Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-01
THE HousEN MURbER.
The Preliminary Examination Of the
Arrested Parties Postponed Until
Thursday-Rumors of Confessions
william Reusen Probably Inne-

Arrested PArE1e8 EOStpOMcO OAtA'
Neutrality-suspicious. OF Confessions
william Heusen Probably lime
cent. ~
The crowd began to gather at the cour
house at half past ten, although ii wal
known the trial would not begin unit
eleven. Owing to some unexplained de
lay, Housen was not brought up from The
jail until twelve O'Clock. BY this time thu
court room was filed, and it was with diff
Guilty that Lhe prisoner and his escort were
able to pass through inside the railing.
Housen was accompanied by his counsel
Messrs. w. G.. and NJ. Ii. Brlen, Jr., and
Capt. Thos. l.. Dodd. The stand was oc.
cupied by Justices Cassetty, Paul and
Galbreath.
At halfpast IL, the negroes, Dick Nolan,
Rama Hamer and Willis Barnes were
brought into the courtroom and were civ
en- seats near the attorneys table, Hamer
occupying seat directly in front OF The
Judges stand, and against the railing. he
sat looking about him 10 careless sort OF
way, Quietly stroking bis beard. On either
side of him were seated number OF wo-
men from the vicinity of the scene OF the
murder, the majority OF whom had been
brought in as witnesses, 49, ~ -
In answer to an inquiry upon the part
of the court, the negroes stated they had
employed Messrs. Goodlett and Banks to de-
fend them. Judge Paul announced that as
the cases were very much complicated, 1t
bad been decided to try all the arrested par
ties at the same time, and that
MRS. HoUsEN
had been sent for. Soon after this an
nouncenent was made Mrs. Honsen was
brought into the open space inside the rail-
ing, and was given chair some distance
from her husband and near the colored
men, this being the first time the husband
and wife bad seen each other since the day
previous TO the arrest of the former.
Mrs. Housen is woman Of rather at
traclive appearance, her pale face being
surrounded by heavy mass Of Jet black
bar, which was done up loosely aud fell
down over each cheek. She looked about
the courtroom with quick, sharp g!ances,
her hands CLOSED in her lap, turning to
speak occasionally TO Capt. Dodd, who sat
near her. Her face gave unmistakable evil
dence of the fact that she had suffered
| great mental emotion, and traces of tears
were upon her cheeks. She was dressed in
the same manner as when brought to the
| Jail Saturday night, wearing a calico dress,
ard with dark striped shawl thrown over
her shoulders. She il, in appearance, Just
such a won sn as can be seen occasionally
| in some of the rural districts throughout
the States, and is evidently woman of
| but ordinary education.
| Shortly after Mrs. Housen's appearance
in the room, the Court inquired of Attorney
General Caldwell if the State was ready to
proceed with the case, to which that gen.
tleman responded that the State was not
ready to go on with the investigation at
this time, ofany of the cases, and he would
ask that the investigation be postponed IN
til Friday next.
The counsel for the defendants stated
they had no objection to having the trial
postponed few days. They were not
there merely to defend their clients, but
also to aid in bringing to justice the guilty
| parties, their utmost efforts in that behalf
being required of them by their clients.
Mr.. Banks said that he understood that
Nolen was prepared with bis witnesses, but
! that be did not know about the others. He
woulp consent to q continuance of the case
until next Thursday.
After some further discussion that day
was agreed upon, and the witnesses were
charged by the Court to be present at 10
o'clock A. NJ, on Thursday next.
Mr.. NJ. NJ. Brien then requested the Court
to Grant Mr.. and Mrs. Housen permission
TO occupy the same cell until the trial was
had, but the Court held that this matter
was within the province OF the Jailer, and
that official would exercise his own judg
ment in the premises.
DAME RUMoR
has been very busy in our midst since the
night Of the fearful tragedy, anu all sorts of
stories are told regarding it. 1t was sup
posed by many that Willis Barnes, the col,
ored man, would make confession Sun
day. A UNION AND AMERICAN reporter
was at the jail yesterday, and was told that
in the early part of the day, Mrs. Housen
had made partial confession, duplicating
herself, and entirely exonerating her hus-
band from all knowledge of the murder. 1t
is fact, well known in the neighborhood,
that Mrs. Housen and her mother-in-laW did
not get along very well, there having been
frequent intervals when they would not
speak TO each; indeed, it is said that Housen
was at enc time on the point of leaving
bis mothers farm and taking up his resi-
dence at some other place on account Of
th3 disagreements between his wife and
mother. II is reported that a negro living
in the vicinity of the scene of the cruel
deed, says thai Willis Barnes toll him, pre-
vious 10 the murder, that be knew of way
Of making heap of money, but that be had
to have private interview with Mrs. Hou-
sen first. Sunday night Mrs. Housen called
out 10 her husband, whose cell is almost
directly in front of the little building in
which she is confined, and On the ground
floor of the jail, to know if be was going to
stand by her and be her friend. He replied
that of course he would be her friend, to
which she responded that sh5 knew a reat
deal more about the matter than be did.
Ii is stated that on the night the murder
was committed Housen ssked his mother |
to go with him on his fishing excursion,
but that she declined going, for the reason |
that she was not feeling well. Housen's |
old neighbors all join in declaring their be- |
lief il his innocence. Both be and his |
wife are members of the Baptist church, |
HouseD's mother having been a member |
of the Methodist church.
LATER.-Since the foregoing was written |
it is currently reported that Willis Barnes |
did make confession on Sunday, aud that |
this confession is in the hands of |
the Attorney General. What is
contained in this confession |
we have been unable to ascertain. We |
learn that there were only two persons
present when this confession was made, and |
the greatest secrecy was eDjoined upon
each of them. After being committed to
writing and sworn to, the confession was
sealed up, and placed in the safe keeping of
the Attorney General, and the paper will no
doubt be produced at the trial on Thurs
day. Until that time there will be no abate-
ment in the interest felt by our citizens
generally in the shocking and mysterious
tragedy, and there seems to be a general
anXi' ty that the investigation will be SO
conducted as to bring out the full particu-
lars, and fasten the guilt where it properly
belongs. If innocent persons have been
arrested, we hope they will be able to es-
tablish that fact, and if there be guilty ones
it is right that they should
meet the punishment which they deserve.
A Pleasant Reunion.
Mr.. 81. johnson, who has been connected