Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-08-12

confederate characters, among the lat
ter were several by Gen. JEFF Thomp,
son. This bold son of the saddle, had
vein of sentiment Within him.
While in prison he dared to iuclose
soThe of these poetic illusions to Geo
ID. Prentice, who, knowing what good
poetry was, replied to the Missouri
chieftaiu. II am glad ~ hear from
you and will chcerfally send you any
thing you need, but for Gods sake
send me no more poetry. 1t Is bad
: yes damned had" Thompson enjoyed
1t az a fine jo}<e, and laughed over II
until tlie entire prison was aroused
Capt. Peery has employed German
: fruit and hUrticulturist. a Mr.. Ra0b,
who has planted q fine vineyard, and
, which will commence bearing next
year. Many of the vines are OF the
White ScuppernUng variety, from
which Capt. Jesse White manufac,
: lures his celebrated White wine. Mr.
Rabb furnished to us the finest OcculaI
demonstration of his skill, in the finest
melons, tomatoes, sweet potatoes. and
irish potatoes, We have ever seen in
the county. From one pound of q
new variety Of irish potatoes, he has
forty bills which promise the heaviest
yield ever known in the country, and
we think they will command the $l0C
prize Offered by the propagation to the
largest yield from that quantity.
On my return accepted the kind
offer of my friend Henry G. Anderson,
who placed at my disposal seat in
his buggy, as far as Lebanon. We
had gone perhaps five miles when we
suddenly and unexpectedly overlook
the, now no tOriOus Jordan Combs
VINO recently killed Phipps in Smyth
County. The road was sandy, and be.
fore he heard our foot steps, we were
right opOn him. In the twinkling oil
an eye his hand was on one of the large
pistols in his belt. Perceiving be was
in no danger aud being acquainted
with my friend, he entered upon q
quiet conversation, declaring he had
killed Phipps in self defence: that
when he approached Phipps, he asked,
"is your name Combs ?" On being
answered in the affirmative he said,
al am ready for you" and drew his
pistol. But Combs was too quick for
him and shot him. He stated that he
did not intend to flee. and would sur
render, but feared arrest on former
charges which would he preferred from
certain parties in Kentucky, where it
il said he killed his own father and
several other persons. He denied hav-
ing threatened the life of several per
sOns near Liberty Hill, and who OH ac-
count Ct such threats, had recently
fired OH him, his life being saved by a
metallic protection which he wears I'M
der his clothes.
This man Combs is now the terror
of the country, and no one seems will
| ling to attempt his arrest. On account
of the Kentucky murders, he came to
Tazewell in 1865. Some eighteen
months ago the federal officers arrest
ed one Floyd Mcclure for illicit distil-
ling and started for Abingdon with
INN. While crossing Clinch Noun
tain Combs overlook them, a.id plac
ing his bride rein in his mouth, and a
pistol in each hand, charged the three
guards, and ordered them under penal
ty of instant death TO discharge Nc
CURE. 1t Is needless to say, that the
( order was obeyed, and Mcguire and
I Combs was never more interrupted by
them. On recent occasion he shot
q negro girl in the road, because she
was little slow in handing him a
drink of water. Passing on further he
met a farmer named Kelly, and threat
ened to shoot him, because Kelly did
not speak to him. He accused Mr..
j. II. Owen of having removed jug
of whiskey which he had concealed,
and after threatening to kill him went
70 his house and ran Mrs. Owen away.
/ In 1867 lie shot mule under Sheriff
! II. II. Boyle, who attempted to arrest
him. For this he fled aud returned in
, 1870.
He is said to be the finest pistol shot
! in the country, can kill hare running
at the distance of sixty yards, can gal
lop past tree hitting spot six inches
| in diameter as he approaches il, and
after passing it whirl in his saddle and
put second ball into the same spot
/ He has two wives living within a mile
/ of each other. When sober he is quiet
and kindly disposed, but when in Ii
quor, is certainly very dangerous
man. He is about twenty-fOur years
/ of age, five feet ten inches high and
/ i'm the interview to he kindly disposed
, and rs We were not engaged specially
! in the police department we passed
/ nllIt. I1t lldh tDttDDttbu EDCIlOOl
and though there are orders for his ar
rest, and rumors of $1,000 reward for
| him from Kentucky, we felt that we
/ had not business with him.
Arriving az Maiden Spring we dined
with Hon. r. Il. Bowen; our present
member of Congress. We found him
surrounded by pleasant group of Wis
! itOrs, some OF whom were from Wash
/ ingtOn County. After two hours re-
( pose and conversational survey of the
/ political field on the part of our excel
/ lent and hospitable friend, we con-
tinued our journey toward Russell, and
/ spent the night with Senator Smith,
! Of that County, who together with his
accomplished bride from the city of
! Richmond and his no less accom-
pl;shed mother, extended us hearty
welcome, and made us surprisingly
comfortable.
Lebanon hath her cedars and her
ruins, but unlike her ancient prototype
she is rising again from the dust of
her congeries of sloping hills. The
walls of the new Court House are rap
idly going upward and the glory of
J this latter house will doubtless equal
| that of the former, which was one of
the best in the land. There is an air
of thrift and neatness about Lebanon.
Judge Kelly was holding his first Cir
cult Court under the new Court bill. A
negro charged with the violation of
/ a white girl was aTraigned but his case
was continued for few days. He was
/ half shade lighter than mason's
! backing, aud was at least guilty of the
/ girls ruin. In the absence of the
Court building the Methodist Church
was used for Court room and the
congregation will be Sl20 the better off
! by the concession. Russell County
contributed the present year SGT 900 to
| the public treasury Our host Mr..
G. o. A.sPTuner keeps good hotel and
charges reasonably therefor. Our
| trip to Abingdon, for ali roads center
at Abingdon, was by means of hack,
/ but the road and the ride were rough
beyond my power Subscription. How
/ fortunate we cannot read the future.
Al.