Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-08-18

life, and | was going back. They all
begged me very hard TO 90 on with
them, but told them no, / was going
back if life lasted. When they found
out that / was going sure, they all
stopped me and said that if | would
not tell on them that they would 90
on and kill him. / told them that
| should not tell nothing, and for them
to do just what they pleased, but /
thought they had better let that part
of it alone. | started back, and /
went just as fast as l could. / run n
part of the way so as that | could get
back to Clinton. got to Clinton a
few minutes before the sun set ! went
to John Martins and they asked me
where | had been gone SO long, that
they had been down in town hunting
for me. told them that / had been
just straying around; ana supper was
ready by that time, then John b. White
and Joseph X. Webb came in and we
all sat down to supper, and all of us
eat supper, and eat together, and stay
ed there all night, and eat breakfast
together next morning. l staid there
till about or o'clock on the 9th.
| told my sister that / thought that l
would 90 out to Samuel Henderson s
and might come back and take the
train that night but rs l was on my
way out to Henderson's, about half
way was stopped by Dave Duncan,
and he asked me where / was going /;
| told him where l had started, and l
asked him WHAT"
[Webb's manuscript ends abruptly
here, but he CONTINUED with verbal
statement to Mr.. Washington, to the
effect that Duncan had told him that
Ayers wanted Duncan to Kill him
webb, and that Ayers had agreed to
pay Duncan one hundred dollars to
commit the deed.-EDs.l
SOMETHING ABOUT THE PLOT.
When Webb's wife first arrived she
called on Ayers and asked him II he
hired John to kill Reynolds, when
Ayers replied that he knew nothing
about 1t whatever. Sheriff Swan in re-
lating the incident to us, stated that
he felt satisfied that he did, having the
documents in his pocket to prove his
guilt. We asked to see the documents
and were shown the two letters given
| below. We understand, however, that
| the counsel for the defense pronounce
these letters as a forgery, aud that they
will call for them to-day. But here
are the letters:
''MARCII TIL l 1874
'lur John Webb
"DEAR SIR have been informed by
Mr.. Brown that you air one Of the old wal
| boys and will do to depend on | write
YOU this in order have interview witt
you and if you will 90 with me to helI
| X X X a man twill give your own price il
money or land My land lays in hickory
county Mo. he is rebel and he 0lilleC
my') father and if you will meet me ant
Brown where Brown has SAID will sat
isfy you for all trouble and more too
hay got plenty of money and plenty o
property and full store and will give
you your own price. We will be herr
| by 10 or l. O'Clock that mite.
| ours truly
| JOSEPH AYERS.
"You will find me one of truest X X X
sin the original these words are erased
"MARCII THE 1874
MIR. JOHN WEBB you come witt
dave duncan and he will show you tn,
way to where we will meet then i vii
give you all the proceedings have plen
ty of whiskey and will have one Hun
dred dollars in money for you and will
give you a bill of sale for that blue hors,
that showed you the other night b
sure and bring two good pistols will
you and if you haint got a rig it don
matter for have got plenty of blacl
muslin be sure and come and we will
have good times and will stisfy you 70
all more too
''please tear this up
You will find me one of the truest
X X JOSEPH AYERS
Hanging OF Berry Mt ROgersviIIe.