Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-05
MURDER WILL OUT,
A Negro Csnfesses 6 o Having Killed
sfrs. simmons, at Belts landing.
killed on Account of 4 Pair Of stolen
Ehana

Killed on Account OF a Pair of stolen
shoes.
Our readers doubtless remember the fact
of q colored woman by the name of Sim
mons being brutality murdered near Rell's
Landing, last December the ak with which
the bloody deed va done being found en-
bedded In the skull of the unfortunate wo-
man.
INC murder was committed one Satur-
day, while Charles Simmons, the husband
of the murdered woman, was absent he
having come to Nashville the day before
with some produce.
About half-past five o'clock yesterday az
ternoon, Detective Pickett arrested
STEPHEN PAtkE,
] the colerea fefTyman at Clees' Ferry, which
Is on the Cumberland river, seven miles
below Nashville, upon information given
by Wallace MeNairy and Andrew jackson,
two colOred men, TO the effect that Payne
had acknowledged that he had killed Mrs.
| Simmons. When Pickett mid ne party
went into Payne's house yesterday, the lat
| ter exclaimed, Il know what you're after
me for" and submitted to the arrest with
out a struggl e. He had been employed a
the ferry about three months before the
murder was committed. His family con-
sists of a wife, a step=daughter about tbir-
teen years old, and 4 yorrg child of his
own and the house he occupies is on the
bank of the river, about three hundred
yards from Simmons house.
A reporter for this paper obtained the
following facts from Wallace McNairy, last
night, in relation to the matter: The day of
the murder Simmons did not reach home
from Nashville until after dark, having re-
manned in this city Friday night. He
called to Payne (whose house is on the
other side of the river to come over with
his boat, and when he and his team had
been ferried across, Payne insisted upon
his
STAYING ALI NIGHT
with him, Notwithstanding the fact of Sim
mons having been away from home for two
days, and of his house being so near BY.
Simmons replied that he would have to 90
home and cut some wood for his old woman,
to which Payne responded that he had
passed Simmons house Just before dark
and found everything all right. He per-
sisted in his invitation to Simmons
TO stay at his house, but
the latter refused and went home. He was
surprised in finding no light at his house,
and at the absence of his dog, which he had
turned loose upon leaving home the day
before, and which had usually run out to
meet him upon his return home.
Going into the house, he found no light
but that made by the fire, near which a
chair was overturned. Receiving no an
swer to his repeated calls for his wife, Sim
mons lit a candle, and at this iuncture
Payne entered the room and inquired what
was the matter, to which Simmons replied:
'THE oil WOMAN AIN HERE
and ! don't know what's the matter"
Payne then joined in the search for the
missing woman, and was the .irzt TO end
her dead body, which YVES lying near the
gate and about fifteen steps from the house.
She had been fearfully maneled, and, as
above stated, an Y was sticking in her
skull.
When the body was found, PAYNE told
Simmons that he had better not make any
alarm about it until the next morning,
advising him to 60 10 his (Payne's) house
and remain all night, and told him he must
not touch the body until the ~coIoner's Jury
had been there. The body was discovered
about eight O'Clock in the evening, and the
two men went over to Payne's house, soon
after.
About eleven o'clock Simmons heard
Payne talking outside the hoise with a col
oTed neighbor, whose voice he recognized,
and after Payne cam back into the room
be got up and went out, being unable to
sleep. He called to the man who was re-
turning from prayer-meeting, and after
talking with him found that PAYNE had
SAID NOTHING ABOUT Il MURDER,
and he at once related all he knew con-
corning The dreadful affair, and this neigh
Dor Immediately aroused the people living
in the vicinity. and in this way the news
became generally known.
At the time the inquest was held there
was nothing in the conduct of Payne which
excited suspicion, but since that time he
has acted in such a manner that Some of
his neighbors have hccr led to believe that
lie committed the murder.
j. Is said that Mrs. Simmons missed
APAIR OF NEW SHOES
from her house one right, and that she saw
Iaynes wife wearing thOse shoes the next
day. She IT C accused her Of stealing
them, and the next night the shoes were
left at the door Of Simmons house. A day
or two afterwards, Simmons came to Nash
vile, Payne called on Mrs. Simmons, got
into 4 quarrel with hef about the shoes,
and it il sait, BILLED her.
bIr. Pickett reached the city about dark,
obtained a mittimus from Justice Walsh,
and lodged his prisoner in Jail. The case
viii be investigated to-day.
Payne is about ID years of age. is very
dark, weighs $50 pounds and is five feet
eight inches in height.
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