Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-07-10
HOW THE FOURTH WAS CELEBRATED.
ricnics. Accidents ana Arrays.
HoMICIDE AT CLINTON.
4 Drunken Desperate shoots an Inoncn.
sive CoIOrcd Man.
RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

The Fourth had its usual chapter of accidents.
We give below II list Of its main incidents;
The usually quiet village of Clinton WAS the
scene Of one Of the most cowardly and unpro-
voked murders on Thursday, that we have ever
had the i'll fortune to record. Joseph Buchner,
n respectable and inotiensivc colored man of
this place was shot down by Luke Leach,
drunken desperate The facts are these The
scholars and friends Of the colored Baptist Sab
bath school went on an excursion to Clinton on
Thursday morning, and had picnic Mt that
place. After spending the day in recreation
and innocent amusement, the excursion party
repaired to the depot late in the afternoon,
to await the arrival of the train from
Careyvle, upon which they were to
return to Knoxville. While standing upon
the platform, Mr.. Buckner and another colorcd
man were .conversng, and very naturally in
these election times, their conversation turned
on political subjects. Leach overheard them,
and coming up used some abusive language, to
which Buckner replied, L am not talking to
you" Leach Immediately drew a pistol and
with the Infatuated madness of hend, fired
right into the crowd of colored people standing
around, the discharge taking effect in Buckner s
left eye, and penetrating the region of the brain.
lie lived in great agony until some time Thurs
day night, when he expired. Mr. Buckner was
deacon in the colored Baptist Church. of
which Rev VIM. Howell is Pastor, and enjoy
ed the esteem Of all who knew him. He has
been employed for some time past rs laborer
in the shops ofthc East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia railroad. He leaves wife and two
small children, who were dependent upon him
for support.
Leach, after committing this foul and coward
ly murder, walked leisurely away and although
the Sheriff of the county was near by, and on
the spot few minutes after no attempt was
made to arrest him. We learn that he was still
Mt large yesterday morning, and no arrest made
After this shameful dereliCton of duty, which
should almost render him accessory to the muir
der, when he wns demonstrated with by gentle
men present and urged to arrest the murderes,
he got angry, cursed and sworc saying that "he
knew his own business" a respectable gentle
man who belonged to the same political party
with the Democratic sheriff, but censures his
conduct very severely, when asked if he knew
why the arrest had not been made, made the
significant reply, that Robbins Uhe sheriff
was a candidate We trust if this is the kind
of sheriff he is that the good people of Amber
| son county will relieve him from any future re-
spoEsbility in this behalf by clectnga better
man in his stead.
An impression seems to prevail among gen
teman of n certain political school that Colorcd
people have no tight to talk politics in their
presence. These fellows will never learn that
colored voters have the same political rights as
| other men until an example is made of some of
! them. We know of no class, the representa-
tives of which would grace the gallows SO well
as these dcsperadoes who take pleasure in shoot
| ing coored men, because they are colored. The
law should be rigidly enforced and the highest
| punishment meted out. Repulsive rs the idea
of capital punishment may be to refined minds,
! it is much better that the necks of such Williams
! should pay the penalties of the law, than that
| innocent, innotiensive persons should fall vic.
| Tins to their hellish thirst for blood. Having
inhaled the fumes of mean whisky is no excuse
for, nor no mitigation of their conduct.
We understand that Jas. n. Ray, Esq, left
for Clinton yesterday evening in company with
| friends Of the murdered man, and that they will
take proper steps to have Leach arrested and
brought to justice The feeling against him is
very high and he can not expect to eude all
officers of the law.