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

mile. | told Ausmus | would not go
to Hunters but | would go to moth
er's, distance Of about Que aud half
miles, and get paper and ink, and
meet him at the mouth of the hollow.
Ausmus agreed, and | started of
across the ridge in the direction of my
mothers. Ausmus started down the
hollow towards the point at which
we were to meet Ausmus said as he
started down the hollow that he would
look down about the forks of the hol-
low for some hogs or sheep, do not
remember which he said. After that
l never saw him any more. When |
got TO the point at which we We're to
meet, Ausmus was not there, and
after waiting short time | started up
the hollow in the direction of the place
| left him. | soon met Wesley Moy-
ers, my brother-in-law (who was ar
rested before | was and was released
without triad. He told me he had
just killed Ausmus a short distance up
the hollow, pointing to some trees up
on the side of the hill, saying they were
about opposite where the murder was
done and where his body then lay.
Meyers then made me promise !
would not tell it. This was the first
l knew of bis death, and what Meyers
then told me, is all ! know about it
in any way. Meyers pointed short
distance up on the side of the ridge
and said Ausmus' papers were hid there
and said ii | desired to see them. they
could be found there. / disputed with
Meyers aud told him it was not so, and
he again pointed TO the place where
he said his papers were concealed
and pledged his word that hr had
committed the crime, and charged me
not to tell it. Meyers said he had
been there in the hollow looking for
timber to raft, and killed Ausmus rs
he passed where he (Noyers) was con-
cealed. Meyers then left me and went
away down the hollow, in the direc-
ton of where he lived. | remained
at the same place until after Meyers
got out of my sight. | once thought
would 90 up the hollow to the place
where Meyers said he had left Aus
mus dead. But a | was alone | did
not go. | started To 90 To Ausmu-'
house, thinking perhaps he was not
dead, and would I've at home against /
could get there. When arrived al the
house of Ausmus, | asked his folks if
he had come home, they said he had
not. 1t was then about II NJ Aus
mus wife and some work hands were
ABOUT the house when / got there. |
told them TO tell Ausmus, when h-
came, that | would be there on Tuesday
to go into writings about the land |
had bought. | then started home, a
distance OF about one mile, believing
that Meyers had told me the truth,and
that Ausmus was dead. | then
thought as | had been seen that morn
ing goiug with Ausmu~ into the way.
on hollow, and had been seen alone
with him down in the hollow 10y
Cam pbeli Williams Ia little boy who
testified against mo un the uial), that
l would be charged with tie murder,
and would have 10 prove my inuu-
cence. This | knew | cpuld not dn,
for no one was present ~ The time
Meyers told me he did.the murder.
had also told Meyers that | would new
er tell 1t To any one. | will also say
that the red race of men, from when |
descended, have given up their lives
rather than divulgr the secrets Of heir
fellow men, after promising they
never would. But | knew | must
tell it or leave the coun-
try, and for this reason | left the coun.
try and went away But when Aus
mus aud myself were alone in the
wagon hollow, sitting upon log talk
ing, at the time spoken OF bv young
Williams in his evidence against me,
we saw the little boy coming, and Aus
mus proposed to hide and scare the
little boy, | then dropped back behind
the log we were sitting upon and hurt
my forehead against limb, and when
| got home my wife saw il aud asked
me if | had been fighting. | told her
all / had done was in self-defense /
then believed | would have To tell all
about 1t or leave the country, and |
had promised Meyers that | never
would tell it. And for this reason |
sent for my mother, borrowed some
money, and started in a canoe to rela-
| tives OF my wife in Rhea county, Ten
nessee, 10y the name of Bratchen. AS
| | was going down the river in canoe
passed my father-iu-law, Henry w
| Meyers, going in the direction of the
| place where Ausmus was said To have
! been killed. He asked me where tha
fray took place. / told him in thu
wagon hollow. He then asked me, a,
though ] had done the killing myself
Elf ] did it in self defense.p / theI
told him | would tell him all about j
at convenient time. This converse
ton was given i'm evidence against m
10y Henry w. Meyers himself, also b,
J. 7. ID. Smith, who said he was con
cealed close to the river and heard il
did not know he was there at tn
time.
When | got TO my relations in Rhe
county, | made different and false state
! ments about what / had come there for.
told some Of my relations there that theT
had been fuss in Claiborne county. an
: that l expected Thomas Ausmns was deaC
| remained there until the - day of Jan
uary, 1874, expecting TO start home the ne1
: morning, but was arrested that night by
[ II. Rogers and VIM. II. Cawood, and som
I six or eight other men l did not knO
who they were Rogers and CawOOd tie
Z me and started TO convey me back to Ola
4 borne county, charging me with the mu
der of Ausmus, and tried to get me
= own it, or tell who did it. | told them
J; first / had nothing 10 do with the murde
j and refused 10 make any further statemen
e about it in any way. They afterwards gay
e me liquor and told me it would be the be
3 for me TO tell anything / knew about it.
. again told them ! did not do the killin
A They then told me they would release II
If / could tell them where the papers
| L I'll al I I