Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-07-06

The Fourth had ita usual chapter of accidents.
We give below list of its main incidents:
The usually quiet village of Clinton was the
scene of one of the most cowardly and unpro-
voked murders on Thursday, that we have ever
had the i'll fortune to record. Joseph Buckner,
respectable and inoffensive colored man of
this place. was shot down by Luke Leach, a
drunken desperate The facts are these: The
scholars and friends of the colored Baptist Sab
bath school went on an excursion to Clinton on
Thursday morning, and had a picnic at that
place. After spending the day in recreation
and innocent amusement, the excursion party
repaired to the depot late in the afternoon,
to await the arrival of the train from
Careyville, upon which they were to
return to Knoxville. While standing upon
the platform, Mr.. Buckner and another colOred
man were conversihg, and very naturally in
these election times, their conversation turned
on political subjects. Leach overheard them,
and coming up used some abusive language to
which Buckner replied, / am not talking to
you" Leach Immediately drew pistol and
with the Infatuated madness of iend fired
right into the crowd of colored people standing
around, the discharge taking effect in Buckner' s
left eye and penetrating the region of the brain.
He lived in great agony until some time Thurs
day night when he expired. Mr.. Buckner wa
deacon in the colored Baptist Church. OF
which Rev. VIM. Howell is Pastor and enjoy
ed the esteem of all who knew him. He has
been employed for some time past as laborer
in the shops ofthe East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia railroad. He leaves wife and two
small children, who were dependent upon him
for support.
Leach, after committing this foul and coward
ly murder, walked leisurely away, and although
the Sheriff of the county was near by, and on
the spot few minutes after, no attempt was
made to arrest him. We learn that ne was still
at large yesterday morning, and no arrest made.
After this shameful dereliction of duty, which
should almost render him accessory to the muir
der. when he was demonstrated with by gentle
men present and urged to arrest the murderes,
he got angry, cursed and swore, saying that The
knew his own business" A respectable gentle
man who belonged to the same political party
with the Democratic sheriff, but censures his
conduct very severely, when asked If he knew
why. the arrest had not been made. made the
significant reply, that Robbins (the sheriff.
was candidate" We trust if this is the kind
of sheriff he is that the good people of Ander-
son county will relieve him from any future re-
spoEsibility in this behalf by electing better
man in his stead.
An impression seems to prevail among gem
tleman of certain political school that colored
people have no tight to talk politics in their
presence. These fellows will never learn that
colored voters have the same political rights as
other men until an example is made of some OF
them. We know of no class, the representa-
tives of which would grace the gallOws so we'll
as these desperadoes who take pleasure in shoot
ing colored men, because they are colored, The
law should be rigidly enforced, and the highest
punishment meted out. Repulsive as the idea
of capital punishment may be to refined minds,
it is much better that the necks of such Williams
should pay the penalties of the law, than that
innocent, innoffensive persons should fall vic
Tins to their hellish thirst for blood. Having
inhaled the fumes of mean whisky is no excuse
for, nor no mitigation of their conduct
We understand that Jas. n. Ray, Esq, left
for Clinton yesterday evening in company with
friends of the murdered man, and that they will
take proper steps to have Leach arrested and
brought to Justice. The feeling against him is
very high, and he can not expect to eludc all
officers of the law.