Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-23
HOMICIDE.
A NesTO Ran Shot and Instantly
Killed.

About shutdown yesterday negro man
named Joe Haley was shot and instantly
killed in drinking saloon on Broad street
by a 70 9th named James Kilcoin. So far
as we have been able to learn from the
evidence of a colored witness, Jesse
Thomas, before the coroner's jury, the facts
of the killing are as follows: Thomas was
| doing some work out Oh Broad street and
having business in the city, hired Joe Haley
/ to work in his place two hours, by which
time he expected to return. After working
| two hours Haley stopped and went to the
| grocery and saloon, No. 272 Broad street,
| of John Kilcoin, father of James
Kilcoin who was the clerk. HALEY COM
menced an argument with James Kilcoin,
who asked him why he had ceased work
and to 90 back and finish the Job. Haley
| told him he would not 90 back unless he
gave him drink of whisky, to get which he
| had come to the grocery. Kilcoin, who is
a mere boy about seventeen years of age,
| finally gave Haley drink or two of whisky.
| When the witness, Jesse Thomas, went to
the grocery he found two other colored men
besides Haley there, and after talking a lit
| tie with the latter about his work COM
menced conversation with Kilcoin, who re-
marked that he had given Joe. Haley
| 'EtWenty cents worth of stuff and charged
| it to him, the witness, asking if it was all
right, to which the witness answered yes.
| Haley and Kilcoin commenced an argu-
ment and had a playful tussle with each
other near the door, the latter in good hu-
NOR telling Haley to get out and also trying
| to shove him out Of the door. Haley did
not obey Kilcoin, who went behind the
counter and picking up pistol came back
towards Haley, holding the pistol in both
hands. Seeing him, Thomas told him not
to be fooling with that pistol. Before he
could finish lis words the pistol fred, as he
thinks accidentally, the ball, as shown by
surgical examination, entering between the
fourth and fifth ribs ranging downWards
and causing instant death. As soon as the
pistol fired and its victim fell quiYering in
death upon the floor, young Kilcoin
told the colored men to 90 for
an officer: 81 will give myself up" The
witness further testified in substance the
following That the tussle between Haley
and Kilcoin was all in good humor, he had
| seen them engaged frequently in like sport
on former occasions; had seen KilcOin kick
Haley often, and then take a drink with
him; had seen other pranks played with Joe
III bIlO SlOCOIJJ huO Was usually very Idlk-
alive; he, the witness, did not think Kilcoin
had any thing against Joe; he believed the
shooting was accidental altogether, and not
intentional or premeditated; when Jim
pushed Joe at the door before the shooting
Joe did not go out; he made no effort to
hit Joe; no threats were made, no angry
words ensued; when the pistol fired it
was resting in both of Kilcoin's
hands, and was not pointed as if aimed at
Haley. He would state to any one that he
believed the killing accidental. He did not
know the other two colOred men present at
the time. One was named Bob, and the
other was slim, tall man. One of them
had been working in the stone cutting bus
mess. He did not know the name of either
nor their place Of residence, or where they
could be found.
Haley lived near Broad and McNairy
streets, and leaves a wife and three chill
dren. The coroner's jury returned a YER
dict to the effect that Haley came to his
death from shot ola pistol in the hands of
James Kilcoin, who was then required to
give bond in the sum of $1,000 for his ap-
pearance before Justice Cassetty at II
to-day. The bond being given, Kncoin,
who had given himself up, was released
from custody.