Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-14
sHor DEAD
ran Particulars.

rfeffes Theatrc, Shot on the
- d a street.
SASH FAN Particulars.
r. n. Richards, well known as the pro-
prietor of the Varieties theatre was shot
and instantly killed about half half past
two O'Clock yesterday af ernoono by James
Hsgan. The affair occurred on Cherry
street, Just below the entrance to the thea
tire. Hagan wslked down Cherry street at
the hour named, stopped at the saloon con-
nected with tie theatre, which is just
above the entrance, and inquired Of Rich
ard Irwin, who was in the saloon, as to
Richards Whereabouts. Irwin replied that
he had Just gone around the corner of
Broad street. Hagan immediately started
down towards Broad, met Richards about
twenty steps below the saloon, and shot
him in the head, the ball taking effect In the
left side, Just over the ear and lodging in
the brain. Richards threw back his hands
and fell on his right side. Hsgan stopped
snd looked at him moment then
walked across to the drug store on the cor
Der of Broad and Cherry, where he was
met by Capt. Stocked who inquired "who
shot that man ?n to which Hagsn replied
ST SHOT Elm -.
Captain. Here's my pistol want to give
myself up.n Capt. StCckell took possess
sion of the eapon and took Hagan TO the
stationhonse. segse'
An immense crowd gathered about the
theatre at once, and ia the absence Of Coro-
Der Ryan, Justice Cassetty swore in q jury,
and was proceeding TO hold sn inquest over
the body, which was lying on the pave
ment just as it fell, with brains
and blood oozing from the wound, when
Ryan arrived, and the body was conveyed
across the street to the house where the
theater peopls have been boarded by Rich
ards. The jury was composed of the fol-
lowing named persons: Anthony Camp,
James Hickman, VIM. Dougherty, VIM. G.
| Campbell, w. B. Rains, Jno. w. Allen and
Thos. Crank.
The effects found upon the person of
Richards consisted Of lady's gold watch
and chain, no weapons being found.
number of witnesses testified to the facts
connected with the shooting, as above mar
rated, and the jury found verdict in ac-
cordance Herewith.
HAGAN's STATEMENT.
representative Of this paper called at the
| police station soon after the arrest, where
be obtained from the prisoner the following
| Statement:
My name is James Hsgan; am % years
Of ace; am fireman of Mike Davis engine
on the Northwestern road.
Reporter-Well, Mr.. Hagan, would like
| to get the facts connected with the shooting
just as they are, as we wish to publish the
truth of the matter.
Hagan-I am willingto tell You just how
it was; killed Richards because he seduc-
ed my sister Annie. He told my sister-in-
| Law, John Hsgan's wife, that be would
shoot me. Mrs. HGgan told me that he had
seduced Annie, last Sunday night, but
| didn't see him until this morning; then /
met him a few feet from the Varieties
Theatre entrance and shot him. It was
about half past two O'Clock; there was an
other gentleman with bin. When | met
him be had his hand in his pocket, and l
thought it was
HIS INTENTION TO SHOOT ME.
He was coming up from Broad and 1 was
going down Cherry Street toward Broad;
went to the theaier on purpose to meet
him, didn't say anything TO him, and he
didn't say any thing to me.
Reporter-Whers does your sister Annie
live?
Hagan-Sbe has been living at my moth
er's, No. so Knowles st.
R-Is she there now?
H-No sir, she was not there when left
home this afternoon.
Hugh Hagan, brother of the prisoner
was present, and be Joined in just here and
| informed the reporter that his sister Annie
married Denny Sullivan about five years
age, and has little boy about four years
old She is now a widow, her husband
having died in Cincinnati, in the sum-
ner of 1872. He also stated that
Mrs. John Hagan, bis sister-in-law
had gone to Richards and told him that if
be didn't marry Annie, the boys would do
something with him and he said if there
was
ANY SHOOTING GOING ON
there might be more than one in it. Nei-
ther my brother nor knew anything about
| this until yesterday. We had no notion Of
doing anything with Richards in the night,
and so we waited until to-day.
From the police station, our reporter pro-
ceeded to No. so Knowles street in order TO
| get the statement of Mrs. John Hagan in
relation to her interview with Richards. he
found the house to be large brick building,
and was met at the door by young lady
dressed In deep mourning. As the reporter
stepped on the porch, this lady
turned back into the room where
three other women were sitting, and ex-
claimed, "Here's gentleman-perhaps he
can tell us something" and as the reporter
entered the room and enquired for Mrs.
Hagan, the eldest Ii dy of The four started
up, crying, ''Oh, sir, can you tell me any
thing about my boy?
is MY BOY N JAIL?"
Upon being told that he was at the police
station, Mrs. Hsgan anxiously inquired,
Sand is Mr.. Richards deadP" The reporter
answered in the affirmative, and then Mrs.
Hagan threw herself back on the lounge up.
on which she was sested, exclaimiDg, "Ob,
my Godi" A young girl sitting beside Mrs.
Hagsn, threw her arms around Mrs. John
Hsgsn, crying bitterly, and sa Ying, "Oh, my
dear brother Jimmie; told you not to &c.
On, Mag! Mag! what aoiLI we DO? They have
got Jimmie under arrest. He's killed Mr..
Richards. Ny dear, dear brother Jimmie!
He's such good, quiet boy, and now he's
killed man, Oh, l wish they'd put me in
| jail with him." 1t was certainly sad
scane, as the stricken women gave way to
feelings of uncomfortable grief and despair.
| After while they became more calm, and
| then at the request OF the reporter, MRS.
John Hsgan told what she knew of the az
| fair, substantially as follows:
| MRS. HAGAN's STATEMENT.
Mr. Richards first became acquainted
with Annie Jane at Huntsville, Alabama, in
1861, when she was young girl. He used
to visit her, and made pretentions that he'd
like to marry her--that was before ne had
the Varieties, and before he had any such
name SIS be has now. He was clerk in
store at Huntsville then. My husband was
running IS engineer on the Memphis and
Charleston road then, and Annie Jane lived
with us. Richards had the name of being
grass widower, and it was reported he
shot man on his wife's account. He used
to come to see Annie Jane frequently; she
was then
ABOUT SIXTEEN YEARS OLD,
and he seemed to be avery nice young man.
In 1882 we broke up housekeeping, and my
husband took Annie Jane to her father and
mother who lived at Altoona, Penn. In
1856, the family moved to Nashville. / saw
Richards after Annie Jane had gone to
Altoona and he asked me for her address,
as he said he wanted to write to her. l
gave 1t to him and he wrote her one letter,
so he said, but she never received it. In
Il. IL Gill