Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-07-29
The Clinton Homicide

cusp in the Republican. concerning the
Clinton homicide, though purporting 10 DC
the uuvarnished facts, is nothing more nor
less than one continued sluice of inconsis-
tencies and many of the assertions OF HIS
toricus" are new, but he being lawyer
engaged for the defense seems to be work
ing up sympathy and evidence. And
while We would contradict the article of
"Historicus," we would not be understood
as having one particle of prejudice toward
the murderers of Hugh NJ. Bonham. All
we desire is that the law by which We are
governed be not abused and that justice be
done And as to the cause of the fatal
ARRAY, we would state that on Sabbath be-
fore the first difficulty of Bonham and
Sam. o. Shipe, while at Sabbath school,
Hugh M. Bonham was insulted by some
remarks of Queener and Sam. 0. Shipe;
which remarks are not fit for the public
press The same insult was passed the
Monday or Tuesday following, and this
led to a personal encounter between Bon
ham and Sam. o. Shipe This was some
thing near two months ago, and since that
time it has been generally understood that
the Shipes and Queener would attack Bon
ham. His friends advised him TO avoid
them as much as possible, which he evil
IDENTIFY did. He told a friend the night be-
fore the morning of his death that he
would not take any words for an assault,
and if he had to fight them, it would only
be in self defense But Bonham little eX-
pected a difficulty so soon. But the morn
ing of the 18th inst. was the time set by
the Shipes and Queener to make their al
tack on Bonham, as one OF them told
witness of the State few days before.
Accordin ely, on the morning Of the Eth
inst, between the hours of and o clock,
near the time the people gather at the
Sam. his Son, with A. j. Qneener,
came to the depot. John l.. Shlpe APP
parently had nothing. Sam. o. Shipe had
large club, too long for walking cane,
and Queener had large hickory walking
cane. After staying at the depot few
minutes they all three started toward town,
and directly on getting on the public
square they saw the object of their search.
Bonham was standing on the outside of
shoe shop, his head in at window, talk
ing to the workmen inside. They adj
yanced rapidly toward him he seems not
to have seen them until they we're upon
him. Sam. Shipe began the fight by hit
ting Bonham with his club. Bonham
wrested the club from Shipe's hand. At
this moment, says an eye witness, they all
rushed upon Bonham, beating him with
rocks and clubs, and forcing him back
about six feet they Knocked him down
and beat him over the head with rocks
and clubs; Bonham succeeded in rising,
and they rushed upon him again, Bonham
backing slowly and repeiling their united
attack with his bare hands the best he
could. The attack was thus continued I'M
fhnx, H. "A cd
| times, beating him all the time with feroc>
| ity. At this time by powerful effort he
rose again, cut Queener loose from him
| snd Queener dropped his club. There
was a mOmentary pausei Bonham stag
gered back and steadied himself, his as
sallants then made another demonstration
! toward him, and instantly the firing began
and continued until from sixteen to twenty
two shots were fred. 1t seemed as though
all three of his assailants We're firing upon
him, and he upon them. Bonham only
had four loads IN his pistol and three of
| them took effect he hitting John l.,
Shipe twice and Samuel o. Shipe
once. HIS assailants must have
fred from fifteen to eighteen times,
! both the Shipes shooting him after he fell
| the last time. They then left him, but not
until ne was dead, being riddled with bull
lets and his skull mashed with rocks and
brick bats. ''Historicus," in the Republican,
says that when b Jnham fell young Shipe
struck him two heavy blows on the head.
This is mistake. 1t is the dodge of
lawyer to make the i'm preston that Bon
hams skull was bursted after the shooting
began. He also states that the statement
that Queener had pistol is denied by all
respectable witnesses. Hence, we suppose
the evidence of John Ross and other
good men is worth nothing, as well as the
physicians who examined his body and say
that he was shot with three different sized
balls. "Historicus" intimates that Bon
hams friends exagerate the matter so as to
make Bonham d saint and the other par
ties to appear as tends. This is untrue.
How can it be exaggerated Let it be stated
in its most simple form, that the ShIpes
and Queener hunted Bonham up, attacked
him and continued the attack until they
had brutality murdered him. This can not
be, denied. He also says that Bonharn
drew the first deadly weapon. AS TO who
drew frst all are not agreed, but
it seemed to be simultaneously; any
way, Bonnam was dead man before
he drew bis pistol; the bloody deed was
then finished; and the drawing of Bon
hams pistol was only the effort of brave,
dying man, to avenge his death, and while
in the agOnies of death he wished to sell
his lost lIfe's blood for the highest price.
To the memory OF Hugh M. Bonham it
| is but just to say that they who knew him
best loved him best He was gent eman
! in the highest acceptation of the term. He
was a fine scholar, principally educated in
Blount county, his native home. He en-
| tered the Federal army at the age OF four
teen and made good soldier. Since the
close of the rebellion his days have been
spent travelling and in the school room; his
travels on the Western border have been
| extensive. He was a yonng lawyer OF
mnch SnnprIntnAhqnt OF
| Publ Instruction of Anderson county.
| He was strictly honest, temperate and
brave to fault; and in the death of Hugh
| M. Bonham we feel that our county has
lost one of her best and most prominent
citizens. OBSERVER.