Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-05

and fell off his horse lfeless. The party
in the wagon then commenced firing at
Thomasson who, having seen the fash Of
the first FIRE, ~endeaTored to rein in his
horse, and by the time his horse was
stopped he had reached the spot where
Wilson had fallen. Three or four shots
were fred at ThOmassOn, two Of them pass
ing in close proximity to bis face, and an
other taking effect in his left shoulder, pro
dueing a painful flesh wound. Only one
shot took effect N ThOmassOn. When be
received the shot in the shoulder, he dropped
from bis horse as if he had been killed, and,
thinkingthey had accomplished their foul de-
signs, the party in the wagon lashed the ami
mals and drove Ofat a very fast rate Ofspeed.
As soon as he thought they had gone far
enough not to do him further harm, Thomas
son raised himself up aud approached the
spot where Bob Wilson was lying. He
called him, but hearing nOanswer took hold
Of him and turned him over a little, when
the thought struck him that Wilson might
be dead. He hastily made his way back 10
DR.. Mayfeld's residence and called him to
the door, telling him that he was shot and
that Bob Wilson had been killed down on
the pike not far from the no Use. Thomas
son seemed to be greatly frightened, and
expressed fear about going back,
thinking that perhaps some II Of
the party might still be lurking around
there. The Doctor called up a negro man
and a negro boy, and after lighting a lamp,
they went to the place where the murder
had been committed. They found Will
sons hat in the middle Of the pike, but
the night was so dark that it was ZONE lit
tie time before they could find his body.
Finally the negro boy discovered the corpse
lying on the right hand side Of the pike,
with the head at the top Of a slOping EN-
bankment and the feet resting near the
fence. 1t lay in a large pool Of blood that
Lad run down the slope intothef fence corner.
Soon after the body was discovered, a bug
", containing two men named J.. II. Holt
and Ed Parish, drove up. The Doctor
stopped them aud told them what was the
matter. They both got out Of the buggy
and went up to where the group were
| standing around the corpse. Parish got
into his buggy and drove of, saying that he
would 90 on home and send some help
down. Parish lives at Ovens Crossroads,
about a mile from DR.. Mayheldis place.
He sent 4 man named Cross back to assist
them, and then went Ovel to where Wilson
lived and found him and Charles Cook IN
bed asleep. He aroused them and inform
ed them of the deed that had been commit
ted. They got up and dressed and went to
DR.. Mayfeld's house in company with
Henry Allen, whom they went after. They
staid there during a portion Of the night
and then left. Soon after Parish had left
the scene Of the murder, DR.. Mayfeld, l..
II. Holt and Mr.. Cross, assisted by the two
negroes, conveyed the body to the DOdOr's
house, and laid il out on a board. DR..
Mayfeld then commenced preparations for
examining the wounds that ThOmasSOn and
Wilson had received. ThOmassOn's wound
was found TO be only a slight abrasion Of
the skin, and it was soon dressed. Wilson
was shot Immediately under the left ear,
evidently with a shotgun, from the fact
that after probing with his two fingers into
the hole caused by the entrance Of the
shot, and splitting the head open and
raising up the shattered bones, the Doctor
picked out two small pieces Of fattened
lead which were under the scalp and stick
ing on the edges of the fractured skull.
Wilson was also shot in the right side, the
ball ranging towards the liver and coming
out one inch below the navel. The third
shot TOOK effect in the left thigh, passing
nea- the femOral artery. The back part Of
his head was literally crushed into d jelly.
By the time Dr.. Mlgdeld had finished
the examination Of the wounds, quite q
uumber of The neighbOTs had arrived, the
news Of the terrible murder having spread
very rapidly; in fact, j. was the only topic
Of conversation discussed for hours.
Yesterday afternoon, at , O'Clock,
Coroner W. R.'Haynes arrived from Frank
lin, and, after su~mmOniug a jury, com.
menced the examination Of witnesses
Many Of the facts elected have been stated
above.
Robert Prim testified that he saw a shot
gun lyirg in the bottom Of the wagon Oc
cupied by Cook, Irwin, Ridley and the
JamisOns, as they were coming to this city
Wednes lay, but there was no proof that
there was any gun there when they re.
turned.
DIR. Mayfeld testified THAI be and hi,
wife were sitting in their room, and that he
was reading last Wednesdays UNION AMI
AMERICAN, when they heard something
like a wagon going along the pike, auC
heard The dogs barking a. somebody. Hi:
wife remarked that, whoever they might be
they were having a very cold hide. In
very short time after this, they heard sly
or eight shaIp and loud reports, and then
/ there was a brief interval, AFTER which sew
; eral more shots were fired. His wife askej
him what on earth all that shooting
| could mean. He replied that perhaps i
was the fox hunters that had beer
to Nashville TO the trial, Just firing of theil
3 pistols for amusement. lie listened, bu'
| could hear no one hallOWing or make any
noise as if they were wounded. He heard
!. nothing more then for five or ten minutes
when some one called him at the gate ant
, walked into the yard. He asked who j
/ was, and the pers on said that his name wa
/ ThOmasSOn, that be had been shot ant
2 that Bob Wilson was killed.
The rest Of DR.. May6eld's testimony la
already been stated above.
D.. Mayheld told our reporter that h
found two pistols on the person Of BOl
e Wilson and there ThOmassOn also had TIVE
= buckled around him. These weapons ar
5 now in the possession Of the Doctor.
Z Robert Prim said that he went down 4
Nashville on the train Wednesday, bu
thinking that would likely be some trCUbi
I between the parties, concluded to stay il
Nashville and walk ont early next
morning. He reached DR.. Mayteld';
j house before breakfast yesterda,
morning and related the above L
him. Prim saw the three person;
who got out of the wagon at Berry's cTeel
and came back here Wednesday night.
I ThOmassOn testified that they we're gal
Looping their horses when the firing com
2 menced, and that soon after he saw tn
J fash Wilson leaped up in his saddle ant
fell 10 the ground, and that Wilson wa:
about ten Yards ahead Of him when tn
vOlley was fred. He could not recognize
' any Of the party. nor even the vehicle, bu
said that it looked like a partly cOyere,
wagon, and as soon as the firing ceased II
j was driven Of very rapidly.
Mr.. Myers, a clerk in Farish's store, a
Owens Cross roads, said that he was inthI
store and heard a wagon going very fas
= down the pike, and before he could get t
the door it had passed. lie also saw SOm.
one riding a grey horse following quickly
after the wagon. He could see that ID.
5 wagon had a covering on it. Shortly be
fore this a negro man named Spencer Ger
man drove up with the buggy in which
5 Allen, George Wilson and Aliens work
men rode to Nashville, with no n else il
it but German.
. The proof further showed that German
: had ridden Aliens %crOp-eared mare tC
e Nashville, and was seen riding her Al
e Brentwood OH his return home. This is a
S link in the circumstances attending the