The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-08-08

3 cage IOr Greene tunnels to hasten or
. outside. King cursed Cook and aIsc
cursed the boy, Runnels. Cook ther
went out of the cage and King picked
. up small keller and threatened Greene
: Runnels. King and Cook then had some
words, and King in a daring tone told
Cook that he couldn't come in that cage,
and after while Cook went into the
cage, when King caught Cook around
the waist or shoulders and arms and a
scuff1e ensued between them King was
trying to get the pistol from Cook, and
Cook was trying to keep him from get
ting it. They both had hold Of the
pistol. King was behind Cook and had
hold Of him. Cook was sorter stopped
over. King behind Cook and sorter
over him, aud they scuftied over the
pistol. Then directly Runnels came in
and jerked them loose and Cook then
shot King, who still stood up on the
floor. Then Tom Wallace and Runnels
took Cook out of the cage, and after
while King laid down in the cage We
had taken piece of plank out and
Cook had had it replaced, and l think
this was what made King mad and
i brought about the difficulty. This is all
1 know about the matter.
M. r. HoRD." \
The above is witnessed by A. ID. Half
master and J.. A. Morrisett, and is sworn
] to.
Greene Runnels makes the following
statement under oath: g stay with
Mr.. Cook, the jailor. On the evening
of the 9th of July, Mr. Cook and Tom
Wallace were down stairs ia the jail.
was in the front of the Jail. I heard
chain fall up stairs in the Jail, where
King and Hord were confined Pretty
soon after the chain fell Mr.. Cook start
ed up stairs, and I followed him up
there. We went to the room where
King and Hord were. Cook unlocked
the door, and King was loose in the
cage. Cook says to King, You are
loose, are your" King said, Yesp'
Cook told me to go round the cage
and take the end of the chain and fasten
me not to do it-that the best thing l |
could do was to let the chain alone |
that if / didn't he would whip me like |
hell when he got out of there. Mr.
Cook told me two or three times before
| went. | finally went, and Cook hand !
ed me the chain through the cage and
told me to see if it was long enough to
reach the staple in the floor. Mr. Cook
then came out aud fastened the chain
with a lock. While this was being
done, King cursed Cook in the most
abusive manner-calling him all sorts
of things, and finally dared Cook to :
come into the cage. This he done two
or three times, and ool1 went into the
cage. King had told Cook that I" if l
had a pistol l would shoot you right s
here, " pointing his finger at and very
near Cooks forehead When Cook
went into the cage King gathered him,
Jumped at him and grabbed him by both +
hands around the waist with his arms on '
he outside Of Cooks arms He was t
landing Cook. They had a scuffle, and :
lirectly l saw King trying to get Cooks /
,istol. He had both hands on Cooks '
'istol. Cook did not have the pistol '
,ut when King grabbed him. Cook was !
rying to keep the pistol from King. l n
an in and grabbed at the pistol, but
ould not get it. I then pulled King
pose. Then Cook Shot King Tom
Wallace was out in The hall when Cook
red, and did not come in until after n
he shooting. If had not went in when s
did, King would have Killed Cook, as il
ling was getting the advantage of him, v
nd was nearly getting him down when '
ran in. I heard King say while he a
ad hold of the pistol that he would "
i'll Cook. have also heard him say Y
me or two that he would kill Cook a
'hen he got out. This is about ALL "
now in regard to the matter. u
GREENE TUNNELS" -
The foregoing statement Of Greene il
tunnels is also sworn to before Mayor b
Iuifmaster. el
Previous to the difficulty between
ling and the jailor, the prisoners had q
cen showing signs az INSTRUMENTATION W
hey had been noisy, talking loud; al
ometimes using obscene language and ~
nging vulgar songs. loud enough to be b
card hundred yards away from the hi
rison. The jailor had repeatedly warn
d them against this bad conduct. He
ad also chained the two men, Hord +
nd King, for tearing of the planks in pl
he cell 1t is thought a conspiracy had II
cen entered into by these prisoners to tie
Ike Dir. Cooks life, and then escape. m
he pistol ball struck King on the left II
de just below the heart, and had it met
, obstruction would certainly have d
He'd HIM. Fortunately it struck a rib q
Id glanced around, lodging in a nest of
uscles under the shoulder blade. DR.. ~,
ainter cut it out ii short time after the
ing. The wound is painful one, but
not considered dangerous. King is G.
sting on very we'll considering the
It weather, and will be apt to be able &
go to Knoxville when the Supreme
1urt meets. 1t is fortunate FOR that
ad strong young man that the bullet Pi
-uck rib for it was going right into all
S vitals. Bob Cook has hard set to
al with in that Jail There are some
ring, desperate men in his charge, but, ~ ~
quiet and easy as he appears, he is a !
lily able 20 meet every emergency as ga
arises. If the prisoners behave well ne
viii treat them kindly-if they are
oellious he will meet force with force,
d he has the courage to maintain his
thority at any hlzard The fellows CO
Jail had better 30 slow Bob is ell
negro us customer to fool with. io