Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-17
THE MYSTERY.
Is Thomas G. Boyd, Of OfSWeetWater, Dead,
or is he living "A Hoax or a
Tragedy.
A Circumstantial Account Of the Affair
from Reagan and Hensley,
BOyd's BOdyguard.
Reagau's DOubts-He is Afraid he has
Been Discrepancies be.
tween him and Hensley.
The Strangest Story that East Tennessee
Has Ever Furnished-What Has
Become OF Boyd!

The Strangest Story that East Tennessee
Has Ever Furnished-What Has
Become OF Boyd!
In answer TO q summons from the United
states Circuit Court, Benjamin p. Reagan,
Justice Of the Peace, Of Sweetwater, one Of
the men who accompanied Thomas @. Boyd
on his recent mysterious trip to the TellioO
mountain. arrived in Knoxville on Friday,
sud me knoxville Press and Herald Saws at
the request Of Colonel Whitney, the Govern
Iueut Agent. who has for some time past been
investigating the affairs Of Boyd, Mr. Reagan
proceeded 10 the Office OF District-AttOrney
Andrews, and related, in his own way, every
7Eiug he had done or seen, and his where
s.nOuts. day and night, nom "Wednesday, Sep
Tsmber ath, up 10 the present time.
REGAN'S STORY.
He commenced by stating that he resided
in the village Of SweetwateT, IN a house owned
bs Thos. G. Boyd, with whom he had always
been on intimate terms. That about two or
three weeks ago BOyd spoke to him about as
-Isting him in subpRnaing witnesses TO attend
fh4 Feoeral Court now IN session in Knox
siIle. The names Of the Witnesses were writ
ten on two legal blanks, which were properly
Illai out and signed by II. NJ. Aiken, as clerk,
but he had not been deputized by Captain
swans, the United States Marshal, TO serve
them. About eight or nine O'Clock on the
snorning OF September fourth, Hensley and
left SWeetWater IN a buggy: we proceeded 10
Jacksonville, thence 10 the residence OF
Colonel Boyd. father OF 7, g. Boyd, where we
left the buggy, and where IL now remains; we
arriyess about dark: there was no one at home
except the negro woman, but soon after Mrs.
Boyd and Miss Spillman arrived we remained
there all night; after breakfast, Thursday
morning, went 10 see Joseph Marr and Hen
slew who Is my brOther-in4aW, went TO sub
p0na several Fitnessesi Hensley returned TO
Colonel BOydS aLIer dinner, ana We tnen
started for the Garden settlement; we stopped
az Or. Gardens and John Gardens; that night
ne stopped al the house OF a. Hawkins; we
Eft
morning. about seven or eight o'clock, and
proceeded 10 where :. Halcomb lived TO sum
mons him.
HIS VIsITTO HAWKINS AND GORMLEY'S
Mr.. Hawkins holds the office OF sheriff and
did not wish 10 be subpaned, as his Court
would be in session al the same time. l told
MIN TO consider hat he was summoned unless
some other Arrangement could be made.
did not say TO him that had no subpoena for
him. but Mr. Boyd had it, did not show II
10 him have not got the subpanas now
Hensiey has them. From Hawkins we
started out 10 find Mr.. HCEum, thence 10
Colonel BOyds, when we met Thomas 6.
f.,vd about ten o'clock in the morning, ac-
cording 20 previous arrangement. There was
no one there except ]. g. Boyd and his mother
We rgmaided there just long enough for Boyd
TO get his horse ready. Boyd said he wanted
10 see "a lady before crossing the mountain on
his way 70 North Carolina. Boyd told Hens
icy TO summons Mr.. kelso, while he ana
-sgant 10 see q widow lady named Roberts, liY-
tug in the Garden settlement, and We three
y-Sre 10 meet at Gormley : house. On reacn-
iD0 her house. Boyd got down from his horse
~ So her. I did moi dismount. About half
past eleven o'clock, that morning, we all met
ilgiiD at Gurmleys; from there We went TO
n COnpfnCer'ss arriving there Little
after dinner time. Before leaving Colonel
B0vd-s house Mrs. Boyd had prepared some
cooked chickens, bread ana sucn arucles OF
food as we could best take with u.s. hensley
had them in a sack; at CIorrnley : We ieo our
horses from his corn and oalss Wnlle We ate
from Hensley's sack: when we LEFT We put
corn in sacks fDE our horses; from OOrllley
S-.. ,1rgcea,ied 10 cross Tellico mountain,
frr-rl alHf ON
goDuingers: while crossing the mountain
we mel J. Cuppinger and talked with
him q few minutes; while standng therei
I got down and KILLED black snake.
THE SURPRISE AND CAPTURE.
We proceeded on our journey, had nearly
crossed the mountain, and was close 10 Laurel
Branch: we were talking about getting water
when / was surprised 10 see Two teroelous
looking men with blackened faces and long
bsards lump out of the thicket from the right
hand side OF the road and present pistols 10
as demanding US 10 halt; We halted; Hensley
and ! were together and Boyd was just IN
front: one man said to me .'tO give up my
arms I replied that Il had no arms, but |
would submit one Of the gang hcllOed for /
rfe rest 10 come out. and about THIS tlme
saw three other men come from ihe other slde /
Of the branch and attack BOYD: 1 was thtn |
ordered TO dismouut, which did, as also
HeuSleV. one man handed pistol TO the one
who had confronted Hensleys while ne TED |
mv hands behind me with rope. While
.., being tied a scufile ehsued between
Hensley a. lis man. Hensley had drawn
spf his hands. Hensley was then tied the same
IS MYSELF During this time the other three
ruru had made BOYD disInount ana uedlll ued MIN
tlIe same as we were ued-l cannot say pOstiNe-
~ which side Of the branch We were on when
attacked was ordered 10 mount my horse.
4 tried 10 do 50 but could not. was lLeh
i,eired on Hensley got on q log, then on his
I0rea Boyd was also helped on his horse
BOUND HAND AND FOOT-MURDERED
We were then started back up the noun
tain. Boyd in front and Hensley behind; my
horse was led by one OF me men we prS0eeea- &c, a.
- about fifty OF sixty yards and turned on 70
rhe IefT. and followed br1dle path; We came
70 a steep place, and / was ordered on nom I
my horse. but soon got on again. We prOceta-
~ about one mile up the mountain pain, /
when we We're all ordered TO dlsmounti we
aid ~ and then our horses were taken back /
no way we had come and out OF slghJ; Hens |
fa,- and / were then taken short distance 4
further, where our pockets We're searched.
had some private papers, a KNIFE, ana thIee /
dollars and twenty-five cents in money. AZ /
:ar going q short distance further, our ieet i
we're tied together. and Hensley and were /
ordered 10 siI down, which we did quickly. /
They told BOvd that hg was an old fox, nut /
fl1ev had cot him at last. Boyd said: "lf am /
10 die i want TO die like a man. want my /
F1odv u De taken to Sweetwater 10 be buried
We then made the Masonic sign OF distress. /
PTFd was then taken sixty or seventy i've |
Val, ,ts from rs when one man put pistol 70 /
Eisiss .ie and fired. ] saw Boyd fall. He fell |
.l-5f 0f -tght on the mountain SIDE. uld mol |
see him .dtcrW ard soon aholhSI sIoL W. /
fred and then three more. hensley was /
bifndfolded before Boyd was shot, but was /
rlof al any time. could See BOYD from ms I
waist up at the time he was SHOT hensley /
AMI 7 ,rsre alone when the shooting was done. /
RELEASED.
T,ro men only were with Boyd, the other
three were with our horses, suppose In /
few minutes the two men came 70 Us ana IN, /
-ia,i Crlr feat aud moved us about one hundred /
and dfrv wards towards the creek, wnere they /
again tied US as before and left US short time
~ were again moved about two hundred 1
-y,T.js. when We were left until about dusk,
when one man came 10 Us ana sara 70 me /
'slhar / had one time saved MS NE ana ne 1
yvO8ld not XII me-" Only one otner man VS. 1
In sfglf Nv hands were then united Yhen 1
,ras ordered to unite nay feet and set Hensley /
loose, which did We were then Iola thst "a
A.. could 20. Heusley and were mucn be-
-riIdered and hardly knew what 10 DO or /
vyItIch way 10 90. At last we came 70 q DTanch 4
vrFich we followed in order 10 get on the
mountain into the main road; We wandered 4
about until we came 10 th1cket- ana II Oelhs 4
- dark we concluded 10 remain there al 4
night ] was well acquainted with the ihtl- 1
fude OF She country, and when Lne sun arose
Z knew what cOurse 10 90. he then went 70 /
HensIeyrs residence, where he and Hensley /
efsi3 u1tIl Monday. as they went telling evrey \
Eodv OF the murder aud the manner OF IL 4
ana exciting the people 10 action-I
TNoUEsT-DoUBTs RAISED.
~ Monday Hamilton. Balm and myself 4
started from Hensleys lor the inolllaiihs;; rs, >. |
rgrrosr Pearson and son, and several OLher
i.o,-s also went 70 where We were tledi ana 70 /
..-l,.r,s the boues were found The bones were \
=, eI,ort distance from where ! saw Boy q isill.
- ans time "A large number OF people had /
-5flefted there. do not think the bOhes Lsd
In moved before saw them some OF the /
C-.l.s ,E-sntf.d 10 send for magistrate 70 I'M
.,s,,lL,.-J a iury. some insisted that l should
.i.-oiifr a iury OF inquest. l dld 80. lhe
1asnes were: Joseph MARI Jgs7T JS.7f,,y n ~
= IL Shields J. r. Leonard, " llllam M4TIt 4.
= T. ,T1ff w g. CiOunlry, Jacob Graves, hiram
pa Non. J. Rogers, J. Garden, J. King i. ane
Henry k9pe5. s,pIe1 scc5riias to law. made my
efafeuleDs 10 them. was nOt sWoIn, ~ - -
reason that there Wa 70 Hiasb,f i,assbfcb fbfnt
11,oS- III -nisbed bv Mr. Erwin ana We started
gor Mr. Graves. The Jury lalit1 y - a. t',-s ~
whether the bones were thOse OI = y - n ~
whether the whole affair was no1A. - -.
Leonard did not think the remains @tIs ~ ~tnCsS
of Rovd. Dr. Boyd showed me some PapeIs
which were scattered about where tle DOho-
'-a-e fonud. which belonged 10 Boyd; among 1
tEem was my pockei-Dook- now DefaI
rkfnk / Lad been imposed upon, when
..rsaned that the papers had not been puTheu
nj. n fhe remains. I Fs-gard Dr. Leonard hs 2
silsrf and good physician, and clever and
reiiabi. man. He told me h9@ be iouna5 tne d
uaue7-- 90 not think any doctor coul0 Ie-
a. e. whose bones they were. some OF the
pat.ars found we're subpwnas. did not rec
sff alood where BOYD fell, as the ground i
si,-,.7f IEicre had been burned. ! saw spots Of
i.fasI on some of the papers. The papers
i,.s..,.i Ike they might have been handled by
.tl j., which had bloody ends. They were
''' &c 7p''' THE FUNERAL.
a., t-,e search for the bones and at the in
esb., vs. presenf, was Winheld Boyd; the re-
7eairs we're taken TO Eleazur burying-ground, /
si,0ut three-foUrtis Of a mile from Colonel 1
govd's; prayers were offered by Kew. Ar. |
1Ifirrfssa Of = yveetwater; boyd father, moth 1
~ and Alvin Boyd met me at the funeral j
poy-dfs ,gife might have been there but Gid /
- 80 her. tle remains were buried IN tle /
Family graveyard, where BOyds brother and
-,isier were buried; ] got supper Monday night |
al Colonel Boyd's. but did not see J, y. boNds |
1vtfe mar night: after supper / vent Win /
I4an,fffon to his mouse, where ] remained all
.,ierht Tbe buggy which ! rode IN from
.57sstu-sf,.r was M ade for the seHing-inaahipe
s,,ss,,sss- IN, INC way from Sweetwater broke
Down fbe seat ! have not been 70 the grave
Vard since the buriali haye not sen the ne
grOs grave.