Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-08-11
EXCITEMENT AT ATHENS.
a COIOred Man Taken from Jail
and shot.

and Shot.
A hasty note was received yesterday
on the eastern bound noon train, from
a gentleman in Athens, saying that
that unusually quiet town was in q
high state OF excitement growing out
of the fact that negro man, confined in
the Jail there on a charge of having at
tempted to violate the person of Mrs
John r. Howard, a paragraph concern
ing which appeared in the Chronicle
yesterday morning, had been taken
out and shot seven or eight times. He
was found dead yesterday morning on
a hill near the railroad depot.
The Post of yesterday referring to
the matter says;
ATTEMPT AT HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
While Mrs. Howard, wife of John
r. Howard, ST., who lives two miles
south of Athens, was on her way to
town Wednesday forenoon, she was
halted in the road by big burly negro,
who seized the bride of her horse and
demanded her money. The lady told
him she had no money, when he tore
off her riding skirt, searched her pock-
ct and satchel, and tried to pull her off
the horse, at the same time cursing
her and using the vilest language. She
succeeded in making her escape from
the villain, and as soon as the assault
was made known, a party started in
pursuit of him. He was tracked
through some of the adjoining
fields, and was arrested an hour or
two afterwards near the Athens depot,
by Marshal Standifer. Upon being
taken into the presence of Mrs. H. she
at once identified him. The negro
gives his name as lack Gordon, ana is
astranger at this place, having been
here only few days. He is now in
Jail, and will probably receive proper
attention in the course of the ensuing
week. The punishment for such out
RACES should be swift, sure, and
thorough.
The negro subsequently confessed
that he had been in the Tennessee pen
itentiary, that his object was robbery
in the assault above, and that he
threatened other violence.
Later Intelligence.
Since writing the above we have re-.
ceived the following special dispatch
from Athens, giving full and reliable
particulars of the affair:
ATHENS, TENN, Aug. 6, 1875.
Special to the Chronicle J
The negro, lack Gordon, who committed
the assault upon Mrs Howard last Wednes-
day, was taken from the Jail at this place
between one and two o'clock this (Friday)
morning by body of armed men, who
overpowered the Sheriff and Jailer, carried
to the open field north Of the depot and sh OF
to death. The Sheriff estimated the mum
Der, Immediately surrounded the Jail at
from twenty-five to fifty. 1t is supposed
the crowd in the vicinity was much larger.
The affair seems to have been conducted in
very quiet manner, as the citizens resid =
ing near the Jail knew nothing Of it until
after daylight this morning. The negro
was stranger in this neighborhood, and
had arrived here day or two before the
outrage for which he was arrested, and for
which he has been killed. He stated in the
presence Of the magistrate that he was an
escaped convict from the Tennessee peni-
Tertiary, where he had been sentenced fro m
Maury county for demonstrating. The
outrage was the most bold and daring ever
committed in this county, having occurred
on public highway, within little over a
mile of town, and on a road where people
are generally passing. The lady assaulted
is the vito of one of our oldest and most
respectable citizens. There were eight
holes in the body of the negro. An inquest
was held this forenoon, VIM. c. Owens
acting as Coroner. A number of witnesses
were examined, and the Jury found that he
had come to his death by gun or pistol
shot wounds inflicted by unkn own par
ties. There was some excitement this morn.
ing, but the town has been unusually quiet
throughout the day.
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