Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-13
THE HOGAN TRAGEDY.
A Nashville Man Succumbs to Mis-
fortune and Morphine.
From the Memphis Appeal, Sept. IL.

A Nashville Man Succumbs to Mis-
fortune and Morphine.
From the Memphis Appeal, Sept. IL.
Yesterday afternoon, between four and
five O'Clock, man about forty years of age
was seen crossing Main street toward the
park, and as he stepped upon the pavement,
to pull from bis pocket vial, the contents
of which he swallowed. After walking a
few feet, he drew pistol and commenced
firing at group of negro haekmen. Jim
Sawyers, seeing the cooked pistol jumped
from ais back box. As be did so the man
fired twice into the crowd, each shot -strik-
ing Sawyers, who reeled and fell. The
crowd commenced running, and Mr.. A. j.
Wheeler, editor Of the Masonic Je,ueI, who
was few feet behind the staggering man
and conversing with friend,
said, "Stop your shooting" At
this the infuri't ted stranger turn ID snd fred
three times at Mr.. Wheeler. Mr.. Wheeler
at first told b u not to shoot as the pistol
was leVeled, but as his request was not
needed, he jumped out into the street, just
in time to evade the bullets, which then
whizzed close to his body. Fortunately he
was untouched by the deathly missiles.
At this juncture a policeman approached
the assails ut to arrest him. As he did so
the Withholding man said: "Let me alone,
L will die in few minutes" The officer
took charge ofthe MAJ and conducted him
away from the excite1 crowd of over two
hundred persons. He was taken to the
Adams street station. A twenty dollar
gold coin, with lot of bank bills and
an ounce bottle Of morphine was found
in his pocket. As Mr.. Thomas Gar
7ey, the turnkey, placed the morphine
bottle upon the counter, the prisoner
seized it quickly, and attempted to
drain the remaining contents. Mr.. Garvey
prevented this being done, whereupon the
prisoner said to him: "Give me that-let
me take it all; want to die; am in misery
and trouble; Oh, let me die !" OF course
he was not allowed to take the fatal drug,
but was carried into cell, when IL was as
certained that his name is Isaac W. Hogan
After being locked up, the following CONVEX
sation ensued between the prisoner and the
turnkey, who remarked to the unfortunate
man:
"What caused you to do that shooting out
there in the street ?"
Hogan--They were after me-the rob-
bers
G-Were they black or white ?
H-They were both-the robbers
G-You shot man.
HIS he shot bad?
G-Yes. He is likely to die.
HI am sorry for that. l hope God will
forgive mFl Go and get pistol and shoot
me. l am in misery and trouble, and
want to die. Give me the5 uorphins.
G-Did you have any difficulty with any
body while in Little R0ck9
H-No; l only stayed there a short
time.
G-Do you intend remaining in Mem
phis3
H-Yes, If I ges any work; if not 1 will
go back to Nashville.
G-Have you any money?
H-Yes, have a twenty dollar goldpiece
and some paper money. l gave it all to
you out there.
By this time, from the excitement, his
reason eeemed 10 give out, and the wretch
ed man sid to Carney, GO and get your
pistol and shoot me; am miserable and
want to diep In q few minutes be fell
asleep.
Neither Mr.. Wheeler nor Sawyer had
ever seen Hogan before the minute ne COM
menced firing, and the assailant Is not &C
quainted with either of his intended VIC
tins. he had evidently been drinking,
and at the time of the shooting was intoxi-
Gated with morphine, the peculiar effects of
which made him believe that he vas beset
by robbers. The unfortunate man arrived
here Tuesday, from Little Rock, Arkansas,
is carpenter by trade, and was in search
of work. He is a brother of Mr.. Alex.
Hogan, who, with another brother, Is favor
ably known as a retail dry goods merchant
at No. II Union street, Nashville, Tennes-
see. During the day he was seen at the
Peabody hotel, fourishng his pistol, and
intimidatiDg everybody who came in bis
way. At the time of the shooting, Hogan
certainly knew not what he was doing, as
he could have had no rational purpose in
attempting the public murder OF strangers
who had never met him before, snd, as
afterward shown, had swallowed fifty-fiVe
greins of morphine. Chief Athy telegraph
ed Mr.. Alex. Hogan, in Nashville, of the
unfortunate occurrence.
At half pas six O'Clock when the pol ce
roll was called, Mr.. Garvey and another
gentleman went into the cell to So the pris-
oner. He was very timber and his unoon- |
scious sleep too fearfaly told that it was the |
unbToken sleep which IN such cases links |
lire so calmly with death. DR.. Morrison |
was Immediately summoned by Mr.. Garvey |
and shortly afterward DR.. Blount came in to |
attend the dying prisoner, to whom was i'd |
ministered the remedies usually given to |
neutralize line effects of morphine. Another |
physician was called il and stomach-pump |
applied, after which coffee was given the /
wretched man. whose pale features glea med
with such sorroWful, bleak expression
beneath the Pickering gaslight of the prison
cell. In vain the physicians worked |
against the approach of the death-king. By
nine O'Clock the unfortunate victim of dissi-
patton was corpse,