The New York herald., 1872-09-15

Having now brcdy stated trust the same may be con-
aSe that g
The gushing epistle was duly received at the White
House, read by the President and referred to the
Attorney General, who In turn referred 1t to the
Treasury Department, whence IL was transmitted
to Mr.. George Andrews United States Distri CT At
torney for the District OF East Tenn essee. This
gentleman furnished 1t to the publishers Of
the Knoxville daily Chronicle, the leading re-
publican paper In Tennessee, and It ap-
peared In the columns of that journal on the morn
Ing OF June 8. 1872.
Prcsident-by reason OF the Infamous proposals
therein contained-must have demoralized BOYD
for time, for 1t evidently complicated his Difficult
ties; but being fellow fertile in resources and
aliZing that the desperate fix in which he found
himself required q desperate coup for his extrica
brain was woven one OF the Doldest. most daring
and, frOm its very rashness one OF the best devised
schemes to escape from his troubles that the mind
the details OF its execution and the manner OF Its
exposure WIN be directly given. The grand idea,
the central feature OF the plot was the
FICTITIOUS MURDER
OF himself, and under the cover OF his supposed
sassination. his escape nom the country. 1t may
excite surprise that he did not leave, being on
bond but the explanation Of this fact Is the only
circumstance in this horrible affair that can be
Justly SET down to his credit. The man was IN.
doubtedly grateful to the friends that had incurred
liability for his sake by becoming his suretes and
In order to protect them against forleirures incident
W Ills HOJ appearing ~ COuTt at StptciuDer
term IL was necessary to create the belief In the
he was dead Therefore the fictitious murder was
resOrted TO. This was evidently a daring
game to play. worthy OF the most reckless crimi-
mails that have figured in the annals Of history,
for 1t involved a dead body and the Identification
thereof as Boyds, or the proof, by eye-witnesses,
OF the fact OF Ills assassination These two aterna
tiyes presenting themselves the former being
evidently the more difficult, the latter was res0rted
TO, and the plan, which must have been maturing
as will presently appear-irOm the 23d OF August.
was carried into execution on Friday OF last week.
On the 23d ult. negro boy, formerly the slave Of
the Boyd family died, and Tor some reason. not at
the time known ynson or understood his re-
nineteen miles nom the house where he
died, for interment. This seemed strange,
but excited a., no mt at the time but finally i
urday the 7th inst, the quiet village OF Sweetwater
was startled by the information that Thomas G.
Boyd had been foully and brutally
the day before about one O'Clock in the afternoon,
and burned. The news created a profound sensa-
tion- The locality at which the alleged murder
some sixteen miles from MadisOnv ville the county
seat OF Monroe county. The news was brought by
two men named Hensley and Reagan friends Of
Boyd who stated that they were eye witnesses of
part OF the atrOciOus
DEED OF BLOOD.
1T is said that Boyd lett Sweetwater, on We'd
nesday, the 4th inst, in company with Reagan
and Hensley, all on horseback, iOr the purpose of
summoning witnesses to attend at his trial before
Jnc feueTdl COurC IN KNOXVILLE. before leaVlng
Boyd procured from livery stable a fleet horse,
giving as a reason for desiring such an animal
the statement that he feared that some one might
made upon his life and that he wished to get such
horse that he might escape II attacked In the
mountains M At this point win take up the state
TALLY as foliows:-When Boyd and themselves
reached Laurel Hill the party stopped to get water
at spring, and as-so the story gOes-Boyd was
kneeling down drinking, party Of
FIVE MASKED MEN,
armed with shot guns, debouched from thicket
and summoned them to surrender. Being sur
prised and Outnumbered they, doubtless consider
Ing discretion the better part of valor under cir.
cumstances of SO embarrassing q nature complied
with the demand with the best grace possible and
were all seized, bound and blndfolded. Two Of tho
masked men, they SAID, went with Boyd and the
remainder watched the road and guarded Reagan
and Hensley. The whole affair was despatched
quickly, systematically and quietly, but few words
ments ui ' alter the parties NS. were e separated
the solemn silence OF the forest was broken by the
report of firearm of some sort, and Reagan and
Hensley turned their heads inv0luntarily in the
direction whence 1t came and Hensley's bandage
having slipped he was enabled to see little. Boyd
upper part Of his body was visible. Another shot
was fired, and then another, and at the third
BOYD FELL TO THE GROUND.
Reagan and Hensley were then hurried Offs0me dis
tance and their money taken from them. The for
mer had about five dollars and the latter seventy
pointed, and remarked that Hensley had on very
nice boots to have so little cash ana that they were
to too good to die In leaving the impression on that
Boyd he and Mr.. Reagan would be served In the
same manner.
The two men were left tied in the forest, and in
few moments after their departure
TWO MORE SHOTS
were heard In the direction where Boyd was last
seen. But they saw and heard nothing for six
dreadful hours expecting m0mentarily the return
OF the murderers to infiict on them the fate that
their captors reappeared, and iOosening their
bonds told them to leave that vicinity as soon as
possible-that they had settled with Boyd, but had
These men 60 on further to state that after the
murder was committed the lifeless body was taken
kindled, and that the remains were then and there
burned. The intelligence Of the alleged murder
was communicated to the friends Of the ''de-
ceased" and on Saturday afternoon and Sunday
the woods were secured and the remains Of hu-
man being dreadfully burned and mutilated-in
fact, beyond all recOgnitiOn-were discovered. The
body was taken to Boyd's fathers, and the an
nOuncement was made that
THE FUNERAL
would take place on Monday, 9th, at two p. M.
Accordingly on that day large number OF friends,
citizens, and the Masonic lodge at Sweetwater, Of
Which deceased % M was was member repaired to the
ercses. In the meantime suspicious which seem
to have been entertained from the first by many
persons to the effect that the whole affair bo
gus, began to be expressed, and thousand rumors
were current The affair seemed to be shrouded in
mystery, and many persons boldly declared their
scheme to enable Boyd to leave the
country without compromising his surety
An estmable lady declared that she saw him about
an hour before sunset on the day OF his alleged
death. Another person said he had seen him about
the same time, or rather earlier in the afternoon.
Parties living In the immediate vicinity Of the al
legged homicide deny that shots were fred about that
tiine and also declare that they had heard nothing
Of the affair until after they left home and in
Knoxville fOrty-twO miles distant. Another strong
Of na Henssy ~s S the aa
make the murder public until late Saturday morn
ing, nor did they ask the immediate neighbors to
JOIN In
THE SEARCH FOR THE BODY,
or communicate information OF the murder to
them promptly, as would have been most natural
under the circumstances. In fact, their very story
was improbable in this, that such murder would
have been perpetrated on the public highway, un-
der the broad glare of midday, without creating
some excitement or even becoming known In the
immediate vicinity. The news was received In
Knoxville on Sunday in the shape Of simple
despatch, giving no particulars whatever, and,
strange as it may seem, was almost universally
discredlted Doubling Thomases declared they
would have to put their fingers In the bullet holes
- III t.tfnx a, nn,l