Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-05
THOMAS G. BOYD.
EAST TENNESSEE CLAIM sWINDLE,
4 Verdict OF Guilty Rendered by the Jury,
ENNMINArION REsulIED.


Monroe, and was raised in the county. His
father owned two coored men named
Frank and William, who were preachers
but they were now dead. He knew q ne
gro named Jack who formerly belonged
JoGentry, then to witness father and after
wards TO his sister. Didn't recollect when
his father owned Jack Gentry, but il was
twelve or fifteen years before the war.
This testimony was introduced to prove
that there was veritable "parson John
McGhee,' the prosecution heretofore
claiming that he was a fictitious person.
Col. McGhee was not certain the negro in
question was a preacher, but knew that
he was known. as a very pious man.
w. {. Chumlea was introduced. He was
the brother of j. p. Chumlea, now resid-
ing Mt Fort Scott, Kansas Witness was
called to identify the handwriting of the
Bryson muster roll, and identified the
body as being in his brothers. hand.
Cross-eXamined by prosecution reside
in Knoxville and am now merchandising.
Was born aud raised in Knox county. Ny
brother formerly resided at both Sweetwa-
ter and Loudon. Don't know what con-
nection he had with Boyds business af-
fairs.
Judge Nelson read a dispatch from j. p.
Chumlea, at Fort Scott, which the defense
wished TO introduce. The Government
admitted that Chumlea was not absent by
defendants connivance.
Several of the defendants witnesses be-
ing absent, MIR. Squire was called for the
Government, leave being granted defense
to introduce their witnesses afterward, if
they came before the court without unnec-
essEry delay.
Mr.. Squire was introduced for the Gov
ernment. The witness depOsed | have
been in the pension office in this city near
~ four years. Witness was shown paper
by Col. Baxter and asked what il was call.
ed in the office?
The question was objected to by the coun-
sci for defense. Which the Government
counsel insisted upon. Mr.. Cooke cited
authorities sustaining his objection, in
which the court agreed with the counsel
for defense on point of law.
Witness was shown letters which he,
from having seen great many written by
Boyd, pronounced to be in his handwrit-
ing.
The letter of A. 7. w. Payne, written by
Boyd in regard to obtaining delayed pay
and offering to furnish Bryson's company
roll, together with two other letters, was
excluded by the court under its own
ruling.
The Government counsel then ANNOUNCE
ed the case closed on their part, when the
counsel for defense announced themselves
ready to commence the argument, all the
witnesses present having been examined.
Judge Emmons stated that he would al
low three hours for the counsel for the
Government to sum up the case and the
same to the defense, which time they could
divide among each other as they thought
best. 1t was much more than was usually
accorded, but in this the court was actual
cd by desire to be liberal in the time
granted.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The case being given TO the jury the ar
gument for the prosecution was opend by
Judge Andrews, United States District
Attorney.
He did not intend making speech and
would only DO so sufficiently to explain
the attitude of the prisoner and offense
with which ne was charged. The defend
ant, Thos. G.. Boyd, was charged with q
conspiracy to defraud the Government by
the collection of forged pension vouchers in
the case Of Martha !. Upton, widow OF
Frank Upton, a deceased cOlored soldier In
the Federal army. He died in service anc
Of course she was entitled to pension
She was not married pro lorna but a!
slaves usually were, and were recognized
as husband and wife. The claim wa
subsequently made out by Boyd
on information furnished by Prince Wal
lace. Judge Andrews read the origina
paper in the case, which set forth the fact
as to the marriage and the mum
Der of her children. The claim wa
procured on Oct 20th 1866, and for si
children instead of four, the number TN
claimant really had.
The defense's plea was that Boyd was a
unprotected claim agent, who sat i'm hi
office at Sweetwaler attending to bushes
in their line, and that he was imposed 0
by designing negroes. Either Boyd VIZ
guilty of the fraud or Martha j. Upton an
Prince Wallace were, and the jury mu
say who theguilty party was. True, IL
negroes We're ignorant-just freed frOl
slavery and unable to read or write, bl
the defense would have the public belieN
that the unsuspecting prisoner was the
innocent dupe. He reviewed the pape
sCriatiBl and showed the ingenuity nece
sary to locate the mythical Pdrson JOf
McGhee, who is alleged TO have MARI,
Frank and Martha Upton while the wido
stated positively that she never was ma
ried in form-not even admitted haviI
Jumped a brOomstick," a. urgently :
quested by the counsel for the defense
but alleged thatshe merely took upil wi
her husband. \ voucher produced y
TO- that a pension was obtained Tor s
children; then paper No. II, was produc
confirming the claim then paper No. 4,
affidavit made out by Boyd, showing 4
ages Of the Upton children. In Buyd's ov
handwriting, the opinion ofSusanuah Il
Wis, saying she was married TO James i
Wis, in Cherokee cnuuty, y. g., written
Boyd Sarah J. Hickey's affidavit b
never been found, h At E-iz 18th Hickey
here; the genuine widow Of Hickey, Il
not the one the pens un wa obtained f
Another affidavit OF RO-e's, writ
l,y " ,uH hnt R,,.. Il I,a,