Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-01
Gle Has Killed Mel am DYING
Are the Only Words
Of the Victim.
Pursuit and Capture of the Murderer.
The Prisoner Saved from Lynching,
Only by the FirmneSs OF
the Police.
Evidence Before the COrOner'S Jury
The Verdict" Premeditated, UnprO-
VOked aud Cold BlOOded
Murder"

NOFAn NasuNlllGs DClMECA MGAhEN snA
Front, occupied by cOlored people. 1t cost
our efficient police force one Of its best
members, bereayed a large family Of their
only protector, and robbed the community
of one Of its most valuable citizens.
Officer Robert I. Frazier had entered the
house to quell a disturbance between the
occupants, Joe Reed, colOred, and his wife.
They were not actually fighting at the time
the officer entered, but confessed they had
been, and the officer told the woman she
could remain, but said to the man that he,
WOULD HAVE TO GO To THE STATION
HOUSE.
Reed said his wife might he taken there,
but as for himself, he didn't intend to 60.
Officer Frazier remarked that he reck-
oned he would, when, it seems, without
waiting for further development Reed
drew a pistol and fired, while standing
within a few feet of The officer. Reeds
wife who had started TO leave the room
heard the report Of the pistol and looking
around saw officer Frazier staggering to the
floor. He said
she HAS SHOT ME-"
and fell. Her husband then rushed by
her and ran out of the house. She knelt
| down and raised officer Frazier's head, but
be did not speak. After this she got up
and went to the door, not knowing what to
do.
Almost Immediately after the firing,
hearing that a policeman had been killed,
two white women, Anna SOhBs and Lou
Mace, living near by, came over to the
house. The latter raised officer Fraziers
head from the floor, when he family muir
INJURED
81 AM DYING"
and expired, having lived only a few mo-
ments after being shot. The ball entered
the right breast a few Inches
above the nipple. The wound pro
duced hemOTthage, and a great
pool Of blood soon collected on the floor.
| Loa Mace took a seat beside his body and
wiped the blood from his mouth as it
| oOzed out. Anna SOhns closed his eyes
and placed a piece Of silver OTer each, and
I thus he was left to await the arrival of the
| Coroner. Long before this the street in
front Of the house had become thrOnged
with people and the door had to be closed
to keep out
4 CURIOUS CROWD,
who seemed bent on obtaining IN entrance.
The news Of the killing spread like wild
fire, and citizenSand policemen came pour
ing in upon the scene. Among the first to
hear the report, was William NJ. Hydinger,
who was only a short distance Oh, in a
butcher wagon on Frcnt street. He laid
| whip to his horse aud hastily drove 10 the
statiOn-hOuse, where he gave intel
liCence Of what had occurred.
Captain Yater and Sergeant Hawkins
jumped into the vehicle and Mr.. HydingeT
was not long in getting them TO the scene
of the murder. On arriving there, Officer
Schneider came up, when he and Sargent
Hawkins, with a negro 10 identify Reed,
started ofin Mr.. H~ydingers wagon in
PURSUIT OF MURDERER.
In an incredibly short space
of time, a number Of citizens and
policemen had procured horses and
Joined the chase. After leaving home Reed
went along Whitesides street till he came
to Front and then turned north. Going as
far as jackson street he bent bis course to-
ward the river, and on reaching The bank
plunged into the stream. Being unable TO
swim he
CAEE NEAR DROWNING,
and called Justify to two men sitting on the
shore for help. They thought he was crazy
and told him to get on a log. He finally
got hold Of a piece Of timber and made his
way to the shore. Climbing up the bank,
ne started of at a lively pace in the direc-
tiOn Ofthe Tennessee Chair Factory. Near
that building he darted into the cellar Of
what was formerly used as a brewery. The
/ men in pursuit Of him had now reached
this locality, and having been told that he
was seen in the neighbOThOOd, began scout
ing around for him. As luck would have
IL, oficsr Schneider entered the old cellar
in which Reed had taken refuge. The
light being rather dim, it was some mo-
ments before he
DISCOVERED THE MURDERER
partly concealed in a nook Of the cellar.
lie told the negro to hold up his hands and
surrender, which he was hot at all back
| ward in doing. He asked Reed for his Pis-
tOl and the negro replied that it was in bis
pocket. Officer Schneider took the pistol
out Of the negrO's pocket, and gave a call
that brought his comrades TO his side.
When they came up officer Foley discover
ell a dangerous weapon in the shape Of
ALONG KNIFE
sticking in Reels belt, and at once took il
/ from him. 1t was made of an oil file, the
blade being double edged aud about six
| inches in length. The handle was made
| Of rough wood and the knife had been
ground till it was as sharp as ii could well
be. The pistol with which he lad taken
officer Frazier's life was somewhat smaller
/ than a Smith & WessOn f~iye-shOOter, and
carried a rather diminutive ball. On the
barrel was the brand, "Ing6eld Arms Com
pany, Mass" The prisoner was
next placed in Hydinger's a
on, and his captOTs started with
him to the city. While yet some distance
away from where the murder had been
committed they were met by a large crowd
who
THREATENED TO MOB JED
Excitement was intense, and had il not
been for the frmness of Sergeant Hawkins
and the other officers, the prisoner would
have been torn TO pieces on the spot. As
they hurried along Front street, the mad
thrOng followed close behind. When near
the corner Of Jefferson street several voices
said
CHANG HIN TO THE GAs-POsT,"
and all thought every moment would wit
ness the lynching Of the prisoner. The
crowd increased in numbers as it surged
along toward the city, and the entire mass
seemed TO have let passion get the upper
hand Of reason. Again the mob yelled,
chang him, hang him" and Sergeant Haw-
kins made the prisoner lie down in the
body of the wagon to conceal him from the
view Of the crowd. In this way they
reached the Jail, the work-hOuse having
been deemed insecure. Reed was hurried
into a cell and every door between him and
the crowd
LOCKED BARRED.
Capt. Yaier aud his men did their Ut
most to keep down a row, aud finally the
throng that had gathered in front Of the
Jail dispersed.
The Inquest.
Coroner James IL. Brantley repaired to
Reeds house and summoned the following /
jury Of inquest: Raymond B. Sloan, VIM. |
Townsend, J.. L. DOrtCh. Henry VOgt, Ed.
SWeeny, J. N. Ellison, G. p. Crutcher, H. |
C.. jackson, n. S. Menifee, and H. q. Hal
risOn.
DE-. COMPTON,
having been sworn, made the following
statement to the jury: Upon examination
of the body be found that the deceased had