The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1874-08-01
Knox County Tragedy
WRs Rule Assaults MIR. w. l.:
g Ledger wood.
IA, Ibo KpoxyilIa IIronicIe Q6th

| u GtlJOIl Ol u ulCttiifNhNiu" ~ i"c'" N'"'N
in the sixteenth civil district OF this county,
closed with the following paragraph:
''The Knoxville postmaster and. editor of
the CmtsaaCIR further declared that there
VISA ring and boosted that he was at Nc
head of il and that he and Others Intended
Ia rule the county of Knox; let the people
take notice and govern themselves accord
ingly.n
In the forenoon, Of yesterday, the editor
of the CnRoNIcLE, referred TO in this false
paragraph, Mr.. Rule, CHANGED to meet with
VIM. j. Ramage, one of the proprietors of
the Press and Herald, on Gay street, and
in friendly way asked him who gave him
the information upon which the statement
WAS based. Mr.. Ramage answered that il
was Mr.. Ledgerwood. The paragraph was
denounced by Mr. Rule as false, without
any foundation OF shadow of truth. Mr.
Ramage went on further TO state that
Ledgerwood was cautioned about making
such statement. That if it was untrue,
II should not be so published. He insisted
that ii was true, and therefore the editor of
the Press and Herald allowed Its publ
cation.
Mr.. Rule then started for the CHRONICLE
office, and met Mr.. Biltle, of Heiskel's
Station, at the Office of 5. p. Angel, on
Union street. While cOnvcrsing with Mr..
Bittle, Washington Lafayette. Ledgerwood
came along, when he was hailed, and in
formed what Mr., Ramage had stated in
reference TO the information alluded to
above. lie blushed, looked confused, and
stammered out that he did. His hesitation
will be understood when il is known, that
only a few minutes before he had denied to
Mr.. Gossett that he did give. the. intorma-
ton, and said that he did not get to town
until 3 o'clock In the morning.
Upon admitting that he furnished the
false information, which is so ridiculous on
its face as to carry its own contradiction,
he was told in about the same language that
had been used to Mr.. Ramage, that the
whole thing was false, that nothing had
been said which could be construed into
such q meaning as he had reported. Ledger
wood said that was the way he understood
t. Mr. Rule repeated that the whole thing
was an infamous falsehood. Ledgerwood
said, "You are a Cd DIN liar, and
dare you to attack me" whereupon Mr..
Rule struck him blow in the face. This
he followed up by clinching Ledgerwood,
as the latter was armed with heavy cane.
He succeeded in warding off any blows
from the cane until Constable Sullivan and
other by-standers interfered and separated
the parties, simultaneous with which
separation Ledgerwood struck his antagonist |
a heavy blow with the cane, cutting a cash |
in the back of his head. Parties interfcred |
and the fight ended. Mr.. Rule was very |
slightly hurt, and went on about his accus !
toned business in half an hour afterward. |
As he struck Ledgprwood only with his (
hand, he, of course, was not seriously |
injured. He was entirely unarmed, and in |
fact the meeting Mr.. Ramage and Ledger
wood on the street was purely accidental,
and consequently the difficulty unexpected.
From the Knoxville Press and
Herald Goth ult.
About IL o'clock. yesterday morning,
personal rencountre took place on Union
street, between Mr.. VIM. Rule, postmaster
md editor of the Chronicle, and Mr. W. /.
The difficulty arose out of
Mr.. Rules exception 70 communication
which Mr. Ledgcrwood had furnished to the
Press AND HERALD, concerning Mr.. Rules
speech at political gathering on Friday,
Nth inst, in the sixteenth civil district of
his county. Immediately after the affair
10Th parties were arrested.
Charles w. Weaver and constable Sulli-
an were sworn, and gave testimony as
ollows:
Mr.. Weaver said: 81 heard Mr.. Rule
lccost Mr.. Ledgerwood close by the store
# Spencer & Son. was but few feet
rom them; heard Mr.. Rule say that
4edgerwood had charged that he (Rule)
lad stated that he was the head of the
Knoxville ring Ledgcrwood said no; that
lie had stated that Rule claimed that he was
he head Of the ring, without naming
Chdt ring. Rule called him liar Ledg-
rwood told Rule to be careful, rot to
all him liar and tried to avoid diff
ulty. Rule again called Ledgerwood
lar. LedgerwOod then called Rule liar.
Rule then pushed Ledgerwood out in the ,
treet, and, laying hold of him, struck
i'm severe blow over the left eye. Ledg- {
rwood then lifted his cane and struck
lule over the head with il, drawing blood.
Ir. Sullivan then sprang in and prevented =,
urther trouble. Mr.. Sullivan was the !
rst man to them. After they were parted :
,ule stood by the pavement with his hand {"
ither under'his coat-tail, or in his pocket. =
Constable Sullivan said: 81 was across y
he street; heard the lie given; turned and
lw Rule strike Ledgerwood in the face.
.edgerwood then struck Rule. was the T
rst man that went to them. Nobody had I
old of Mr.. Rule when Ledgerwood :,
ruck him with his stick"
During the afternoon, our reporter OBJ
lined the following statement from Mr..
and in response to a request
f the Chronicle reporter agreed to publish ,
Ir Rules statement also:
MR.. LEDGERwooD's STATEMENT
81 was passing along the street in front
{ the Office formerly occupied by Spencer n
Sonner, where William Rule came 10 V
ne door and. called me back and enquired If :
was the author CT the alticle In the Daily
REss AND HERALD, in reference to the
,eaking in the sixteenth civil district Mr..
ule charged me with saying that he said
his speech that he was at the head of the A
KNOXVILLE Ring" p
told him | was the author of the com b
luncation, when Rule replied, il | was, is
iat was liar, n
| asked Mr. Rule not call me liar again, Il
] was prevented by certain considera- 81
ons which Mr.. Rule well knew, from re- Il
,nting it, and then informed Mr.. Rule Il
lat he did say he was at the head of "a Ii
ng," but did not say it was the "KnoX- ft
lie ring" and that | did not charge him d
my communication with saying he was c
the head of the "Knoxville Ring" He CO
rain gave me the lie and advanced on me, t