Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-02-04
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1874.
THE SEWER COUNTY HOMICIDE.
Tho verdict OF the CorOner's Jury and
Some Additional Facts.


From our Boyd's Creek correspondent
Justice r. NJ. Creswell, writing under date
of January 10Th, we gain the following adj
ditional facts in regard to the killing of
Shannon Felller by Jacob Cummings, at
Boyd's Creek, Sewer county. Justice II.
NJ Creswell summoned cOroner's jury,
before whom the following witnesses testi-
fed: Chas. Brabson colored), Robert
Chandler Icolored), J. II. Walker, James
Trent aud Benz. Hearty. The evidence
elected was about the same as we have al
ready given in detail in a previous issue.
After hearing the evidence the jury rem
dered the following verdict:
We, the undersigned, being elected, en-
panneled, sworn and charged by r. NJ.
Creswell, acting Justice of the Peace for
SEWER county, as jury of inquest, TO in
Vuire how, when and in what manner
shannon Felker came to his death, on our
oaths, do say, from the testimony, that one
Jacob Cummings, a citizen of Sewer coun-
ty, did, on the 2lst of January, 1874, in the
county of Sewer and State of Tennessee,
with force and arms, then ard there felo-
niously, wilfully, deliberately, and with
malice aforethought, with some deadly
weapon, kill or cause the death of the said
dignity of the State.
Given aud rendered by us, this odd day
Of January, 1874.
r. NJ CREswELL, J. p.
For Sewer county.
=. L. Ellis, \. L. Scruggs,
q. w. Henderson, w. 1. Hodges,
!. NJ. COwau, j. J. Wade,
". p Burns, J. NJ. Fagala.
After the verdict was rendered, our cor
respondent obtained the following facts
\ short time before the difficulty occur
red, a gentleman, who was passing, saw
Cummings sitting on the fence in front of
his Cumming house, with brickbat in
his hand, which he attempted to conceal.
Oliver Young says that when he and j.
4. Walker were passing Cummings house
he called to them and asked if Felker was
there. They answered no; that he would
he along in a minute. In about two min
utes Felker and Walker McSpadden came
mp. c. said: rs that you. Felker?.' F.
Yes" c. said Il want to see you a min
Ute Felker who was walking, told Nc
~padden to ride on to the gate: he would
be down in a moment. McSpadden says
he rode about twenty yards when he heard
c. say to F.. ." I'll whip it out of you,n and
instantly he heard a lick. He fastened
back and found c. had f. down in gully,
and they both seemed to be scuffling over
something. Just then a pistol was
discharged, and seemed to 90 into the
bank, then he pulled c. off of F., McSpad-
den asked c. for the pistol, c. says ~ took
the id thing from him, shot it off and
threw it away c. stepped back then
and came up with his knife out striking
around, McSpadden told f. to get away or
Cummings would kill him, just then the
colored boys came, and they were separ-
ated. McSpadden then rode down to the
gate, met Oliver Henry and the two start
ed back, going home, and met c. between
H's and C's houses, going towards Felker's
swearing he intended to see il out.
On the oath, the remains was followed
by large number of friends to Shiloh
Church, five miles above Sevierville, where
il was inferred by the Masonic Fraternity,
with the usual honors.