saying, she told
me to take my position, and | am here"
Then attracted by the noise Of the sa-
loon door, he looked over there and saw
Nelson aiming his gun against the avn
ing post. Nelson fired the first shot.
Clanton saw him coming out and drew
his pistol and fired Immediately after
Nelson. Nelson still resting his gun
against the awning, deliberately fired
second shot, which took effect about the
right shoulder, which he had turned to-
ward Nelson preparing to return the
first fire.
mr.,