Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-23
TRACKING A MURDERER.
How a Detective Found his Man
Bringing a Lauderdale County Mys
terry to light.

DEhA&AAS - ~-~AO ~
terry to Light.
From the Ripley (Tenn.) News, July Is.
The readers of the Ne1CS will remember
that in our issue of the 9th OF June we
noticed the murder of one Joseph Jester, at
tie house OF his father-in-law, w. L. Layne,
In this county, on the 18th OF June. AT
that time tre matter was shrouded in mys-
tery, but subsequent developments have re-
7ealed the author of the deed, and pointed
with more or less equiv0ca!Eess to It's origin.
1t was always believed that the murderer
was John LayDe, and an effort was there
fore made to arrest him, which was success
full, and his cap. ure effected on Thursday
evening, the 10 h day of July, at the house
of one Redding, who bad married an aupt
of the said John Lsyne, and who lived
few miles from Dyersburg, in Dyer county.
The arties who arrested him were Deputy
Sheriff Alsobrook, of Lauderdale county,
Sheriff Tigrett and Constable Pierce of
Dyer county, and John Jester, brother of
the deceased, who ives at little Rock, Ark.
He vas brought forthwith TO Ripley. where
he arrived on Friday, the I4th, aud his pre-
Lminary examination commenced on Sat-
uIday evening.
1t is related that, as soon as the murder
became known, on the evening of the 18th
of June, friend # the deceased rode at
once to a telegraph station, on the Memphis
and Louisville railroad, and telegrsphed the
oc :urrence to the said John Jester at Little
Rock; that at o. clock Oh the night follow
ing the murder the said John Jester re-
ceived the telegram, aud on the next train
on the Memphis and Little Rock railroad
going east, he went on to Jackson, Tenn,
where he secured the services of a Federal
detectiya, who, dressed in the garb OF
farmer, travelled over the counties OF Dyer,
Crockett and Lauderdale, Ostensibly In
search of stray cattle; and, in the course OF
his peregrinatioDs, discovered that the muir
derer, JOhd Layne, was still Sinking around
in Dyer county, sometimes at bis father-in-
laws, Mr.. Hampton, near Chestnut Butt,
and sometimes ut his aunt's, Mrs. Reddins,
nearer Dyersblrg. Mr.. John Jester
then procured Deputy Sheriff Alsebrook
and went in search Of him to arrest n m.
They went to Mr.. Hampton's and, not find
ing him there, they proceeded to Dyersburg,
and having procured the services OF Sheriff
Tigrett and Constable Pierce, as before
stated, they vent, on Thursday evening,
ont TO the house of the said Reddins, at
which place they arrived about four O'Clock.
The Deputy Sheriff and Sheriff commenced
to question ReddlDs, who affirmed that,
though John Lsyne had been there few
days before, be was no, there then. While
the Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff were thus
ENGAGED, John Jester and Constable Pierce
proceeded to a smoke-house in the yard,
where they found the object OF their search
| stretched out on pallet asleep. He had
rife gun setting near him, and before wax
ing him they put their arms in readiness to
use, and then babe him get up. When be
! opened bis eyes and saw armed men glar'
| ing fiercely upon him with their weapons
presented, he began to cry out, "don't xii
me, pray don't kill me-" They told bin
bis life was safe, but he must surrender
which he did.