Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-29
THE KNOXVILLE DIFFICULTY
The Killing of Gen. Clanton, of
Alabama.
The Escape of the Slayer.

/ Alabama.
The Escape of the Slayer
What the Knoxville Papers Say.
The UNION AND AMERICAN of yesterday
morning contained brief telegram from
Knoxville, announcing the killing in that
city Wednesday evening, of Gen. Clanton,
of Alabama, by Col. David II. Nelson,
of Cleveland. In the Knoxville papers
of yesterday we find the following articles
relative to that most unfortunate affair
which the people of Tennessee viii deep
| ly lament:
From the Knoxville Press and Herald.
Dreadful Homicide.
| GEN. JAMKs h. oLANToN KILLED By COL.
DAVID N. NELSON.
Gen. James II. Clanton, one of the
best lawyers and most popular men of
| Alabama, as well as one of the bravest
and noblest of men, was shot and in
stsntly killed by Col. ID. M. Nelson, of
Cleveland, Tenn.
Gen. Clanton was attending upon the
United States Court to guard the inter-
| ests of Alabama in the Alabama and
Chattanooga Railroad case, and had never
| met Col. Nelson, who was interested in q
case now pending in the Supreme Court,
until five minutes before the affrsy oc-
CURED.
After the fatal shot had been fired, the
body of Gen. Clanton was taken into the
back Office of the confectionery store
under the Lamar House, where every
effort was made by competent surgeons
to restore life, but in vain.
As soon as life was ascertained to be
extinct, the body was removed to the
reading room Of the Lamar House, and
Esq. J. P. Ally, acting Coroner, sum-
moned the following jury: W. r. Nc
Bath, E. W. Adkins, A. G. E. Cullen, j.
N. Hacker, ]. b. Renshsw, John Crow
ley and J. A. BrakebilL
After the jury were sworr in, Tomlin-
son Fort, ESQ.,, being sworn, stated to the
| jury that about ten or fifteen minutes be-
fore six o'clock, P. NJ, he was standing at
the corner of Gay and Cumberland streets,
having just come out of Elfler's saloon.
He had just met Col. D. NJ. Nelson and
was walking arm and arm with him, be-
| ing an old friend, when he saw Gen.
Clanton with dark whiskered gentle
man (Col A. 8. Prosser), on the other
side of the street They crossed over
and met them and he introduced Gan.
Clanton to Nelson with the remark that
Nelson had fought GUS" Fort was in the
Confederate army and Clanton also) but
had been very liberal and honorable
towards bis late enemies. Col Nelson
or Gen. Clsnton proposed to go and take
q drink. Col. Fort thinks Col Nelson
made the proposition. As they walked
along the talk turned in some way on
smusements, and Col. Nelson remarked
that he could show Clanton something
good if he was not afraid. ..
Gen. Clsnton said: 'Do you think Pm
| afraid3"
Col. Nelson said, 81 don't know wheth-
er you are not
The same remarks were repeated sew
eral times, Nelson apparently becoming
excited but Gen. Stanton was cool. Fort
put his hand on Nelson's shoulder, who
was under the influence of liquor, and
said, 'Keep cool, Dave. You are in the
wrong. There Is no use in fighting"
At length as Nelson repeated, 81 don't
know whether you are afraid or not"
Gen. Clanton said:
'fWel, if you think I'm afraid just
ny me. Name your friend, time, place
and distance, any time or any place"
Col Nelson said this was as good q
time and place as any.
Gen. Clsnton then said, ''Fort, step off
the ground for your friend"
Col. Fort refused to do SO, as both
were friends and there was no cause for
quarrel.
While he was talking with Gen. Clan
ton, Col. Nelson had gone into Ei1er's
saloon, and as he was urging Clanton to
go off as Nelson was drunk, Fort heard
| the door of the st. Nicholas open. He
looked and saw Col. Nelson with dou~
e-bareled gun coming out. He thought
that Nelson fired the first shot, and as he
fired, CIanton leveled his pistol, cockedit,
aud fired. Nelson at once fired again, and
sfter the shot Clanton fell forward, doubling
himself up on his hands and face.
He did not know what became of Mel
son after the fatal shot was fired.
Col. Fort stated that during all the con-
versstion Gen. Clanton held his hands on
his coat collar, while Nelson kept his
hands in his pocket.
Judge G. F. Trigg being sworn, stated
that he had Just lain down in his room,
No. 10, in the Lamar House, and heard
| loud talk on Cumberland street, and got
up and looked out of the window and
| saw Clanton and Fort standing in the
street. Clanton said to Fort, He told me
to take my position. Very soon Nelson
came out of Eifer's with double barrel
gun in his hands, and rested the gun
against the right hand side of post, and
fred at Clanton, who had no weapon in
| his hands st the time. Soon after,
Clonton drew pistol and fred. Nelson
then fred again at Clanton, who stood
quartering to Nelson.
Doctors W. F. Green, from Greenevile,
and J. B. Tad!ock, of this city, stated to
the jury on oath, after making an exam
instion of the body, that fifteen or eigh-
teen shot or small balls had entered the
chest near the right shoulder, frscturing
the shoulder joint severing several srte-
Iies and veins which are essential to life.
They thought. that portion of the shots
had entered the lungs. Two shot or slugs
were taken out on the back side of the
shoulder by them.
The Jury consulted few minutes and
adjourned to meet this morning at nine
o'clock, when they will render their
verdict.
Is is but justice to Mr.. Ei1er to state
that the weapon was not obtained in his
house, but from some of the houses on
Gay street. to whose back doors access
can be had from his back door.
We learn that Col Nelson, immediately
after the fatal shot, procured horse and
fled across the country. The last heard
from him, was at IL o'clock last night
He was reported to have passed the toll
gate near Judge Temples house on the
Kingston pike, three miles ahead of Sheriff
| Gossett.
The father of Col. Nelson, Hon. T. A.
R. Nelson, one of the Judges of the Su-
preme Court of this State, sent out two
of his other Sons, In company with the
Sheriff, to bring him back if they could
find him