Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-30
A SUNDAY TRAGEDY.
white man Assaulted by a Negro.
The Assailant Shot Dead.

About half past twelve O'Clock Sunday,
negro man named Henry Williams was shot
and killed by Mr.. William II. Hyronemus
III front of the Maxwell House. The cir
eumstances attending the fatal affair, so far
as we have been able to learn, are these:
Williams went into the fruit stand Of G.
CASTILLO, on Cherry street, opposite the
Maxwell House, and purchased of Mrs.
Castillo, her husband icing away, cigar,
giving her ten cents. The cigar was only a
five cent one, and the negro commenced
cursing and said he wanted a fine cigar
worth ten cents. Mrs. CASTILLO gave him
another cigar for that price, but the negro
cursed her and said he had given her twenty
five cents and wanted fifteen cents as his
change due.
Mr.. HyrOnemus, had, in company with
Mr.. Joseph Loiseau, entered the store just
previous to the alteration, for the purpose
OF purchasing some oranges, and after lis
tening for few moments to the abusive
epithets of Williams, told him he was not
doing right to curse the lady, and abuse her
IN such manner, and that he must stop
using such language towards the lady. The
negro made very insulting and profane
reply; and, using threatening language to
Mr.. Hyronemus, that gentleman pushed
him out of the door. Williams now be-
came more enraged than ever, and, step
ping out into the street, picked up a rock
and waited for Mr.. Hyronemus to come
out, all the time using threatening and abu-
sive language TO Mr.. IL.
Not wishing to have any further difficulty
Mr.. Hyronemus remained in the house
several minutes, the negro in the meantime
having gone across the street to the Max
well House. Hyronemus thought nothing
more of the matter and started out. VII
liams, however, meant what he said, and
had been preparing himself for an assault,
for as soon as Hyronemus and Loiseau
came out of the fruit stand he started tC-
wards Hyronemus, and when about half
way across the street threw a rock
weighing two or three pounds, at him. Mr..
HyTonemus realizing his danger drew his
pistol and fired one shot, as he says, to in
timidate Williams. This had no effect,
however, for Williams quickly seized him,
and throwing him on the ground, was in
the act CT pounding him on the head with
a rock when, fortunately, Mr.. Louiseau
came to his rescue and pulled the negro off.
As soon as he was let loose, having
dropped the rock, Williams jumped
into the street and endeavOred
to get another rock for the purpose of re
neWing his attack. Mr.. Hyronemous fred
two or three times as the negro was stoOpirg
in the act Of getting a rock. One shot took
effect hitting Williams in the back, who af-
ter running fifteen or twenty feet fell, and
after one or two efforts to rise from the
ground died in a few minutes. By this
time large and excited crowd had assem-
bled, and for some time it was difficult to
ascertain anything of reliable nature as
to the circumstances. Coroner Everett be-
ing notified summoned a jury of inquest.
After the examination of various
persons, both white and black, as to
the cause and circumstances of the affray,
the jury returned a verdict Of justifable
homicide, releasing Mr.. Hyronemus, who
had given himself up.
Mr.. HyrOnemus is a peaceable, quiet and
ino1fensve young man, bearing a good
character in the community. Williams
is said to have been a very bad negro, and
when drinking made it his business and
seemed to delight in causing quarrels ard
getting into difficulties with white and col
Ored persons. He has had several difficult
ties with those Of his own color, and was
shot last April by Jim Morton, colored, for
interfering with his (Morton's) domestic
relations. One of his character could hardly
expect better fate than the one which
befel him Sunday, caused by his insolence
in abusing lady, and attempting to take
the life of Mr.. Hyronemus because he re-
monstrated with him for indulging in his
violent conduct. One of the pistol balls
went through the glass in a carriage, and
another lodged in one of the Maxwell House
doors.
We have not been able to learn whether
or not Williams, as some suppose, was
drunk at the time. About half an hour
previous he was drinking in a saloon on
Church street, and wanted to "clean out
everything" in the house. His desperate
character and rash, insolent acts while
drunk, have been noticed on several former
OcCasi OnS.