Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-09-14
HOW THE DEED WAS DONE.
The Kukluxing of Thos. g. Boyd as Toi"
by ID. p. Reagan.
1t Doesn't Agree with Hensley's Tale.
Escape of Thos. G.. BOyd-He Leaves vi"
Polk County.

Escape of Thos. G.. BOyd-He Leaves VIZ
Polk County.
He Takes breakfast and is Recognized W
| His Host.
| Yesterday morning B. P. Reagan arrived II
| Knoxville, and his evidence was taken Dy Ooi
L. B. Whitney, of the Secret service OF th'
Treasury Department, before Maj. A. d. Pettl
bone, Assistant United States Attorney Gen
erol. The:testimoney is lengthy and covers the
entireitime from their departure from Sweet
water on Wednesday, the 4th inst, including
| the time
| THE BURNED BODY WAS FOUND
until the impanneling Of the jury of inquest,
and his last act Of an official nature before start
ing on the memorable trip was attesting a.vouch-
er for Dorcas Williams, widow of Randolph
Lancy, involving about s., 500, which has since
been proved fraudulent. This was done in
Boyd's Office
REAGAN'S TESTIMONY.
Reagan stated that he had been living with
Boyd at Sweetwater and was on intimate terms
with him. On Wednesday morning between
and o. clock, he and Henseley started In bug
gy for the mountains for the purpose of sum-
moning witnesses for Boyd whom they expect
ed to meet at his fathers, at Mount Vernon, but
when they arrived no one was there except a
colored girl. However, Mrs. Boyd a Mrs.
Spillman came in shortly after, and there they
stayed all night.
On Thursday they went to the residence Of
Mr.. Hawkins, where they spent the night, re-
tuning on Friday morning to the residence of
Col. Boyd, where they were joined by
Thos G. Boyd, and at once started for the Car
den settlement, but their buggy, or more prop
erly sewing machine wagon, had the seat bro
ken and they
LEFT THE VEHICLE
At Col Boyd's, and he and Hensley and Tom
Boyd proceeded thence on horseback, going in
the direction of Coco Creek, Boyd riding young
Heiskelrs horse, Hensley taking the horse from
the buggy and Reagan riding an animal he had
borrowed from Ezra Reagan, kinsman.
They perfected their plans en- route, intending
to go to a Mr.. Holcombe's and thence into the
edge of North Carolina, for the purpose of serv-
ing subpenas, as before stated. There were
several parties living short distance from the
route they intended travelling whom they wished
to summon, and Hensley went to notify wit
ness at Kelso's while Boyd and Reagan went
to widow Roberts, having appointed rem
devious at VIM. Gormley's where they met
and proceeded on their way until they arrived
at Joseph Coppenger's, whey they dined, eat
W Rg RG had BesP FOy yi6sd sBs 9 psn mybS of
before they started, which was carried in a sack
on Hensley's horse. At Coppengers they pro-
cured some corn for their horses alleging the
scarcity of forage on the mountains. They ar
rived about noon, In response to a question
the witness said that he had never travelled from
Mrs, Roberts to Gormey's before that day, asst
was road but little frequented,
APPEARANCE OF THE KUKLUX.
After dinner they started on their way, meet
ing Joe Coppenger and a son of Will Payne on
mountain two or three miles from where the as
cent began. This was abeut two o'clock, P. NJ.
Shortly afterwards Reagan saw a snake by the
side of the road and killed it. They were thirs-
ty and spoke of dismounting to get drink of
black, rid-looking men arrived with pistols
rushed out of the laurel thicket" to use the wit
ness own words, and ordered them 10 surren-
ger and give up their arms. Witness heard
the bushes rustic on the other side of the road,
and looking around he saw three other disguised
men. Being unarmed they submitted without
resistance. When this occurred Boyd was rid
ing in front and witness and Reagan just be-
hind him. E..I.
The three last corners looked after Boyd,
while the two first proceeded to Reagan, the
person who did SO being described as a big,
heavy-bearded fellow" handing his pistol to his
comrade to hold, while he bound witness hands
behind his back. This being done they paid the
same attention to Hensley, when q squabble en-
sued, in which Hensley's pistol was knocked
out of his hand. They were then
ORDERED TO MOUNT,
but could not do so without assistance. Witness
was very much excited, thinking their time had
come. Boyd was also tied. Just before the
three last kuklux appeared he heard some one
say rush in, or something to that effect. They
were seized before they had crossed Laural
Branch.
The prisoners were then taken back about
sixty yards, when they turned off into the
woods on the left, when witness thinking his
horse would fall, was helped off and allowed to
walk. They then went on top of the mountain
and again got on his horse, when after proceed
ing as he supposed about mile from the road
they halted short time and then proceeded a
short distance further, when they stopped again.
Witness was
NOT BLINDFOLDED,
But Henseley was. Here the horses were taken
away from them and the prisoners then walked
some distance further, this time in the direction
of Laurel Branch, when they stopped for the
third time and were searched, and everything
taken away from them; witness had 1925 in
money. Reagan and Henseley were then Ia
ken few steps from the top of the hill on which
the search took place and made to sit down,
with their hands and feet tied securely.
Boyd was then led off by the first two who
alone, the captors remarking that Bovd was "an
OLD fox, but they had earthed him at last, In
a few minutes they disappeared over little
rising ground, the upper parts of the bodies of
ness saw one Of the latter draw pistol, point it
Boyds breast and fired, who fell at the first fire.
He then heard some one exclaim,
"sHooT THE DID RASCAL AGAINu,
And several shots were fired making five in all
After the firing the two men came back and re-
moved them q short distance and left them for
probably twenty minutes, when they reappeared
and removed them about two hundred yards
further in the direction of Laurel Branch,
where they were again tied and left until dark,
the moon family shining, when one of them
came back and united Reagan's hands, re.
marking that he "had nothing against
him, and would not harm him, for
the witness had once saved his life" Reagan
then united his feet and lbeing.told to:loosen
Hensley's bonds, did so. They were then told
to get away as soon as possible. This they en-,
deavored to do, but they were unable to find
their way our of the woods, and, after wan
dering around over the ridges finally lay down
in thicket till daylight when they started