The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-08-13
Hancock county.

NEWSY LETTER FROM HANCOCK.
HANCOCK, August 6, 1879.
To the Editor Of the Morristown Gazette:
DEATH.
On Tuesday, the 9Th inst, died at his
residence, Nehemiah Hurley, aged 80
years, the last veteran of the war of 1912
in the county. He has lived to fully en-
joy all the fruits of his labors, and goes
to the grave without a blot upon his
name or a cloud to darken his moral
sky.
DRoUTH.
The murmuring of the people through
out this section of country, on account
of dry weather and sorry crops, has been
quelled by the recent rains, which are
and have been in time to make a good
yield. Corn crops did really look very
unfavcrable for while, but now prom
Use to be above the average.
M'KINNEY HIGH SCHOOL,
The Mckinney High School opened
this week with a goodly number of
young ladies and gentlemen, little boys
and girls, from all parts of the country.
Prof. Jones has purchased a piano, by
which he proposes to give the patrons of
the school the advantage of having their
sons and daughters learn music at home.
Miss Hook, an accomplished lady and
efficient teacher, of Rogersville, has
been employed in this department
Az INCENDIARY FIRE.
On the hight of the 9th ult., some
night-walking incendiary set fire to the
barn of James Jaynes, which resulted in
burning all his hay and oats, and one
horse belonging to a neighbOr. Mr..
Jaynes is citizen respected by every
one who knows him. No one has yet
been suspected of being the guilty
party.
WHAT FOLLOWED AN ARREST.
A few weeks ago a crib on the farm of
William Fleener was fired by some one
and burned down. Thre men, by the
name of Pratt, Fletcher and Cody, were
made the objects of suspicion and taken
out in the night by some nine or ten
persons in disguise and brutally beaten.
The above accused proceeded to take
warrants for four of the Davis boys,
| sons of John d. Davis, Milburn Fleener
and Joseph Fugate, supposing them 10
be associated in the whipping The
cause was to be tried at Seals Store, 5
miles above Sneedville, on Clinch river;
and last Friday, the 31st ult,, being the
day set for trial, the defendants appear.
ed In due time, but In such an attitude
as to intimidate the prosecutors and
keep them from appearing. Do not
know this to be their object, but such
was the case. When the hour for trial
arrived the defendants pushed for trial
and on motion of their counsel, the case
was dismissed, and the prosecutors taxed
with the cost, In the evening a Difficult.
ty arose, in which VIM. F. Parks was
shot through the hips; supposed to be
done by Jane Davis The crowd was
so large that it is uncertain who did the
shooting. Parks, at last accounts, was
| suffering greatly, and is not expected to
recover; but the wound is not necessari-
ly dangerous. 1t is with reluctance that
we chronicle this affair; but such is the
case, not only in Hancock, but from all
parts Of the State of Tennessee the in
telligence of some shooting ARRAY, de-
liberate murder, or the commission Of
some high penal offence comes. We be-
lieve this to be the result in part of the
courts of justice suffering too many
criminals to compromise their cases and
escape the penalty of the law; or to baf-
fle and wear out their causes, thereby
securing the non-performance Of the
prosecution and the unconcern of the
courts. Another reason is, our peace
officers are too neglectful of their duty.
They are growing fOrgetful of the fear
full responsibilities resting upon them,
and greatly disregard the solemn obliga-
tions to which they subject themselves
in their official capacity. If men would
only look through the ideal mirror, and
view themselves marching Ia the bar of
God, with the blood of their fellow-man
dripping from their fingers, and then to
be taken up in the palm of His mighty
hand, land hurled beyond suns, moons
and stars, into chaos and eternal night,
never to find resting place till they
would shake hands with the angel OF
death over the grave of its maker" with
that divine apothegm, 'no murderer
shall ever enter the kingdom of heaven,
forever ringing in their ears, rigid ex-
ecution of the criminal law would be I'M
necessary; but as it is, until justice IS
speedily and impartially dealt out to
every one, we may expect crime, blood
shed and confusion.
Respectfully, SNEEDvILLIAN.
THE CHRISTOPHER PEST.
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