Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-07
STRANGE HOMICIDE AT BOLIVAR.
An Affecting Death Bed scene-The
Victims Corpse Placed In a Wood
Wagon, and Seized by the COrO0er
Before its Burial.

Wagon, and seized by the Coroner
Before its Burial.
Bolivar, West Tennessee, is excited in
regard 10 the recent killing of a strange
man named VIM. S. Goforth, the circum-
stances of which are these: About six
months ago, the murdered man, who, at
the time of his death was near twenty
| seven years of age, in Company with his
wife's bro Their, Hendricks, and her brother
| in-law, Bedford Thomas, left Salisbury,
! Haraeman county, and removed to Boil
var. For some time Goforth bad been
| drinking much, in order to drown his mis-
| fortunes, which had come upon him like
a STORM, carrying every JOY and CLEAN Of
| hope away. In addition to his misfOrtunes,
which were in great measure of dOmes-
| tic character, Goforth was naturally one Of
those strange beings whose mystery in
| thought, feeling and habit, seemed To cut
him off from the rest of his feilowmen.
| While drunk Tuesday, July 80, Goforth
went home and quarTeled with his wife,
who stating the affair to her brother, he had
the husband arrested and fined So The
| day after Hendricks told Goforth to leave
the county and he would pay the fine,
Goforth agreed and started to leave,
OoH 4Obu1HSu dUOub 6lSuJ NIOSh
at night to his home, where Thomas
and Hendricks refused to let him in the
house, although entreated by the unfortu-
nate man, who promised never more to
drink, and only wanted to stay at night.
Gotorth went away and returned in about
an hour, when being again refused be left
the house and was followed by Thomas and
Hendricks. Goforth turned back, telling
Thomas he was determined to 60 in his
house. While endeavoring to do so Thomas
picked up a scantling and struck Goforth on
the head, who staggering finally fell as if
killed by the terrible blow. ReviVing, Co.
forth arose and with a wild scream
of deathliko terror rushed forth mid
the darkness of the night, followed by Hen
bricks. Thomas went for the constable who
went in pursuit and arrested the wounded
man and placed him in jail. About O'Clock
the town constable, A. p. Filler, went 10
the Jail for the purpose Ofgiving the prisoner
a drink of water. But the poor man, un-
attended, alone in the unlt prison cell, was
dying as he lay in blood, the which was
dripping from both ears. DR.. j. j.
Nicely was summoned, and upon
an examination, found that the rear part
of the skull had been crushed by the blow,
pilAhl5 up buC OSClpILdl DOuts WHICH, mol
being mashed in on the brain so as to cause
instant death, produced lingering one Of
aculest suffering. Goforth's family being
notified, came to the jail, and about day
light Thomas drove a wood wagon to the
prison for the purpose of hauling his suffer
ing victim to the home whose
doors had been closed in
his face but a short while ago.
Goforth fingered in dreadful agony until
one o'clock Thursday morning, when death
came to his relief. The death scene was
most affecting, the family of the murdered
man and the two men who and caused his
sad fate, being present and weeping all the
while. Thursday morning Thomas laid the
corpse in pine coffin and, placing it in his
wagon, started to the graveyard in order to
ehde an inquest by the Coroner.
A. P. Filler, the coroner, overlook the
expeditions brother-in-law, and taking him
and the dead body back toIBulivar, sum-
moned jury of inquest, whose verdict
was that VIM. S. Goforth came to his death
by blow on his head from the hands of
Bedford Thomas. This is one of the most
shocking homicides that Tennessee has ever
recorded among the dark deeds of crime |
which cause her cheek to burn with shame |
at its infamy, and sorrow with regret a. its |
unhappy cOmmittal.