Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-12
A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.
A Man Murdered fn Daylight ON a
PubIic Road.

From the Knoxville Press and Herald
of Tuesday last we take this extract:
Knoxville was excited yesterday over a
rumor that Thomas G. Boyd, well known
citizen Of Sweetwater, bad been killed two
days before In the lower edge Of Monroe
county. There were various reports i'll
circulation as to the manner in which Mr..
Boyd met his death, and from the mass Of
them, without vouching for the correctness
Of any, we sift the following
It is we'll known that Mr.. Boyd had a
number Of cases pending against him in the
q. S. District Court which opened yester-
day. On Thursday last, be left his home at
SWestwater, to go into the southern part Of
the county to hunt up some witnesses he
wanted. He took with him two men, B.
P. Reagan, ofSweetwater, and-Hensley,
Of jacksonville.
On Friday, about O'Clock p. m, the
three men were at Laurel Branch Spring,
on Laurel Mountain, which is described to
us as being on the road from Madisonville
to North Carolina, twenty-five miles south
east of jacksonville, and between Coco
Greek and the toll gate. The two men
who were with Mr.. Boyd, tell the fol-
lowing story:
While Mr.. Boyd was drinking at the
spring, Ave men, armed with pistols and
guns and having their faces BACKED, rose
out Of the surrounding thicket and with
threatening actions ordered Mr.. Boyd and
his party to surrender, which they, having
no means of resistance, did. The two
men were blind-folded and while three
Of the five accompanied them down
the road, the other two remained
with Mr.. Boyd. They had proceeded short
distance when the report Of pistol shot
was heard and Hensley, Who was not entirely
blinded, looked back, saw the fash of two
other pistol shots and saw Mr.. Boyd fall.
Reagan and HeDsley were taken of into
the woods some distance and tied to trees.
Between 9 and 10 O'Clock at night, some
men came and released them. They had
no definite idea where they were and
wandered about in the woods till 10 O'Clock
Saturday before they found the road. On
the road, Just when and where, we do not
know, they met Mr.. r. s. Mahan, Of Mad
isonyille and told him Of the murder. CAT
the time our informant left Swee.water,
neither OF the men had returned to that
place, Hensley having gone to his home at
MadisonviIle and Reagan having gone it is
bupPOoChf W w ALAeO OAAA1 AAS
are staying.l
Mr.. Mahan sent wcrd to Mr.. Boyd's
father, who lives at Mt. Vernon, ten miles
south of Madsonville, and twelve miles
north OF Laurel Branch Spring. Mr.. Boyd
sent the news to Mr.. A. A. Boyd at Madi-
sonviIle, on Saturday evening. Mr.. A. A.
BOYD forwarded the news to Mr.. A. w.
Boyd, o nephew of the murdered
man, at Sweetwater, who got it at II
O'Clock at night. Mr.. A. w. Boyd stated
Immediately, went to Mr.. A. A. Boyd's, at
Madisonville; where a small paTO was
gathered aud proceeded, by way Of Mt.
Vernon, tothe spot where the shooting
was done. A letter from Mr.. A. w.
Boyd was, received in Sweetwater on
Sunday night, in which he stated that they
had ''found Uncle Toms body about 10
O'Clock on Sunday morning, and that It
would have to be inferred at Mt. Vernon" !"
The Coroner was TO have held an inquest
on the body, yesterday morRing, and the
Masonic Lodge at SWeetWater, made, pre-
partitions to attend the funeral at Mt. Yer
non, in a body. ... t... ~ IS
e.