Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-15
MURDER MOST FOUL.
The Body Of Samuel Haslam Found
Horribly NHtilated.
william Gatlin Arrested on the Charge
Of Being the MISUNDERSTANDING
OF the Preliminary Examina-
tiOn-Gatlin Released
ON $500.

Last, Sunday morning, just after 4
O'Clock, a mos. atrocious murder was COM
mitted in a house on the corner Of Craw-
ford and Summer streets. The victim of
the fouLde was Samuel HasIam, a stone
mason about twenty five years of age. The
murder was committed in the second story
of the building in a room fronting on the
street. The perpetrator had easy access
into the apartment, as il is said by the oc-
| cupants Of the house that Haslam was in
the habit of leaving the doors Enclosed
during the night. The dwelling is occu-
pied by the family of William Gatlin, a
brieklayer, with whom the deceased had
boarded for the past three or four years.
The chamber adjoining the one in which
the terrible tragedy was enacted, was used
as a bed room by a son of Mr.. Gatlin and
a youth named Edward Creehart.
Shortly after 4 o'clock the latter was
awakened by a noise in Haslam's apart
ment. and arousing young Gatlin, told
him there must be something the matter
in Sans room. Gatlin got out of bed and
peeping through the doorway, saw Haslam
living on the floor in a pool Of blood. The
boy ran through the room, went down
stairs into his mothers apartment and
waking her up, told her that Sam was dy-
ing, and that blood was all over the floor.
Mrs. Gatlin rushed up stairs, went iutO
the room and found Haslam ON the floor
Weltering in blood. He was still
alive and she tried to get him to speak and
make known the author Of the crime, but
he was unable to talk, and did not speak
before his deathg which took place o o al
| forwards. A physician was sen for, and
| n no.,-4,, cln,, or-st.aI rrraon Tho cNana
and stated at once that it was impossible
for Haslam to recover. He then went III
search of Deputy Coroner RYAN, finding
him at his room, he awakened him and in
formed him of what had occurred. Ryan
Immediately repaired TO the spot, and sum
moned the following jury of inquest: FL
Ward, A. ID. Creighton, +. A. Faller, Per
son Chipchase, John Mcdonald, Joe Diehl
and j.. n. Ward.
The jury, after having examined a mum
Der of witnesses, returned a verdict that
"The deceased came TO his death from
blOgs and cuts inflicted with an ak in tb'
hands of a party or parties unknown"
Appearances indicate that Haslam wa:
asleep when the first blow was struck, a
the head of the bedstead is spattered and
slneared with his blood. He received hv'
or six blows about the head, either o
which would have produced death. Tn
corpse presented a CHASTITY spectacle, an'
wa so much dis6gqred that il wa alto
gether impossible to recognize the features
One blow with the sharp edge Of
THE DEADLY WEAPON
laid wide the left cheek and split the chin
knocking out fragments of the jaw bone an'
several teeth. Over the eye the skull ha'
been fractured by a blow with tn
blunt end of the AK. just above the RICH
eve was an ugly cut, the nose had beel
neariE severed from the face, and on tn
back of the head was a deep cash som
three inches in length.
As has been stated, the dying man wa
discovered several feet from the bed on tn
floor. near the fireplace, and it is not know
Wh6ther he engaged in a struggle with hi
assassin, or gained that spot IN attemptin
to reach assistance.
Ii was stated to Our reporter Sunday, b
persons who claimed to know the facts, thu
when Gatlin came home to dinner last Sal
urday be found his wife asleep in Haslam
room, and that he woke her up an
kicked her out of the bed. They the
went down stsirs, and when they had al
rived below she struck him IN the rae
whereupOn be slapped andpushedh her dowI
Soon after this Haslam came to the hOus'
and seeing all was not right asked wha
was the matter. Mrs. Gatlin said in n
J Spouse that her husband had been hittin
ana Licking her. HaSlam said if he Ia
: been there az the time he would haze fiXe
him for i. Soon after this Mrs. Gatlii
started up town, asking HaSlam to accom-
PAM her. She said that she was going fC
the purpose of taking steps to get a divorci
AID that she would live with no man VIII
: would hit her. She came back and wa
sitting on The ftont steps. whe
2 Officer Edward J.. Foley came b
> and inquired what vas the can;
= Of the trouble. She told ths officer tina
she had been abused by her husban'
[ While they were talking Gatlin came u
2 and told Foley that he wanted his advice
|, and asked what was the best thing for hi
) t. DO. He said that Haslam had been th
! cause Of separating him from his wife an
family, and that il he 'staid here he BGul
have a difficulty With him. Foley reptile
r thai 40 thought it would be better for hin
, u leave tn4n t. hAFsG
DIFFICULTY WIFI HAsLAA,
| They then separated, Gatlin going into IL
, house. got his OyercOat and carpet-bag, WEI
out through the back yard an
LlA Cvar the fence, saying tha
he Was going to the countl
to stay. He next went to Mna. QCOnner'
on Line street, and leaving his carpet-bas
came up town, when he met Pink Law
renee. He and Lawrence conversed I
cether about the difficulty between himse
and yiEe. Aaer he had left LzwTenc'
Haslam came up to wkeFe Lawrence WI
and asked him if he had seen Gatiin. Las
!, renee replied that he had, and was talkln
to him a little while ago. Haslam aske
|, Lawrence what was the subject OF GatlIn
CONVERSATION, Lawrence responding that
was about ths difficulty between him a n
his wife. Haslam said tins damned COW
ardly puppy had whipped his wife, and
he had been there he would have made
pretty warm for him.
Lawrence and Haslam then parted, th
former g3ing home. On his way hom'
about sfK oclock Z. " lie net Gatlin, VIII
told him that he wanted 10 20 down TO se
, his brother, and he thought he would g
on Market street in order to avoid meetin
Haslam; if he met Haslam there might B
a difficulty. Gatlin went home with Law
raaGe ard took supper with him, aftt
which they held a conversation OF a6ou
fifteen minutes duration. GatliR the
went to his brothers house, told him tn;
he was going on a hunting and fishing e.
cursion with some of his friends. He le
his broti.er's house and since that time ha
, not been seen or heard of by any of his re
atives or friends, until his arrest Sunda
! night.
fAt 7:3O O'Clock Sunday evening office
? Massey and Jackson left the cit
on horseback in search Of GatliI
Just after 10 O'Clock they found and arres
= ed him at the house of his cousin. WilliaI
Cover, who lives nine miles from town o
the Charlotte pike, a~bOutihalfa mile distaT
/, from 1.-THE road. Gatlin manifested som
/, uneasiness when accosted by the pOlicemel
, but did rot offer any resistance. The
told him he must come to town wit
: them, but did not tell him why be- was b
ing arrested.
: At $50 o'clock yesterday morning Il
officers arrived at police headquarters wit
3 their prisoner, where he was guarded unit
t daylight. When Gatlin was brought to Il
, station, Sargent Hawkins said to hin
.sMr. Gatlin, / guess you know why 70
are arrested when he replied; Il supPo:
it is for MURDER While at the station
was visited by William Haslam, a broth'
: of the murdered man, and who told hi
that he would be given every oPportunlt
| for a fair trial.
: \ reporter for this paper yesterday mon
aun nnN