Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-08-19
Homicide.
The killing of Fletcher Casey by
Rufus F. WaggOner.
Verdict of the COrOner's Jury Gun
lawful Murder"

Verdict of the COrOner's Jury Gun.
lawful Murder"
From the Lynchburg Sentinel.
After a long quiet, and when
our court dockets were entirely
tree from crime, our county has
been the scene OF a horrible, anG
from the evidence, unprovoked
murder. While the meeting was
in progress at Union Church, on
Louise creek, in this county, about
4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, Ru'
fus Waggoner shot Fletcher Casey,
the ball entering just below the
breast bone, on the left side, and
about one and a half inches from
the center Of his body. Casey was
taken to the residence Of Mr.. Lewis
Massey, about a quarter of mile
from the church. where he expired
about ii o'clock last night. Cor
oner Morgan, upon hearing of the
case this morning, proceeded to
the place, summoned jury and
held an inquest. But one Witness
was present who saw the Difficult.
| ty, Mr.. +. A. Martin, whose evil
dence before the jury was as fol,
lows:
Was ut Union Church ycster
day when thu shooting of Fetch
or Casey by Rufus f. Waggoner
took place was sitting under tree
near the church, in company with
Casey, Jack Harrison and Jake
Scivally. While sitting there
Waggouer rode up on horseback,
and addressing Casey said, "Fletch,
er, you are the man ] am looking
for" Casey replied, well, here
| am, you can see me and rose
to his ieet. Waggoner then said,
81 understand you said you did
not steal my watermelOns." Ca
sey replied. 81 do say it" when
Waggoner reached over to the OPP
posite side of his horse from them
and drew a pistol from his boot,
and bringing it over, presented it
at Casey, and Immediately fired,
exclaiming as he did so, "You are
a God ID liar" Casey staggered
back and groaned, and remarked
that he was dead man. lie then
stepped to the tree and leaned a.
gainstit. Waggoner started to ride
of, when Casey said to him ::
Farewell forever, you have killed
me-" Waggoner remarked, you
ought not to have stolen my wa
termelons, then," and Casey re-
piled, 81 did not steal them" -
Waggoner then rode of. Wag-
goner did not look as if he was
drunk.
We understand that Casey and
Waggoner had always been very
intimate friends, and we could hear
of no previous difficulty between
them. We hear of no efforts be-
ing made as yet to arrest Waggo
ner, though we understand meas
ures will be taken to do 30. Ca
sey was about "a years OF age, and
unmarried, but leaves On aged IA
Their and mother to mourn his
death. Waggoner was married.
The families of both these unfort-
innate men have the sympathy of
our people.
The jury Of inquest rendered
n verdict as follows
State of Tennessee, Moore
County. - An inq disitiOn holden
in the county and State aforesaid
on the 18th day of August 1876,
before Ii. B Morgan, Coroner, OF
said county, upon the body of
Fletcher Casey,by the jurors whose
names are hereto subscribed, who,
upon their oaths do say that
Fletcher Casey came to his death
on the eleventh day of August,
1916. by a pistol ball fired at him
by Rufus f. Waggoner, the ball
taking effect in the body OF said
Casey just below the breast bone,
II inches to left Of center. The
act was committed in Moore
county, Tennessee, on the headwa-
tiers of Louise creek, at or near U
Mon Church, and we are of opin-
ion that the killing Of Fletcher
Casey by Rufus f. Wsggoner on
the lIth day of August, 1875, was
unlawful murder. w. r. Evans,
r. A. Foster, VIM. S. Evans,
K. III. Evans, VIM. Darnell,
w. B Taylor, W. f. Jenkins,
Jury empaneled and sworn as
the law directs by me, II D. Nor
GAN, Coroner. August II, 1875.
DIR. TAYLORS CERTIFICATE.
Having been summoned by IL.
p Mor0on Horoner for MOOro