Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-06
THE WILSON MURDER.
Continuation and Close Of the Inquest.
Important Witnesses Turn Up Missing.
Verdict duplicating a Number Of Per-
sons.

Verdict duplicating a Number Of Per.
sons.
Much Excitement in the NeighbOrhOOd.
Long before ten o'clock, yesterday, the
hour appointed for the ~cOroner's jury to re-
sumo the examination of witnesses Tela-
tive to the murder of Robert Wilson on
Wednesday night, the citizens Of the sur
rounding country began to cUme into
OWenis-crOSs Roads from all directions.
As the day advanced numbers of persons
in who had ridden a distance Of
seven or eight miles to be present
at the inquest. The murder was
the great topic Of conversation, and
everybody seemed bent on one thing, and
that was 70 get the facts concerning the
revolving crime. Some said they had ex-
pected something of the kind TO occur,
while others expressed a deep regret that
such a disgrscsful deed should have been
committed in the community.
Several subpoenas for important witnesses
had not been served, and the investigation
" rs AElaNGA 81 AOeA AZ q al
in the hope of having every man
present who could tell anything about
the matter. A subpoena bad been served
on George Wilson, but he refused to obey
the summons, and the coroner issued IN
attachment for his body and sent Sheriff
Bingham after him. After several hours
search that officer returned with the report
that he was unable to discover the where
abouts of Wilson. Spencer German, color
ed, and Henry Allen, two other desirable
witnesses also could not be found.
At half-past l1o'clock the jury of inquest
commenced the
EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES.
w. P. Newland, the postmaster at Brent
wood, being sworn, testified as follows:
Saw an ambulance pass Wednesday fore
noon; saw a similar one return; did not
recognize the occupants of the vehicle; An
drew Irwin, { harley Cook, and n Of the
Jamisons, were inmys store Wednesday even
ing; Geo. Wilson came in and said, "COme
on - he appeared rather excited saw 9TH
er witnesses in an express wagon; did not
know who they were saw cOlOred boy in
Bob Wilson's buggy; paid no attention to
who went or how they went; saw several
wagons and one ambulance come back
about dusk; while Andrew Irwin, Charley
Cook and JamisOn were in my store, Irwin
said he was looking for some ore
and went out; George Wilson said to
Cook and JamisOn ave are ready
let US gG they left my store and went To-
wards Simpsons; it was about fifteen or
twenty minutes before the train arrived
from Nashville; the front door was shut;
heard several wagons passing on the pike;
saw only one covered wagon; the covering
appeared to be faded oilcloth; did not no
tice the team in the wagon; do not recOl-
lect the color Of the horses; it was said to
me they were going to a fox trial; do not
recOllect who told me this; heard no threats
made by either party; the young men l
have mentioned were in my house about
seven O'Clock; they appeared to be hunting
for some one; Irwin and Wilson seemed
more excited than the rest; they showed
some,hesitatiOn when Wilson said 60; the
train is due at Brentwood at 7:25 P. ~.
Oakley Pate, the next witness, testified:
Was at home Wednesday night; George
Wilson and Charley Cook came to my house
about half-past 7 O'Clock; was in bed and
did not get up; they manifested no unusual
excitement, said nothing; think il was not
after s O'Clock, but l have no time-piece at
my house; 1 was tiIei and had gone to bed
early; myself, George and Charley were in
bed; live at Frank Wilson's place;
Frank Wilson is the father Of George; the
latter is a nephew Of the murdered
man; George and Charley had frequent
" slept with me; nobody came to
the house except Ed. Parish, who
III ~ Oh U~sT-.n h.H haaw Es1aH an1
something must be done for him; We got
up and went 10 where the corpse was lying;
heard several wagons pass while l was in
bed; do not know how the boys came
home: do not know they went to Nash
vile; went TO trial, l suppose; think trial
was in Federal Court; don't know how
many witnesses went to Nashville; after
we went to where the corpse was, the boys
came back; | sat up with the body; boys
manifested no surprise at the news Of the
killing.
At this hour, 11:5O A. NJ, the jury took
a recess to await the arrival Of other wit
nesses.
About an hour later, William Lush, hay
ing been sworn, ga7e the following testt-
mOny: Near half-past nine o'clock We'd
nesday morning saw an ambulance going
towards Nashville; Andrew irwin, VIII
liam MANI Ridley, the three Jami -Ons,
and Charley Cook were in it; saw Cook
have a pistol; saw a gun in the
wagon; saw two spring wagons,
ambulance and buggy; do not
recollect Of seeing anyone on a gray horse;
George Wilson, Henry Allen and Man Bid
lev were in the buggy; think Spencer Ger
man, cOlOred, went of on a bay horse
never heard either party make threats to-
wards each other; saw none of the parties
returning from Nashville; Cook had a
pistol buckled around him; Henry Allen
told him TO take il of and lay it in the
wagon; was al the trial before Justice Nc
Mahan several days ago; some armed
negroes were there; both parties were armed;
Robert Wilson had four or five armed ne
grOes there; saw three shot guns among
the other party; George Wilson and Henry
Allen had one each; Robert Wilson's ne
grOes had shot guns and musketsi the trial
was about afOX.
James Edmondson testified: George Will
son told me he got out Of the buggy south
Of Brentwood; only thing he said; saw him
this morning; he did not say whether he
got back in the buggy or not; l served a
subpoena on him.
A. A. Myers, the clerk in Farish's store
testified: Was in the store when German
brought the buggy up; thought mare would
run away; told negrOtO take her out Of the
buggy; negro told me he had In the boys
a. Brentwood; the mares head was towards
the south; negro said he embarrassed the
mare and took her home.
Capt. VIM. Ridley testified: Went to
Nashville Wednesday; when we started
back home, Sam and James JamisOn,
James Riley, and myself got out
Of the wagon at Browns creek and re-
turned to Nashville; saw no arms in the
wagon as we came back; a shot gun was in
the wagon as we went down; James Jami-
son was taxing it down to have the lock
fixed; Henry Allen, Man Ridley and Geo.
Wilson started from Nashville in a buggy;
heard neither party make threats; did not
see Bob Wilson and Thomson on the way
to Nashville; German rode 4 scrrel horse
which belonged to Henry Allen; the
horses ears were d~isfgured; Henry
Allen and George Wilson said they would
sue Bob Wilson for damages for false i'm
prisonment understand they did.
After the examination Of Capt. Ridley,
the Jury retired for consultation, and soon
returned with the following
VERDICT:
Gan inquisitiOn holden at the residence
of DR.. S. S. Mayfeld, in the 18th Civil Dis
trict of Williamson county, on the 4th day
of February, 1875, and continued and con-
cluded at an adjourned meeting held