Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-03
A SLANDERER'S DOOM.
Particulars of the SIOss-LOng Tragedy
How a Father Avenged the Tradue-
tioR Of His Daughter by a Disap-
pointed SuitOr.
Iuscumhla, Ma, Correspondents or The Mefl-
Fhis Appeal

TUscumbia, Ala, Correspondence OF the New
Fhis Appeal
More than 4 year ago George T.
Long, OF this place. began to evince a
show of affection for Miss Sloss, the
youthful and attractive daughter Of the
present member of Congress from this
district. When Mr.. Sloss discovered
the facts, he objected to any intercourse
whatever between his daughter and the
young gentleman. The latter was
deeply incensed, and accustomed TO
denounce the father and assert I'M
worthy acts on the part Of his daughter.
His language was such, and his asser-
tons were so commonly known, that
the pretty girl had Withdrawn fecn
society, and led a life &C perfect seclu-
sion. Meanwhile the father was in
Washington. He came home Friday
afternoon, and heard the whole story
from bis family and friends, Lone
was advised to leave TusctInbia, and
said, just before be vas shot, while sit
ting in fsOat Of Aydlett's Hotel, that
he "nerer expected TO spend another
Sabbath in Tuscumbia' -
Rising from his seat, he vent into
the bar room, drank 2 Flsas Of ale, and.
saunteGed alone leisurely down the
Sidewalk. He turned to the right, and
was going toward his home, and at the
very instant that he touched his hat
and bowed to a friend approaching hin
gun was fired from the second story
window CO Warren's store. on the oppo-
site side of the street, and Long fell.
two buck-shot penetrating HE brdtj
one passing through HE neck, but fail
ing to touch tho artery, and a fourth
entering the skull Just behind the left
ear. He fell, bleeding profusely. Even
now a broad, blackened mark of bloHd
extends across the brick ride6a ak, and
stains the ssnd III the gutter. Long
was soon removed to his home, and DIR.
Alternately and other surgeons sent for,
but their skill can avail nothing. The
young man is surely dying. He said
Just now that he thought be was shot
( by young Warren, a nephew Of Col.
/ Sloss, but since II was Col. Sloss him
self, 1t was AL right" Nothing could
! Justify Longs assaults upon the girls
honor, and no one condemns Col Sloss.
The manner &C killing Is generally
dissppr0ved. / heard it commonly
said that if the deed had been done the
day Col. Sloss reached home, there
would have never been a question IS 10
the proprieJyo of his conduct. He had
the perfect right, 1t is argued, and
! properly, TO regard the man a savage
wild beast who traduced his daughter.
and If he killed Long as soon as he
was satisfied the girl had been assailed
/ by the breath Of SANDER, there i an
end of it. IN any cfent Sloss need
never fear q Jury, one of its members
having a daughter. If SlOss bad taken
the gun into the street and gone
through the form Of telling Long to
defend" himself, there would netei
! have been even the form CT trial
/ But we can't reason about a matter OF
this sort He who wrongs a woman 6
fame deserves death, and that's the
proper verdict Of juT-ies and Of man
kind. Mr.. Long was often told that he
should leave IUscumbia before Sloss
came home. He had at length agreed
to go away, and in this he confessed
his guilt and admitted the pro-
prIety of Colonel Sloss's conduct
Long was wholly fearless, and it was
only because urged to do 50 by his
! friends, Of whom he has many here
| that he had consented to leave Tus.
cumbia. His father and kindred are
excellent people, and it is only said Of
the young man and in derogation OF
his worth that be had been a village
idIer for some months. An idler viii
talk too much. and if he habitually ali
his eloquence in front of the corner
! grocery there is often death and dam
nation in very innocent words that bub.
bic up from fountains Of whisky.
Col. SlOss is in charge of the Sheriff
and one Of his deputies occupies the
room from which he fired upon Long
Desperate deeds have distinguished
the spot whereat Long fell. Bayless
Morton. even there, on the self-same
sidewalk, shot Mr.. Henderson; a negro
was killed on the same identical spot
and man was stabbed TO death one
hundred yards away. and the bloody
knife Of theassasSin was found hard by
! These were incidents of the devilish
period Of internal Reconstruction" and
If is only singular that Long fell on