The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-08-09
Particulars About the MURDER of A. O.
Shields.

county, on Sunday night the 22d ult On
Monday morning the alarm was given III
the heighborhood that he had been killed
by unknown parties the night before and
the neighbors gathered in and found him
lying in his yard dead and as bloody rs
beef, and on inquiry found that be had left
home on Sunday evening. had visited Daniel
Henson his nearest neighbor, and had re-
manned until about slnset, when he left for
home in company with yrm. Henson, and
that when they got to where their roads
parted they sat down on a log and kept up
a conversation until fully nine o'clock at
night, when they parted and each went his
way home some half mile or more distant.
When Henson had went about half a mile
ne heard pistol or gun fired in the direc-
ton Of Shields house, but did not think
anything Of it and went on home. Shields
lived in about one mile of the 1IcNairy
county line and had a wife and five chill
dren, the Oldest, Il girl, some fifteen years
old, the next boy, about thirteen, and
three smaller children. Shields wife had
been married before 70 a man by the name
OF Phillips who died in North Carolina, by
whom she had two children. The oldest
was girl named Adelaide, who married
VIM. Burrow and lived on Kies Creek in
McNairy county, about four miles from
Shields. and the youngest, boy named
Avis, who at the time Of the murder was
making his home ut Burrows, About eleven
years ago Shields wife had Il spell of sick
ness, since which time she has claimed to
have all the diseases that human flesh is
heir to, and several others that physicians
never heard of and among other things de-
clares to her children and others that her
husband has caused all her suffering, and
hardly day has elapsed in eleven years
that she has not declared herself to be dy-
ing, during which time she has had two
children, now living. Shields all this time
treated her kindly and procured
several physicians to have her cured, all of
whom have pronounced her disease to be a
hoax. As soon as her children by her first
husband got large enough to be of some as
sistance to Shields she drove them from
home to keep them from helping him. BY
this means causing him to have to wait on
her himself, doing both cooking and wash
ing until his oldest daughter became old
enough to do it. About five DAYS before
Shields was killed his wife in his absence
left home declaring that she would not live
with such Il black-hearted villain as her
husband and trying to procure some one to
have her husband punished for mistreating
her. No one, however, believed her state
ment, as they were unreasonable and bore
the evidence of falsehood on their face.
Avis Phillips has been since last August in
Alabama, keeping out of the way of the
Sheriff of McNairy county, who has one OF
more capiases against him, and returned a
short time since to Burrows and came to
see his mother after she had left home and
found her at neighbor's house, and he and
BurrOw came after her the next dav with a
wagon and carried her to Burrows house.
This was Thursday before Shields was muir
dered. Mrs. Shields told them that she did
not want to leave the neighborhood until
they went to Bolivar and had something
done with Shields and obtained herchildrcn
and household plumber. Avis told her to
get into the wagon and go on, that he was
not going to Bolivar; that he would make a
Bolivar of his own and she should have her
children and her plumber, and he intended
to have his fathers bed. When the neigh
bors assembled at Shields house they began
to examine the premises for the purpose OF
getting a clew TO the perpetrators of the
murder. They found Just outside the bars.
some hundred yards from the house, where
they had probably shot him and knocked
him down, as there was evidence Of scuflie,
a lock Of Shields hair, held partly together
by the skin and drops of blood; also a wal
lowing place on the ground as though they
had had him down. 1t seems that he got
away from them and got over the fence and
ran toward his house, as was indicated by
the drops of blood along the path. When
he got about halfway to the house they
caught him and stabbed him with their
knives, as was indicated by the blood that
was scattered for several square yards
Knowing Shields to be quiet and molten
sive man and that he had no other enemies,
every one at once suspected VIM. Burrow
and Avis Phillips Squire Jackson was
called to the spot and summoned a jury of
inquest to inquire into the cause of his
death. On examining the body they found
that he had been shot through the left arm
into the body and that in all he had forty
six wounds from the neck to the waist and
h., 7, 4 n 10 =
left check Several wounds on the front
part Of his head and the back of his head
literally beat into a jelly, the skull being
mashed. On inquiring of the family, they
denied knowing anything about it, but
afterwards stated that it was done by VIM.
Burrow and Avis Phillips; that they heard
a noise that walked them up in the night
and found them heating him, as they
thought, with their fists, holding him one
on each side. They finally knocked him on
the head with the axe and ran of, but re-
turned and told them to go injo the house
and stay till morning and then give the
alarm and say that they knew nothing about
it until they found him lying there dead.
As soon rs these facts were ascertaincd
Squire jackson issued warrant and di-
rectcd John Watkins, citizen, who sum
moned a posse and went to Burrows and
found them at the wash-place washing their
bloody clothes and succeeded in arrcsting
Avis Phillips. Burrow escaped and has
since been captured in Mississippi Phillips
was carried before Squires jackson and
Nouper and committed 10 iaiI
.pp0rL AMAII0M