Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-09-01
THIRD DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
NANYNILLE, August, 26, 1915


The reading of the manuscript of the
records of the Anderson county Circuit
Court and the Supreme Court in the
Webb case having been completed yes
terday evening, Court adjourned until
this morning, and the further hearing
Of iestimony was in order.
The records of the previous day were
read and signed.
The jury were cautioned not to read
the newspapers on the subject of Ayers
trial
Judge Hall also called their attention
to the the fact that the records read
last night were only admitted as prima
iaria evidence of Webb's guilt and
nothing more.
WIN. LEWIS
was the first witness examined. lie
detailed how he had arrested John
Webb in Sartiu's cellar. Webb show
ed determination to fight, until wits
ness talked about burning the house.
put him in Jail in Jacksboro'. We'd
nesday morning before day l started
with him to Knoxville in hack from
Careyville, with sufficient guard to
take him to Knoxville put him on
the train at Careyville and brought him
to Knoxville and delivered him to the
jailer at Knoxville. That is the same
John Webb that was hung at Knox
vile on the 18th of August, for the
murder of Richard F. Reynolds.
| When arrested he was dressed in cons
mon apparel with new pair of boots.
Caryville is about 10 miles from Coal
Creek, / thought, but on reflection it is
only seven miles. In going to Careye
vile from Clinton you pass Coal
Creek. l lived some five miles
from Richard Reynolds, at the time
he was murdered. He lived in Knox
county. l am about so years old.
CROSS EXAMINED BY COL. BANTER.
did not examine Webb carefully
when he surrendered. | asked him If
he had any other weapons; he told me
he hadn't, he had penknife and some
money, and told him to keep that.
| diu not examine him. l did not ex-
anime him at any time. He was kept
in Jail after | delivered him to the jail
er, except when he was carried to and
from Clinton for trial, from the time |
delivered him there until the day he
was hung.
The evidence of the examination
and cross examination was read to Mr.
Lewis, and with IA few changes was
adopted as correct.
DAVID NELSON
Said: / am 63 years old, in my Gath
year. 1 live in Knox county. l am
acquainted with the defendant, Joseph
Ayres. | have known him for a good
many years, when he was quite young
When he grew 10 be man he left the
country. [ understood that he had
gone to Missouri. Since the war saw
him in Knox county several times
He lived in Knox county. He lived
some or miles from my place O
residence, but | owned a farm adjoin
ing him. l have reference to 81, IS
SO and until March, 1870 that owned
this farm. He lived on the adjoining
farm to mine, and it was lied his
He was surveying land there, anC
seemed to claim that as his. There
was a conversation between JOSEPH
Ayres and myself in relation to Rici
ard f. Reynolds about the latter pa e
of 1869 and the forepart of 1870
, l couldn't state precisely the local..
, where the conversation took place, ,bu
|
, joining the land of Joseph Ayers.
was about to make a transfer of thj
farm, and Mr.. Ayres asked me if tha
! rumor was true. / told him that | haC
made r. f. aud WV. Reynolds pro
. posal, and if they came up to that the,
/ would get the land back. II,
just remarked that he-Reynolds-
shouldn't settle that near him, an,
. live. He didn't say which Reynolds
but Dick Reynolds was the man tha
was to get the land. VI don't think w
= talked much more on the Reynold
: subject, he sorter turned from IN,
when he made the remark. / meal
Richard F. Reynolds when / sa,
Dick Reynolds. L don't think eve
had any other conversation witt
/. Ayers on the subject. Richar
! Reynolds lived on the farm that / sol
! him, in Knox county. That was th
g farm adjoining the farm that Ayre
l owned at the time we had the conver
4 satiOn.
I CROSS EXAMINATION.
f Col. Baxter read Mr.. Nelson's test
i mony over to him and he acknowledg
4 ed it correct.
=. J. s. MATTHEW'S
:: said: am 80 years old. reside il
! Kingston, Tenn. l am acquainte
| with Joseph Ayres, and have know
. him since 1871. l got acquainted wit
= him in Knox county, at Heiskell'
Station. l then resided there. Jos
Ayres then lived at Beaver Creek, i
Knox county. l had a conversatio
d with Ayres, or he with me, in regar
# to Richard f. Reynolds, about the Is
b of April, 1871, in the road betwixt hi
J. house and Knoxville. We wer
= riding together on Black Oa
b Ridge. We passed near b
e where some.meu were cutting saw log
k They had cut a tree across the roaC
/ He pointed out man to me, and sal
,. "there is man who helped kill IN
a father,n He said his name was Hal
Il He said that Dick Reynolds was tn
Il man who killed him, and that tn
a man Hall helped to do it. Ayres the
5. told him where he killed him, an
how he killed him. He told me thi
g he abused him very brutally, befol
d and althe time of killing him. II
said that he left him haltered up in
e house near Knoxville, like a hors
"a and after he kent him tied uD n da