Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-14

An investigates and . Fearful Rev
The Grave a. opened but the CONN,
- Eznptyi $3.50 3

Tho excitement ABOUT The purpOrted
murder of Thos. G. Boyd by unknown men
in Monroe county, has not abated, but is
fast increasing because of the fearful revela-
tions from an investigation just made. Ia
addition to the facts already published in
the UNION AND AMERICAN, we extract
the following from the Knoxville Press and
Herald of Sept. IL, inst:
"The Boyd mystery is the sensation of
| the day in East Tennessee, and the interest
manifested by all classes grows more and
more intense, with each announcement of
new facts and fresh rumors concerning
| the affair of the alleged murder of Thorn.
as G.. Boyd, of Sweetwater. The tragic
death of Boyd, as narrated by Reagan,
the cbarred remains on the bleak moun-
tain side, the letters smeared with
blood, the grief of Boyd's relatives, and the
disappearance of Boyd himself from all the
places once familiar with his presence, form
to some minds, proof of the murder of
Boyd too strong to be overlooked. But to
others, there seem to be positive indica-
| tons going to show that the story of the
murder was an artiul fabrication and that
Boyd was not waylaid and killed as repre-
scented, but, on the contrary, is alive, and
| that the tragic details of Reagan and
| Hensley are but fictions of their fanciful
brains. This class of uDbelievers point
| to the conflicting statements of Hensley
and Reagan regarding the affair, to the
queer actions of the two witnesses, their
tardy information of the alleged murder,
their unwillingness to search for the des-
peradoes whom they 80 wildly described,
and to the charred remains as wholly un-
necessary and suspicious action-all CT
which say the doubters proves that there is
at least deep mystery in which the affair
is enshrouded and that the probabilities are
against the truth Of the story Of the alleged
murder.
The most recent development in connec-
ton with the aff4ir is claimed by those who
doubt that Boyd was killed as confirmation
of their views. We give the facts, as we
have obtained them from creditable
source, Of the latest phase OF the boyd
mystery:
1t is well known that there are number
Of suits pending against Thomas e. Boye :
in the United States Court, in this CITY, III
connection with certain pension matters;
| Upon the news the murder being received
in Knoxville, Col. L. B. Whitney, attached
to the Secert Service Division ofthe Treas
ury Department, Immediately proceeded to
Monroe county to investigate the affair
Col. Whitney did not arrive at Mt: vernon
until after the charred remains, found on
the mountain, had been buried. Col.
Whitney was dissatisfied with the inquest
held over the body, believing 1t to have
been informal and without shadow OF law.
He learned that Reagan, who is Justice OF
| the Peace in Sweetwater, but not the
Coroner of the county, had impanelled
| Jury of twelve men, himself held the in
Quest. made his statement Of the capture
aud killing of Boyd, but was not under
oath, and adjourned tie jury for two " eeks
Learning that there was no regular Coro
ner of Monroe county, Col. Whitney pro-
ceeded to Madisonville, where the courts
were in session. and laid the facts before
Judge Hall. The Judge sssented to Col.
Whitney's suggestions as to the necessity
of legal inquest, and after stating the law
on the subject to the County Court, that
body then elected DR.. Upton, q prominent
physician. Coroner of the county.
This was on Tuesday morning. The
| Coroner Immediately impanelled jury,
consisting of j. C. Montgomery, foreman,
Edward Clark, Col. P. F. Isbell, a. K. Day,
VIM. Smith, jeremiah Boyd, DR.. W. Nj.
Bicknell. The jury and the Coroner i'm
mediately proceeded to Eieazar burylng
ground, seven miles from Madisonvllle TO
view the remains, buried as those Of
Thomas G. Boyd.
Col. Whitney, upon information derived
| from what he believed to be authentic
sources, was DESTROYS of opening the grave
of a negro boy, buried just outside of
| E!eazar burying ground. He learned that
the negro had died in Sweetwater, on
| Saturday, Aug. 81, and had been conveyed
| from there by the instructions Of Thomas
| g. Boyd, with whom the boy had been
servant, and buried near Eieazar buryi 6
ground. Permission to open the grave CT
the negro was given.
The grave of the negro was but few
feet from the grave containing the charred
remains, buried as those of L. q. Boyd.
| The latter grave was inside the fence, and
the grave of the negro just outside. 1t was
perceived that the negro's grave had been
| freshly turfed over and leveled while that
| containing the charred remains was not
| filed I'D and in a careless condition, look
| ing as If the hogs had rooted in it. The
ostensible grave of Boyd was first opened,
| and the charred remains disinterred. The
iury was then sworn and an inquest held.
The first witness was the mother OF the
negro boy who had died in Sweetwater and
whose body had been buried in the ada
cent grave. She stated her son was
about seventeen years old, ana
had lived with Thomas G. Boyd, ia
Sweetwater. She, herself, lived with the
father of Thomas G.. Boyd, at Mt. Vernon.
Her son had been sick with typhoid fever,
and she had gone to Sweetwster and nursed
him. he got better, so as to be able to SIT
up in bed, and she went back to Mt. YER
non. A day or two after, word was brought
her that her son was dying, and she lmmi
diately went again to Sweetwater. When
| she arrived her son was in agony, complain
| ing of being thirsty and burning sensa-
ton in his throat. He died at P. M, on
Saturday, Aug. 81. That Thomas u. Boyd
said he should be buried at Eleazer, and
had the body packed in charcoal, in a box,
and at 3 A. M, next morning, 1t was con-
veyed from Sweetwater to Eeazer and
buried in that grave <pointing to IT. the
same day. That her son was short, thick
set, and had large head and thick neck.
Thos. G. Boyd did not accompany the BODY
to Eleazer, but staid in Sweetwster.
A. W. Boyd testified to the burial oil the
body Of the negro.
Drs. Bicknell and Upton were positive
that the bones before them were those OF a
negro and not of a white man.
When our informant left Eleszer the jury
were taking the testimony of Reagan and
HeDsley, and of the negro driver, who mad
brought the body of the negro from sweet
water.
Before the inquest commenced on the
charred remains, the grave n which the re-
gro had been buried was identified, the
grave opened, the box, with the Charcoal,
found in it, bat there was n body there.
| Our informant says that this strange 40
sence of the body of the negro from its
coffin convinced nearly every one present
that the char. ed remains, buried as those
of Thomas G. Boyd, were in reality those
of the negro, whose grave had been rifed
and the body carried to Tellico Mountain
and burned.
| Our informant had conversation with
Hensley, who is brother-in-law of Rea-
gan. Hensley told pretty much the
same tale as Reagan's, but was caught In
number of contradictions in repeating his
| narrative.
1t is stated that Boyd, when obtaining q
horse before leaving Sweetwater, said he
wanted good one, as he might get into
danger in the mountain country, and
wanted fleet horse to take him out of it,.
The horse of Boyd,'s was found near Mouse
Creek, and Hensley's on the mountain
= L. IL