Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-27
LEE VALLEY, Jan. 20, 1876.

LEE VALLEY, Jan. 22, 1876.
EDITORS UNION AND AMERICAN:
Believing few items from Han
cock and Hawkins counties would
interest your readers, venture to
contribute a short letter.
Circuit Court was in session this
week at Sneedville, Judge Glllen.
waters presiding. Attorney Gen
eral Hacker, I'm. Fulkerson,
Major VIM. B. Davis, Hugh Kyle,
John Netherland, Jr., and VIM.
Gillenwaters, were the legal gentle
men attending. The civil docket
was uninteresting, and most of the
criminal cases were continued un-
til next term, Two gentlemen,
however, received their commits
sions in the zebra Battallidn,"
and will be ordered to join their
regiment in Nashville soon. One
is a young man named Steward,
who delivered the prisoners from
Sneedville jail last fall, for which
he was sentenced to one year. A
more appropriate sentence would
have consigned him to a lunatic
asylum for life, as he is certainly
more idiot than criminal. tE
The other emiprant to the "Rocle
city" is old Jack Lowder, who has
been q judicial foot ball for the last
five years. He was accused of the
wilful murder of his wife, in order
that he could marry favorite
mistress; and If the charge Is true,
he is guilty of murder in the first
degree, the crime that brought
Berry to the gallows. If the, kill
ing of his wife was purely NC
cidental, which he claims, he IN
innocent, of course, and should
have been acquitted. Yet,
"By some way that is dark, or trick that
Is vain,
Or judicial mystery, hard TO explain,
Or fertile resource Of some legal brain.
Or new way Of curing murdcrers PAIN
Jack was allowed to submit to
guilty of manslaughter, a crime
for which he was never tried, and
was sent up for two years.
If Jack is guilty, he ought to
have been hung long ago. II In
nocent, he is surely q much abused
man.
Some of the "Moonshiners" of
Newman's Ridge are "hsrd mules
to plow." Deputy U. S. Marshal
Tom. Berry, came near losing the
number of his scalp on the 10Th
inst, while carrying off a crooked
still which he found operating in
his diocese. Some of the swarthy
stockholders in the concern, bush
whacked him, and / learn that one
shot grazed his right wrist, draw
ing the blood slightly, but doing
no injury. AS Tom had only ono
man with him, he would not risk
skirmish encumbered with the old
still; SO with a skill acquired by
much practice, he speedily re-
duced it to the condition OF q
three year old hornets nest, and
rode out from the hostile vicinity
without further adventure.
I had the pleasure Of attending
very Sinteresting little wedding
day before yesterday evening. Mr..
Jas. F. Campbell, of SneedNlle
was united to Miss Orleania G.
Rogers, of this valley. The knot
was tied by the Rev. l. c. Brown,
in his characteristic, neat and
hangman-like manner. We hope
the handsome and promising young
couple may enjoy long, useful.
and happy life together, and that
their future years may be crowned
with much prosperity and honor.
Our community suffered severe
loss yesterday, in the death OF
Mrs. Nancy Willis, the wife OF
Major w. w. Willis. She leaves
her husband and seven children to
mourn for her; one little boy Of
only four summers, is left without
a mother. We offer our profound
est sympathies to the bereaved
family. CLINcH.