Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-05
MURDERED ON THE HIGHWAY.
A Foul Deed Of Blood in Williamson
County.
Robert Wilson and Polk ThOmassOn
COTered by a VOlley Of
Ten Shots.
Wilson Instantly Killed and the Other
Slightly Wounded.
Eight or Ten Shots Fired by Unknown
Parties Occupying a Carryail.
The SangUinary Work Done Under
Cover Of Night.
History Of a Tragical Feud which
Grew Out Of a Fox Chase.


Wilson pike not far from Brentwood, he
was fired upon from a covered vehicle and
instantly killed. Polk ThOmasSOI, who
accompanied him, was struck and wounded
at almost the same moment. The two
were on horseback and riding rapidly up
behind the vehicle when they met the fatal
volley.
This terrible occurrence naturally con
meets itself in the mind with the trial be-
fore us. Commissioner Trimble Wednes-
day afternoon, a full account of which was
published in yesterdays UNION AND AMER
ICAN.
At the Instance Of Robt. Wilson, last
week, Henry Allen and G. r. &. Wilson,
two young men Of his neighborhO6d, the
latter a nephew Of his, were arrested and
put under bond to answer the charge Of
violating the Enforcement act. The &C
cuser mode affidavit that these parties III
undated cOlOTed witnesses introduced by
him 10 a magistrates court.
Thiry-three witnesses appeared for and
against, and the investigation speedily re-
suited in the aoquittal Of the prisoners,
none Of the testimony tending to sustain
the charge, but all indicating one Of the
most malignant but causeless neighbOrhOOd
feuds that ever existed in the State. The
squabble, which dates back TO the early
part Of January, arose out Of a fox hunt
and about the possession Of the game.
a large party, consisting Of q. X. C..
Wilson, Henry Allen, Polk ThOmassOn,
Andrew Irwin, Charley Cook, Polk Ridley
W. L. Ridley and others caught two red
foxes alive-a male and female. Bob VIII
son, being represented in thel chase
- nnm-o and hound W-aE
allowed to take the male, and one Of the
Ridleys took the female TO keep for a chase,
when the party expected to have ONE fun.
them went over 10 rutherford
hounds, and in the meantime Bob Wilson
nth the other. IL is said he went 10 Rid
| ley and represented that he had sWapped
the male for the female, and got possession
/ Of the latter upon this representation.
Il turned out, however, that tni5 was .
mere trick 10 get both, as NE O~bstinately re-
/ fused 10 give up either when demanded.
A writ Of replevin was sued out
/ before Justice McMaban, and placed
/ Roberts to be served. Roberts went
I 10 w ll1l4 10 tAELuLc L4UC WAlNf DAa vas AA-
successful, Wilson utterly refusing to
turn either fox over TO him. The writ was
! then put in the hands Of Sheriff Bingham,
who was successful in executing II and
! getting possession Of the fox. The trial
came off at Justice McAShan's about the
middle Of the month, and Wilson lost The
fox. He appealed the case, however, 10 the
Circuit Court Of Williamson, and Sheriff
Bingham retained the custody Of the fox.
The incidents Of that trial indicated that
there were two petty factions actuated
by the worst sort Of feeling. A
considerable number Of witnesses
aud spectators, including the anti
Wilson faction, gathered at the court
ground and some Of them had guns
and dogs. Sheriff Bingham went to sun
mons RObt. Wilson, who learning that
there were guns on the ground, armed a
number Of negroes, who were on his place,
with shOt-guns and army guns and st oui
with them for the court ground. lie did
this against the wishes Of the Sheriff., but
declared he thought the party
at the court ground would fire on him
and his witnesses. The Sheriff pre-
ceded him, reaching the court ground
first. where he heard threats thai
those negroes shouldn't come up there
armed, and fears were expressed that q
fight would occur if they did. The partie;
said they would give up their arms 10 avoid
a difficulty, if the advancing party would
do likewise. The Sheriff then went &
meet the latter and made known the prOpo-
sitiOn, which was agreed to. The arm:
were locked up and the trial proceeded
without disturbance.
Hereupon Robt. Wilson brought the sui
under the enforcement act against his
nephew and Henry Allen for intimidatiDs
his witnesses. The litigation went still
further, however, as the tive young mel
entered suit against their accUser in tht
Davidson Circuit Court for false imprisOu
ment, laying their damages at S25,OV
each.
Serious apprehensiOns existed before
during and after the investigation a. tht
Federal Court room Wednesday, Of a col
lision. Wilson was regarded as a dangerou
and desperate man and so were some Of Tn
opposite party. Before leaving the cit.
Wednesday evening some Of them express
ed fears that if a meeting should take placr
on the road the consequences would b
serious. The parties dispersed from Nash
vile Wednesday evening, evidently mucl
agitated.
AUNION AND AMERICAN reporter Wis
tied the scene Of the assassination yester
day, and learned all the particulars.
Shortly before the train leaving her
Wednesday evening at GAO o'clock arrives
at Brentwood, " vehicles were driver
into BrentwOOd-one a single horse bugg.
and the other a c~arTyall, or ambulance
drawn by two mules. Henry Allen, Geo
Gibson and one Of Aliens WOrkmen wer
in the buggy, and Charlie Cook, Andrew
Irwin, Polk Ridley and n Of tn
: JamisOns were in the ambulance
Captain w. Z. Ridley, a mai
named Riley and one Of the JamisOn
had got out Of the ambulance when thret
/ miles from Nashville, and returned Z
Nashville. When the party got to Brent
; wood they alighted and ven into New
lands store, where the PostOttice is kept
and after remaining there a short time the.
2 all went across the road to j. X. Simpson,
t store. They staid here for a short tim
{ during which the origin Of thefoX hun
/ trouble and the trial Of the parties IN thI
city was discussed. Finally Henry Allel
7 insisted on his companions hurry
ing way in order to avoid
p difficulty with Robert Wilson, think
ing he would come out on the train. ii
remarked that he was not "heeled;" that h
had given his pistol to Mart Brown, Of thi
= city. for being so clever TO him while b
had him under arrest. Taking the advice
/ Of Allen, they all left the store but Simpson
/, No one else in his store saw them get INT
the two vehicles. Mr.. Ed. Parish testified
however. before the jury o inquest, that h
saw two of them get into the carryall, anc
recognized Twins voice, who was areadI
in the wagon. They started of in the di
rection OF the scene Of the mu' der a shOr
while before the team arrived from
!, Nashville, in which were Rober
Wilson and Polk Thompson, who
tbad also been to Nashville il
attendance at the trial, the former bein.
the person who had henry Allen and Geo
Wilson arraigned before the COmmissiO mel
It seems that these two persons had left
their horses hitched at Brentwood that,
morning. and came to Nashville on the
train, and when they returned they mount
ed their horses, after spending a few min
utes in Brentwood, and started toward
home in a fast gallOp in the same direction
the other parties had taken. They con-
tinued in this gait until they passed DR.. S.
s. Mayfeld's house, about three miles
South Of Brentwood, on the Wilson pike.
They were descending the hill about one
hundred yards from DR.. Mayfeld's
house, at the same rate of speed, Bob VIII