Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-30
THE KNOXVILLE HOMICIDE
Some Additional Particulars.

Some Additional Particulars.
Verdict of the COr0nor's JurY-A
CIrcumstanIial Account of the
Murder-The Flight of Col. Nelson.
The verdict of the coroner's jury,
which was made pubic on the 2Sth OF
September, is that Gen. Clsnson wss
killed "by gun shot fired by David NJ.
Nelson; the weapon was double barrel
shot gun, and by unlawful means" The
Knoxville Press and Herald of Sept.
80 says:
The fearful tragedy of Wednesday
evening, was the subject of universal
comment among our citizens yesterday.
Men talked with each other of the terrible
affray and regretted its occurrence.
Though neither of the actors were resi-
dents in our community, and the subject
of their quarrel was personal difference,
yet it was felt that the odium of the
homicide would be reflected upon Knox
vile, and that the failure of the suthori-
ties to promptly arrest the murderer, was
stigma upon the fair fame Of our city.
Though the dead nar had been q Gen.
ersl in the Confederate service, and his
slayer Colonel in the Federal army, men
felt relieved to know that politics had
nothing to do with the matter, and the
tragedy was not sIepetition of the scenes
of five and six years ago.
Those who had come TO our city from
Chattanooga, to take part in the proceed
ings in the United States Court, in the
case of the Alabama and Chsttanooga
Railroad, felt relieved when the Coroner's
inquest developed the fact that nothing
that had trsnspired in connection with
that case had anything TO do with bring
ing on the fatal difficulty.
Yet while these various classes of our
community found csxse to congratulate
each other, the bitter fact remains that
the deed was done in open Daylight, in
the presence of dozen witnesses and the
perpetrator allowed to escape.
Many different accounts were in circu-
lation Wednesday evening, of the manner
in which the tragedy occurred and during
the excitement it was impossible to arrive
st q correct version of the affair. Dur
ing yesterday, however, we made every
effort by hearing the statements of diff
ferent witnesses of the tragedy, to arrive
az a correct account of the bloody deed
and give the following as being as near
the true one as if is possible to obtain
When Clauton and Nelson were intro
duced, on the sidewalk, on the lorth side
of Cumberland above Gay street, Clanton,
after the interchange of a few pleasant
greetings, remarked that he 'the had now
got through his lsw business and was
ready TO see the town"
Nelson said: 81 can take you where
there is something very nice if you are
not afraid"
Clanton said pleasantly: 'Do 1 look as
if was afraid"
Nelson replied: 81 do not know
whether you are or not p"
Gen. Clanton replied: 81 am not afraid
of anything or any man."
Nelson again repeated: 81 do not
know whether you are or moi, in man
ner which Clanton seemed to think insult
ing, and he retorted,
IL yVu LAAA oAA1 w AnC1 HeAAO yOu
friend, time and place, any time or any
place.
Nelson, very excitedly, said, ''This
time and place is as good any. Take
your stand"
This conversation took place on the
sidewalk, in the presence of six or eight
gentlemen, both parties talking rather loud
ly. Nelson had his hand in his right side
pants pocket.
above quoted, Clsnton stepped out into
the street Facing toward the sidewalk,
he said to Mr. Fort, ''step off the ground
for your friend"
In the meantime, Nelson ran into the
st. Nicholas Saloon and tried to borrow a
pistol from q gentleman then in there.
He had nothing of the sort, and said SO
Nelson then said to another gentleman;
81 want my gun, where is itfn He was
informed that he could not get his gun
it was in the Office of one of the stores on
Gay street, the rear of which opens into
an inclosed yard, used in common by
several. Nelson dashed away from the
gentlemen, however, got into the store
and demanded again that his gun be
brought to him. He was told that he
could not get it, but seeing it in one
corner, where it had probably been
standing for some time, he seized it and
rushed out the back door. As he went
out, efforts were made by two men to
sop him, but being of superior strength
and filled with passioI, he showed them
both off and ran out of the store. Such
is the statement of the gentlemen them
selves. In the yard he was caught by a
young man, who attempted to stop him,
but Nelson dubbed his gun on him and
drove him. He then ran through the sa-
loon and out on Cumberland street.
From the statements of three witnesses
we gather that, when Nelson stepped out
on the pavement, he was partly hid by
several beer kegs, an awning post and q
lamp post. He took deliberate aim, rest
ing his gun against the awning post. At
that moment Clanton seems to have seen
him. AS we stated before, Canton had
been facing the sidewalk, with his hands
up in front of him. When he saw Mel
son, he turned around to face him, put
his hand back t. draw his pistol and at
that moment Nelson fired II is now be-
lieved that this load struck Gen. Clan
ton on the right shoulder, breaking his
arm, for when be drew his pistol he was