Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-14
SENTENCED no SWING.
swift Refribusfen Cor Murder Coma
Enltted in Hamblen County.

The Murderer 40 Hang at MOrrisIOwn
Friday, september 26th.
The Morristown Gazette of Wed
neaday gives the following particulars
of a shocking murder, which was
committed in the neighborhood of
Russellville on the night of Wednes-
day, July Goth:
Anthony Blair, colored. lived in
Washington county, Tenn, near
JonesbOro', and it appears that from
some cause his stepdaughter, Maggie
Blair, aged between sixteen and nine
teen, had left his house and came to
this county some time in May last and
was, when killed, in the service
of Esq. VIM. Donaldson, and was rep
| resented as very smart, industrious
girl. Anthony Blair. hearing of her
| whereabouts, came down to RUSSELL
willie on the train, July 10Th, and i'm
| mediatelys made his way to the resi-
dence of ESQ. Donaldson. He entered
the kitchen where the girl and Mrs.
/ Donaldson were engaged in pre-
pairing dinner. He asked the
| girl, looking savagely at her,
/ to come outside the house,
that he had something to say
to her. The girl refused to go out,
telling him if he had anything to say
to say it before Mrs. d. About this
time Esq. D. rode up and he imme-
diately left the louse and was seen no
more until Wednesday night, July
, 30th. That night the girl, in COM
, pany with others. went up to a col
ored church near Russellville to pray
er meeting. Returning, Blair was
met in the road by some parties who
bad been to the prayer meeting. After
, some conversation, Blair passed on tC
distance, turned back and took anoth-
er road which the young folks, includ-
ing Maggie Blair, had taken. He
overlook the party and Immediately
walked up to Maggie, who was walk.
ing in the rear by the side of a colored
boy named Henry Taylor. Pressing
Taylor away he caught her hand and
said "you must go home with me on
the train tonight to your grandpapa. "
and pulled her along the road hun.
dred and fifty or two hundred yards
saying she should GO, Maggie strug-
Cling to get loose from his grasp,
saying she had rather die than go with
him, whereupon he drew a pistol
and shot her twice, from the effects o.
which she died the following Sstur.
4 day. Blair was arrested on Thursday
night and taken before ESQ. Miller
J next day, who after hearing the proof
committed the prisoner to Jail in this
town."
The Gazette then goes on to relate
how the grand jury of the court which
sat at Morristown on the Monday fol,
lowing, August 4th, found an indict
ment against Blair for murder. HI
was put upon trial Thursday of tina
week, and Friday morning the jury
returned a verdict of murder in TIT
first degree, and he was sentenced By
Judge Rose to be hanged on Friday
September Goth, between the hours o
10 a. M. and p. M, within one mill
of the court house at Morristown.
OF the manner in which Blair wa
affected by the sentence, the G0zett
: says: an
.During the delivery of the sentenc
g the condemned mantle most hid
v eous, repulsive, emi.gorilia lookin
. mortal in appearance We ever saw
- kept his ey st lily fixed on tn
= Judge, but not a muscle moved no
g fear came Apparently he was tn
!. most unaffected man in the room. A
:, be was being conveyed back to Jail b
told Sheriff Loop that the sentenc
u was a just one and that he only re
q GREETED its execution did not come o.
;, to-day or Tomorrow"