Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-13
A MYSTERY.
An Old Citizen Of East Tennessee Sup
posed Murdered and His Body
Buried.
$50, 1000 Life Insurance InvOlVed-DOubts
as to the Crlme-SuspiciOus.

A letter from a citizen of Sweetwater, East
Tennessee, dated September 10th, and adj
dressed TO the editor of the Knoxville Press
and Herald, says; There is great excitement
in our county over the murder and burning OF
our townsman, Thomas q. Boyd. went a trip
of twenty-five miles yesterday 20 learn what
] could about the matter. ! saw what was lett
of a human body after an almost complete
burning, which, assure you, was close burn
Las the brickmakers would say. There was
scarcely a whole bone left There are some
doubts in the minds OF the people as to the re-
mains being the body of Boyd; yet Boyd was
seen in the hands OF ruf1ans disguised can
not be seen in our region, and is mourned by
his relatives and many friends as dead and
buried
The Press and Herald, additional to the
above says: ''The party who went in search Of
the murdered man, found, on Sunday morn
ing, about zen ocl0cej chaIIeu Lilnn LuIlhn ~ ~
mains in a "tree-top"-the upper branches OF
a felled tree-on Laurel Ridge, about one half
mile from the spring where Reagan and
Hensely stated the tragedy occurred. The
tree had been fired and burnt out, and the re-
mains discovered, while plainly those OF
human being, We're so thoroughly burned rs
to destroy ali means Of identification. Among
the ashes were found some teeth, few but
tons and two pistol balls A few OF the teeth
were found in the burned sockets of what was
once q jaw. This was all. John Carson, the
Corner OF Monroe county, was in the party
who discovered the remains, and he tmmedi-
ately held an inquest. b. 2. Reagan and -
Hensley We're the witnesses before the Cor
oner. Reagan sNyOre that Boyd, Hensley and
himself were captured by men with black
ened faces on Friday afternoon, September
9TH, as detailed in the Press and Herald, OF
Yesterday. That Hensley and himself were
bound and blindfolded and taken of short
distance. That the witness heard pistol
shot and, turning, the bandage having slip
ped from one eye, he saw two pistols fired
at Boyd, and that Boyd then fell. Reagan
then detailed the release OF MIN
self and Hensley ana the subse-
quent proceedings until they were able TO give
Information TO the friends of Boyd, as detailed
BY us yesterday. Hensley substantiated the
statement of Reagan as regards the capture,
hearing the pistol firing, and subsequent pro-
ceedings of himself and Reagan. Some OF the
searching party stated at the inquest having
found a number Of papers OF private charac-
ter. which had belonged 10 Boyd, scattered ON
the ground where the murder was said 10 have
been committed, and that the papers were all
saturated with blood. The jury returned
verdict to the effect that the remains before
them were those of human being, but haV-
ing been burned beyond any recognition,
they were unable 10 Identity Jneln. u Is
stated as matter OF current notoriety in and
around SWeetwater that BOyd's life had for
some time past been threatened by men for
merly in BrysOn's company of scouts, vino
served in the Federal army during the war,
and between whom and Boyd bitter enmity
mad arisen over some personal claims, in
which the parties We're connected we are
informed that a woman called at the pension
office in this city, yesterday, ana stated that
she saw Boyd half an hour before
sun'-meaning about six O'ciOck-on Friday
afternoon, nearly mile from the spring
where Reagan states he was shot. II appears
that Boyd had an insurance OF twenty tnOu-
sand dollars on his life, six thousand dollars
Of which was obtained recently from a COM
pany represented here by Rev. Mr.. HOcket.
There are two other policies we learn, Of four
thousand and ten thousand dollars each, in
companies having Knoxville agents
To the above the Knoxville Chronicle adds:
''The disinclinatiOn of BOyd'S connections to
make vigorous effort in probing the matter,
excited surprise among some OF the ctuzens,
who wished to see Justice done. II the ciu-
Zens who live in the neighbOrhOOd where the
mi nDmrniffal ToerSGt in l1rDTpSginp
Ignorance of the crime, they should be COM
PEELED 10 give their reasons, for every law
abiding man should wish the perpetrators
brought 10 punishment From this, a suS-
picion grows that Boyd, with the connIvance
OF his friends, is trying 10 cheat the life in
surance companies out Of the twenty thou
sand dollars for which his life is insured.
Any way, there is mystery about his taking
OFF