Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-26
DEPUTY MARSHAL RIon's DEATH.
He Shoes Himself by CareIessIy
Handling u Gun,

De- all OF the CireumStRRees Hbich
Brought 1t ABOUI.
The following from our Granger
county correspondent furnishes the
full particulars of the death of Deputy
Marshal Rich, mention Of which was
made in our issue of yesterday:
RUTLEDGE, TENN, March %, '19.
Mr.. EDITOR: Last night cad and
fatal accident occurred in Poor Valley,
about five miles above this place
A number of United States prison.
ers were brought into town yesterday
by Deputy Marshal David n. Rich, OF
this county. They were charged with
various violations of the revenue laws.
Their cases were continued, and they
gave bond for their appearance before
United States Commissioners John n.
Goldman, of this place. They, to-
gether with Rich, left town after
dark. and it seems that Rich went
into Poor Valley with Thomas Rob
erts, VIM. Floyd and perhaps others,
to spend the night. Rich and Roberts
stopped at a house near William
FIoyd's, while Floyd proceeded home.
Floyd, being intoxicated, raised dis
turbance with his wife, which fright
ened another woman WHO was present.,
and the latter ran out and raised an
alarm. WhereupOn Rich and Roberts
came to Floyd's 10 quell the row.
When they reached the house Floyd
wss standing in the floor with two
| muskets in his hands. Roberts first
| approached him, and seized one OF the
| guns, and then Rich took from him
both guns, and stepped with them 10
the door, and Roberts and Floyd step.
ped back to the Fireplace. Rich,
standing in the door, with his back
| towards the ether parties, held one
gun in each hand. de stopped a; q
put his mouth 10 the mGZzle OF tue
one in his right hand, intending TO
blow into it to ascertain whether i
was loaded AT the same time he APP
piled the toe of his right boot TO The
hammer to raise il, when the hammer
slipped from his boot, dischargiDg The
gun into the left side of his mouth, The
load consisting of several balls and
slugs, passing out at the back Of the
head. He fell back wards into the
room, one gun falling out Of doors and
the other falling ieugthwise upon him.
He bed prOfusely, and drew Dut three
! breaths after he fell. The balls, after
passing through his heaI and haJ, per-
forated the ceiling of ihe room, show
ing the charge 10 have consisted Of six
or seven balls and slugs.
The Coroner, James II. Peck, was
notified of the occurrence about mid
night. A jury of inquest was sum :
mOned, aud assembled at the house
about daylight this morning The
! body had, TO that time, remained IN
| disturbed. After examining the body,
| the premises and all the surrounding
| circumstanc -, as also the persons who
| were present, the jury returned yer
dict TO the following effect On the
night of the 22nd of March 1879. by
the accidental discharge of an army
musket, discharged by his own hand,
the contents of which entered his
mouth and passed out at the back Of
his head, the deceased, David n, RjcF,
! came to his death.
The said jury of inquest was COM
posed of the following gentlemen ::
| Ben. Peck, r. b. God wiu, r. p.
Moore, J. 81. Lowe, L. t. J0ues, J. NJ
| Davidson AMI b. x. CunniGgha
The body was surrendered to friends
and relations of the-de ceased, and was
| reno owed for burial. Dec .ased l-aEe~ a
family of five young chi'dren.
w. X 7.