Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-03-17
THE REYNOLDS MURDER.
John Webb Tried at Clinton and Found
Guilty.
He II Sentenced 10 be Hanged In this
eCOunIy ON the 23d of April.
CLINTON, Tenn, March II, Isl

County ON the asa of Aprn.
CLINTON, TENN, March II 1875.
TO the Editors Of the Chronicle:
Circuit Court being in session at this
place, His Hon, ID. X. Young, presid-
ing, the trial Of John Webb, for the
murder of Richard Y. Rey nulds, in
Knox county, March 5, 1874, was
concluded to-day, IL having occupied
the attention OF the court since Tues
day.
Ii vii. uUt be necessary for Us To re-
iterate the sickeniug details Of this
horrible tragedy, as they are still fresh
in the minds oi the readers of the
CHRONICLE, and all remember 1t as
being one OF the most tiendlsh acts
ever perpetrated 10y "a rational being in
the history of the country. Aside
from the positive evidence OF the be-
reaved and outraged widow of the
murdered Reynolds, and the negro
boy who was shot 10y Webb as to the
identity OF the man, the attorney
for the prosecution introduced chain
of circumstantial evidence sufficient
to have sent him to the Penltentiary
for life, had there not been any other
evidence. But there was other evil
dence, and after trial of nearly three
days, the case was given toy the jury,
who in accordance with that evidence
rendered verdict of guilty of murder
in the first degree, without mitigating
circumstances. The prisoner was
brought into court, and his attorney
moved for new trial, which was not
granted, there being no sufficient
grounds. The court house was pack
ed to utmost capacity, with persons
who have listened To the progress of
the trial with undated interest from
its commencement. Standing upon the
benches, and leaning over the bar TO
catch the sentence OF the Judge, were
a crowd of the most anxious and eX>
cited people we have ever witnessed
in n court house, but as Judge Young
pronounced the sentence OF death
upon the man, there seemed to he uu
expression from the crowd that SEEM
ed to re-echO the cry of retrlbutiOn
that comes to us from that humble
cauin, "a damned spot that viii not
| out,J in the quiet county of Knox,
and the demands of violated law.
Judge Young, in pronouuciug the
sentence OF death upon Webb, said:
Mr.. john Webb, stand up.
The prisoner then stood up in front
of the desk, his hands being clasped,
while around his wrists Were heavy
| pair of handouts, aud with down-cast
| ewes, listened to the sentence of the
| Judge, who said, III substance, rs fol-
| lows:
Mr.. John Webb, in pohouncinp
/ upuu you the judgment of the law (foI
+ 81 Is not my judgmenD it is the most
/ painful and trying ordeal OF my life. II,
/ pass judgment upon fellow creature
/ That would deprive him of his liberty
/ would be "a task altogether unpleasant
/ bus to pass Judgment upon fellow
/ creature that depriyes him of his life
i infinitely more trying. Yet, sir, IN
/ view of all the facts, aud in accordanc,
/ with the verdict of the jury selected
/ by yourself from "a panel of one hun
| drcd men, | am compelled 10 pass upon
/ you this sentence.
Sir, you have been found guilty OF
/ the most tendish, diabolical act thai
/ has ever diSgraCed the annals of his.
| tory. You, in the still hour of tine
/ night, have took from John Reyuold,
/ what no man can return unto him
and that, as The jury say, without init
/ eating circumstances, ana when you
have paid the penalty of death upon
| the scafluld-l repeat, when you hav,
/ been hanged until you are dead-ther
/ you Will have only paid the debt al
mans Law. But, Mr.. Webb, very
| feeliugly above and beyond this ban
is bar at which you viii have to ap
/ pear and give an rccOunt for thu
/ ticndish deed of yours; aud now, that
/ your days on this earth are numbered
| beseech Of you to prepare for thl,
most important trial of all, and pray
! pray God, for His dear Sons sake, &c
wash your guilty soul in the blood OF
Jesus. Sir, the judgment is that the
/ Sheriff of Anderson county take you
/ to Knoxville, and there deliver you {,
/ the Sheriff of KNOX county, aud that
on Friday the 23d day of April next
/ he take you to some convenient place
/ in or near Knoxville, aud hang you 10y
the neck until you are dead, and may
God have mercy upon your poor soul
/ The prisoner was then remanded ~
Jail. a murmur passed through the
vast crowd that had hardly breathed
during the sentence. Very soon the
house was cleared, and the court pro-
. Ceeded with other business.
The Mynatt case was called and con
tinued until Tomorrow. a special
term of Circuit Court was appointed
for he thiri Monday in May.
Intended to have said in the prop
er connection, that the sentence Of
death pronounced upon John Webb
"a very imperfect synopsis of which
have already given was one Of the
most eloquent appeals to the dying
man To save himself from yawninG
/ hell, we have ever listened to. The
| Knoxville bar is well represented
/ Court commences at Jacksboro' Mon
/ day. j. W. p.
From Knoxville Daily Chronicle, lit5l
John Webb, convicted al Clinton O
/ the murder Of Richard Reynolds, anC
sentenced to be hung in this county
next month, an account Of who's,
| trial and sentence we gave in Satur
/ days issue, was brought TO this city
yesterday and again confined in tht
county Jail. We understand he APP
pealed to the Supreme Court, aud con
| sequeutly the sentence will not be eX
ecuted at the time appointed, as tina
. T,t1rf will la,-a T., laor his g4-H