Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-01-07
COAL CREEK TROUBLES.

IlDlIOhS AhhONlNl4Es Nllulu Tue JuSb |
two days / have received several letters,
together with petition or a statement set
ting forth the material and turbulent state
Of affairs at Coal Greed, the latter being
unanimously signed by the very best citi-
zens of that locality, and the former ema-
mating from alike source.
Among other things which shall no
tice in a moment, / am requested TO
state TO you, that your informant, in re- |
gard to what transpired on Friday night |
when Nankivlen lost his life is wholly mis-. |
taken as to there being" ageneral drunken
row." for the reason that It was the law
abiding citizens engaged in an attempt to
suppress a setof desperddoes, and in the
discharge of lawful duty, honorable TO
themselves aud beneficial to the commu-
nifty. 1t so happened in the tumult that
the life of one Of the leading criminals was
lost arA Do l
Those engaged In suppressing the bold
crimes that were being committed were
certainly sober-not in the habit of being
any other way. Those whom they were
seeking to suppress may have been partly
drunk, but sufficiently sober to carry on
their unlawful purposes. SO the citizens
Of Coal Creek, engaged on the side of law
and order, ask me to request you not to
make both sides-the one on the side of
law and order, as welli as the mob ITSELF
drunk, or rather not to permit those who
in the language of the letters received
cy to false news. These people, terribly
outraged as they have been, have appealed
TO me as their Representative, and that
you and your readers may have some con-
eeptien of the unlawful acts and disgraceful
scenes to which they have been subjected,
here submit some of the statements made
in the appeal to me for aid in their distress.
They say: /" Many depredations have
been committed horses have been stolen
men have been stopped on the road at
night threats have been made o man has
been stabbed with n knife; stores have
been robbed; rocks have been thrown
through the windows into the train con-
tanning passengers, at night; many rows
and fights have taken place, to the terror,
and alright of the women and children,
and helpless, and indeed the whole COM
munity has been more or less i'll a
state of terror and dread that it is unsafe
for an honest and upright citizen to venture
out at night, and in another letter, other
than the petition, one of the best business
men In the county and every way reliable,
referring to the riotous proceedings on
Friday night, when Nankivlen was killed,
says II went down to where the Sheriff
was, and got him to 60 with me to the de-
bot, so If these turbulent men attempted
20 do anything when the train arrived, we
would be there to arrest them, but on our
arrival everything seemed quiet. After
getting the mail, the Sheriff and started
II
prisoners already arrested were at. We
came up to a crowd of about twenty-five
Sheriff looked around to see what the
crowd had gathered together for, when
shooting began, so unexpectedly to both
the Sheriff and myself, that we were
shocked for second Some fifteen OF
sixteen shots were fired, and one of the
very worst of men-a perfect desperate
was ushered into eternity. The party that
was with him, fired into the crowd, bu
nobody was touched, and it was common
remark, that "God was truly with u.s..
In another portion ofthe same letter. there
is an account of the Coroner's inquest
which so materially differs with your &C
count of it in this mornings CHRONICLE
and coming as it does from so reliable {
source, 1 feel very certain your informant
is mistaken again, and therefore give VIVA
is said in the letter.
THE trial of some of the parties came
off to-day. Before the trial, coroner''
jury was summoned to hold an inques
over the body Of James Nankivlen 20
Mankable), who came to his death by TIVE
shots in the breast, from two guns or pis
tolls, by unknown persons. 1 1CaS one o
The jury
only desire to trespass upon your spac
further, for the purpose of saying that
shall refer the petition alluded to, anC
other papers bearing on the subject, to tn
proper authority, and ask such measure
of relief as are consistent with the Con
stitution and laws, best calculated t.
stamp out the evils of which complaint
made. 1t has been suggested, and | sub
NIT to the people of Coal Creek, as they
have called upon me for aid and counsel
that it is a good one, to have Coal Creel
Incorporated at the earliest period practi
cable, that they may at all times be abb
to smother out such organized violence il
its very inception, before it reaches tina
point where it is able to produce timidit.
and establish terror. A
a' Very respectfully, l.. G. HoUK.
Northwest Knoxville, Dec. 80, 1873.
Statements from Eye Witness.
We have received three communication
concerning the recent troubles at Goa
Creek We can find space for but one
which gives the main facts stated in tn
others: M. ~. ggg. I..
COAL CREEK, Tenn, Dec. so, 1878.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: / drop a few
fines requesting you to make a correction
in your paper Of an article in your issue o
the 29th inst, headed Goal Creek" Their
seems TO be but little truth in the whole re
port. i will give you few items of hov
matters have been here For some week
past we have been greatly tro ubled with
band of ruffians and desperadoes who hav
been committing derredations and taking
matters into their own hands. These dep