Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-26
MAN FOUND DEAD.

"-- -. "hissy-!vh:si.s Proves Master.
On Sunday afternoon the news was
brought to the city authorities that man
had been found dead on the old Clinton
road, threc-fourths of mile from town
Policeman Cole at once informed Coroner
|. 7. Alley of the circumstance who at
once proceeded to the scene. We, hearing
fthe matter, took walk out there, and
gathered the following particulars:
The colored man, for such he was, was
found about II o'clock by John Chambers
and Thomas Dunn laying in a gulley at the
side of the road while bottle ofwhisky was
found about 20 steps below. They imme-
diately informed some other parties of
their discovery, one of whom went after
the Coroner, the others guarding the
body. BY the time the Coroner had ar
rived, quite a crowd had gathered, among
which some seemed to know him, and gave
his name as Jack Swindle, n colored man
living at the farm of u Mr. Walker, about
miles from the city, on the Knoxville
and Ohio Railroad. Another man, Harri-
son Gays, and near whose house the dead
body had been found, stated he saw him
purchase the whisky on the previous
evening from Henry johnson, on Cav
street, and that he took drink
there, after the bottle had been filled, and
presumes that he had taken several before
rs he seemed to be rather unsteady. There
were no signs of a struggle to be seen around
the place where he was found, but below
him, to the left of the road, plank across
one end of a ditch or pond had some blood
upon it, and as his clothes were all muddy
and wet it is presumed that in staggering
around in the dark he bad fallen in the
water, striking his nose upon the plank,
causing the blood which was seen around
his nose and mouth. His hat could not be
found at all. His clothes were very ragged
and dirty, being entirely worthless, with
the exception of his shoes, which were
good and new.
The coroner had him removed to the
house formerly occupied 10y Mr. Kienborts,
but which is at present empty, and there
the following gentlemen were appointed
AS Il jury: Benz. Hackney, &. G, Story,
f. $. Jonson, Prior Roberts, Jacob Bran
ner, II. y. Dowcll and John Fox.
The clothes were all removed and the
body thoroughly examined, but without
finding any mark of violence upon his per-
son. His pocket book was examined, hut
neither papers or money found or anything
that would lead TO a discovery of his iden-
tity. The mud and blood being wiped
away from his face no bruises, whatever
were discovered. Some one suggested that
it would be proper to have a physician
make the examination, to which the cor
| oner agreed, and DR.. Brandau living not
far from the place, was according sent for.
| He, also, failed to find anything to indi-
cate that he had come to his death at the
hand of a fellow being, except in that they
handed him the Intoxicating cup, until
| he, bereaved of reason, from the eff
fects of it, after staggering arounC
| in the mud and water laid ol
fell down, and during the night froze to
death. The jury rendered a verdict in
accordance with the above facts. Some
one suggesting it, the whisky was brough
to- Albers d Co.'s, Market Square, anC
there analysed, but no poison was founC
contained in it, Mr.. Alley procured {
coffin, and he was yesterday buried in The
county cemetery. 1t being ascertaineC
thot he had a wife and one child, they were
notified of his death and came to the city
yesterday, as well as Mr.. Walker, upon
whose land the man had been living. He
reports him to have been drinking char
acter, and that he would get drunk when
ever he could obtain the intoxicating bev
| erage.
Behold another victim of that Prince o
Demons, King Alcohol.