Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-16
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Burglary, Murder and Ineendiarism.
A Day of Excitement in Greeneville,
Tennessee,


The town of Greeneville, seVenty-fve
mile. east Of Knoxville, was the scene of
great excitement, yesterday, resulting from
a tragedy which occurred in the town, be-
tween one and two o'clock in the morning.
We learn the f,llowing particulars
Mr.. j. p. Mason was a merchant of
Greenevile, doing business in large frame
warehouse, adjacent to the railroad depot,
which is distant about one-half mile from
the main street Of the town. In this build
ing Mr.. Mason had long conducted general
merchandising business. Being an I'M
married man he slept in the store each
night, no one else being in the building.
Between one and two o'clock, yesterday
morning, the structure was discovered to be
on fire. When the fire was first discovered,
the roof Of the building was falling in.
The alarm was promptly given,
but the flames had gained too
much Roadway and il was found impossible
TO save the building or any Of its contents,
and in short time nothing but embers re-
NAMED of the warehouse and its valuable
contents.
During the progress of the fire, the ques-
ton was frequently asked-Where is Mr..
Mason? No one could give an answer. 1t
began to be feared that be had not escaped
from the building and that be had been
burned to death. Soon it was noised about
that those who were earliest at the fire had
noticed that the door of the building had
stood open. Then it was that suspicious Of
foul play were excited, and the excitement
soon spread.
When, at daylight, Mr.. Mason had not
been seen, nor had anyone knowledge Of
his whereabouts, the fears grew into GER
tainty and the hot and smoking debris of
the fire was searched over. by eager men,
anxious and yet fearful to find
a trace Of the missing man. BY and by
the excitement spread over the entire town
and the whole population were soon gath
cred around the charred ruins, speaking
with hated breath Of the mystery, they hard
" yet knew what. The searchers came to
the h"avy fire proof SAFE, and discovered
that The key was in the lock. No one
doubted now that fearful crime had been
p-Jpetrated. The open door of the burn
ing building, rihed safe, and the missing
proprietor, formed the links of chain which
could be understood only as evidencing the
! horrible crimes of pillage, murder, incen-
diarism! And, when later in the morning,
the burned and scarcely distinguishable re-
mains Of man were found, lying under the
smOuldering timbers, conjecture gave
way TO certainty, and all Greeneville
| knew that a tragedy of the most
terrible character had been enacted, while
the town lay sleeping, all unconscious Of
the presence Of viIlainy 50 satanic. Suspi-
CiOn pointed to none. All were aghast at
the horrible events that had shocked the
usually quiet community. Men spoke
of the many virtues of the unfortunate man
and in dread whispers, of the possible mo-
tive which led to the commission of the
crime. 1t was said that few days ago,
Mr.. Mason had received sum of money
from the South, about $1,000, with which
10 make purchases Of produce, and, there
being no bank in Greeneville, the money
had been placed III the safe in his store. It
was also said that he always kept large
sums of money, of bis own, in his safe.
Mr.. Mason was about thirty years of age,
and unmarried. He was native of Greene
vile, and his father and brother reside in
the town, the latter being the proprietor OF
the Mason House. He was quiet, sober
man and of excellent business habits. The
merchants of Knoxville, with whom he
traded, speak Of him in the highest terms.
THE LATEST.
By passengers on the midnight train this
morning, we learn that when the remains
of the unfortunate man were found, the
skull was crushed, though it may have been
done by the falling timbers. A portion of
the clothing renamed on the left side and
shoulder, indicating that he had been dress
ed when murdered. This is accounted for
10y a report that he was expecting some
wagons to come in that right, loaded with
wheat, and had lain down dressed to await
their arrival. The left side and shoulder
were not consumed, from the fact that the
body had fallen into or been covered by
falling pile of wheat. As yet the citizens of
Greeneyille have not been able to find any
clue TO the murderer or murderers.
From the Knoxville Chronicle, March 10
No new developments have been made
concerning the GreeneVille horror. The
matter is now in the hands of jury of in
quest, who will use every exertion in sift-
ing the matter, and we hope that the per-
petrators Of the awful deed will be brought
TO speedy justice.
Ghe Grerneville Sentinel estimates the
loss at about $4,000, and says of the I'M
fouura-e man who met the horrible fate
that bef=ll him:
Joseph P. Mason was a man of about
forty } eats of age, unmarried, and bro
Their of John Mason, of the Mason Hotel,
Greeneville, and brother Of RObt. Mason,
who was some years ago shot and killed by
A. j. Fletcher, in Greenevile."
WE learn from a recent book that Adam
(whom many of our readers will doubt
less remember as the first man) was, accor-
ding to rabbinical tradition, one hundred
miles high. If this is really true every one