Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-09-18
Reagan and Hensiey-Are They Dupes or
AccOmpIices.

The alleged assassination of Thomas G.. Boyd,
of Sweetwater, is still the topic of conversation
along the line of railroad as well as at Sweet
water and Knoxville, where he was widely
known, and the doubts expressed on Monday
we're even stronger yesterday than the day pre-
vous. Those who attended the tunernal on
Monday afternoon state the remains were
BURNED TO A CRISP,
and were us black as a coal. All resemblance to
humanity was destroyed by the devouriny
flames and portions of the head and parts of the
body entirely consumed The shape of the body
was destroyed and to use the language of our
informant, the remains could have been plac-
ed in u bushel basket with ease.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT Is DIVIDED
on the subject, many believing that the body
found was really that of Thomas G. Boyd and
they have in support of their belief the testimo-
nv of the men who were with him and the grief
manifested by Mrs. Boyd, which none are dis
posed to think was affected.
Boyd had been engaged in collecting claims
| for a large number of men, some of whom, 1t was
said, had threatened his life. That he had heard
| of those threats was evident from the fact that
! on the day he left Sweetwater Boyd told the
| man from whom he hired the horse he rode that
| he was going into dangerous locality and
wanted a swift animal that he could depend on
| in case of
! and accordingly one of that description was
furnished thought to have the speed and bottom
| of Dick Turpin's "Bess," but horse-fesh could
not save what was already doomed. The
strongest reason for supposing that Boyd really
| was Killed is the evidece of Esquire Reagan, who
asserted that he believed the remains found were
his, though he could not identify them. Rea-
gan's statement was not 'iade ,tldcr oath, ana
he did not positively to the identity oil the
| body found but confined his assertion to the
| pf Lodge
ncrs jury have not yet
RETURNED THEIR VERDICT
but reserved their decision until Saturday, the
18th inst, which, in itself, is matter Tor the
gravest doubt among many who would other
| wise accept the matter of Boyd's alleged death
without Questioning it. This delay was undoubt-
edly for the purpose of sitting the matter thor
oughly and making Investigations for the pur-
pose of putting the vexed question at rest.
Two physicians saw the remains. and we are
told that DIR Scruggs says that the Wrists
ARE LARGER THAN BoYDs,
. and also tho shoulders, On the 23rG of August
, an old family servant of the Boyd family, Sam
) uel Bowles by NAME died at Sweetwater ant
his corpse taken that night to Eleazar church
{ | nineteen miles distant, where it was the mex
! day Inferred This church is about nine mile
from where the burned body was found, and
. whispered suggestion is mooted that If the grav
. of Bowles was examined, it would be seen tina
the old darkey who faithfully served Boyt
n DEATH and that his body fed
THE FUNERAL PIRE
instead of tho one whose death has been an
nounced. 1t has been said that quilt wa
found in the woods near where the burning tool
place, and it is surmlscd that 1t was USED L
0 bring the body from the grave. Quite mum
. Der of Boyd's papers were found close by scat
6 tered around carelessly, and not even scorched
n Another circumstance connected with I'd
r matter is that Boyd was alleged to nave pee
| I..ll. 1 al Il al hos on
r enable to suppose that his boots were left upo
his feet, but if so the fire must have burned wit
such intensity as to melt the tacks IN his boot
heels, for not one could be discovered in tn
ashes where the body was found, although sew
eral teeth were discovered
NEW JURY
! OF inquest has been appointed, under the lead
ership of Esquire Montgomery, and everythin
;, will be done to investigate the matter thorough
Z w. The grave of Bowles will be opened t.
y day, and the public will soon learn whether tn
n | belief that it has been tempered with Is We
e founded or not, The Government detective a
3. luded to yesterday is still on the ground an
- will use all his efforts in ferreting out the trntf
: 1t has been stated that
/ BOYD HAS BEEN SEEN
!. by several persons since the hour ne was T!
II ported to have been killed. A lady living
Monroe county, who was in this city yesterday
| states that she met him near sunset on Frlda
| evening, accompanied by Reagan and Hensle,
and stated that the two latter spoke TO her, bI
Boyd did not though she knew him we'll
The disinclinaton of Boyd's connexions
make a vigorous effort in probing the matte
| excited surprise among some of the citizen
< who wished to see justice done If the either
| who live in the neigh borhood when the murdt
: | was committed persist in protesting lgnoranc
y of the crime, Il ey should be compelled to Civ
" | their reasons for every law abiding man shUul
i | wish the perpetrators brought to punishment
= But there is no telling what a day may brln
y forth" and before the sun sets the whole matte
a may be made clear and the mystery explained
n One by one the facts in the case surroundln
I the strange disappearance of Thomas e. Boyt
= of Sweet Water have been followed, and tn
"a truth stripped of the mystery that has hithert
enveloped il rs with veil, is triumphant
shown and tho principal actor in
THE NEFARIoUs DRAMA,
stands before the community in the most III
+ enviable and loathsome attitude. Link att
Ie link in the chain of evidence has been put q
y gether until nothing is wanting to convlnC
lie Boyd's strCngc.t friends of the stnpeld"l
!. fraud he endeAvored o. d" ne ste, by ". .ch
Il hoped to esca . tho punisnment he teare
aud 50 Justly merited for crimes committed
and his name is covered with infamy that
!. frnd would blush to own. Ghoul-like, he hi
violated the
sANCTITY or THE GRVE
- and snatched from its last resting place the d
~ caying remains of faithful slave whose be
or years were spent in the service Of the creatu
re who would have cast odium on his dead vlctl
y by passing off his charred and wasted frame
s. the body of Thos. q. Boyd, the swindler az
or traitor.
a. ITO such base uses are we come at last"
The rapacity of the hyena is put to blush