Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-06

A Terrible Tragedy enacted neaI
Graysburg.
RHEATowN, Dec. 31st, 1875,

RHEATowS, Dec. 31st, 1875.
WfsSrS. Editors:
On the 2lst ult., near Graysburg,
Robert Reed came to a sudden
death at the hands of VIM Shanks.
Reed, IN connection with some
other parties, had been engaged in
a law suit about some corn. The
corn had been first attached then
~repleyied. After whickjt became
necessary to move the corn from
the house of Reed. This Reed
deferred the officer from doing, but
agreed that Shanks, who was friend.
ly with all the parties, might move
the corn, provided the parties,
through Shanks, would surrender
the delivery bund-which bond
Reed was on as security. Shanks,
with the bond, went with his team
after the corn. He gave up the
bond TO Reed who threw open his
crib door and told Shanks TO take
the corn, but refused to assist in
measuring and loading it and alb
sented himself and sent a woman to
offer resistance TO the REMOVAL Of
the corn. This she did by trying
TO drive off the team. Failing in
this she got in the crib door with
a club and offered resistance. Not
w~ithstanding all her opposition
Shanks succeeded in loading the
corn and drove it to its destination,
after which he returned to a
School-hOuse TO attend a singing
school then gong on near Reeds
house. About this time Reed re-
turned and finding that the corn
had been hauled OF, it cnraged him
and he at once called Shanks TO
his house and poured a
TRADE of abuse upon him. Shanks
tried by kind words to appease
his wrath, but not SC. Reed got
ho,d OF q stave and an him OF
Shanks returned to the school
house and engaged in social sing
ing. Reed, not content, got his
confederate, Jacob McGhee, who,
after stimulating themselves with
bad %whiskey, went to the school
house, swearing vengeance against
Shanks--that they or Shanks had
to die. On their arrival ut the
school-house the teacher, seeing
they were bent on mischief, dis
missed his school, when Shanks
made several attempts to get away,
hut, 90 where he would, lie was
confronted by his assailants. He
then begged them for peace. Seeing
this had no effect, he implored tn.
hystanders to take them away
that that was no place to settle diff
iculties, but all IN vain. Reed
raved, swore and ground his teeth
like a ferocious lion and rushed up
no Shanks, collared him with his left
hand and, with his right, struck at
MIN twice with a huge club
Shanks lodged the blows. At this
time Shanks and Reed fell to-
gether overa pile of wood, when
the club fell out Of Reeds hand
and in getting up Shanks got hold
Of the club and struck Reed on the
back of his head while in the act I
rising, which killed him almost
instantly. A jury IF inquest was
held by Esqr White whose verdi ct
was that Reed came to his dea til
from II blow with a club in the
hands OF VIM. M. Shanks, but TN
der justlfiable circumstanc s. A
warrant was issued and Sharks
brought before Esq'rs G.. II. Shoun,
Roberts and Pierce, who repaired
to the school-house where the
tragedy occurred and after a
thorough and impartial investiga-
ton brought in a verdict Of j%uHtifi-
able homicide. Thus the deplora-
BILE tradgedy ended. Reed leav rs a
widow and five children to mt Il
HIS mechanically fata s.