Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-13
ANOTHER TRAGEDY !
NEWS FROM ROANE COUNTY.
An Old Man Shoots His Nephew on
the "R C. Jackson"
And Afterwards Leaps into the Ten
nessee Dragging with him His
Aged Wife.
NEWS FROM ROANE COUNTY.
KINGSTON, March II, 1879.

AlNGSTON, MdICu IL, 1Ot0 0s
Mr.. EDITOR: AS the CHRONICLE
correspondent from old Roan'
seems to have fallen asleep at hi
post, [ thought might arouse hin
to sense of his neglect of duty, BY
slipping in line or two in his
stead.
If the fellow who recently passed
through Kingston, and reported the
town fniShed-because he heard
neither sound Of saw nor hammer
could come along again, he would
probably give different report.
There is little more activity since
the spring time has come again.
The numerous new fences, gates,
draw bars, etc., indicate, at any
rate, that our people are not going
to suffer for want of "greens ;"
during the coming summer.
The School Directors for the
Kingston sub-district have just COM
pleted a neat and commodious
school house in the suburbs of the
city, and will give the children a
better chance to improve the oppor-
tunities provided by the free school
system than they have hitherto en-
joyed.
Considerable excitement was oc-
casioned on the wharf yesterday
afternoon on the arrival of the "R
c. Jackson" by the announcement
that the steamer had lost two of her
passengers since leaving Chatta>
nooga, probably drowned. The
circumstances, as nearl y as | could
get them, are as follows: An old
gentleman by the name Of Butram,
who left Rhea county about five
years ago for Texas, was returning
to his former home on visit. He
was accompanied by his wife. The
couple were about so or G5 years
old. At Chattanooga they were
met by their nephcws, two young
men by the name Of Sweeton, Of
Locks Landing, a short distance
below Washington. The old folks
seemed highly pleased at the meet
ing, and the four sat up and talked
until a late hour. At about
II o'clock, with the Injunction to
the Captain and the boys to be sure
and wake them before they reached
their destination, the old couple re-
tired to their state-room. A short |
distance below the landing, one Of
the nephews knocking at the door,
called to the old gentleman to get
up. After some time had elapsed,
the old couple, failing to make their
appearance, the nephew again went
to the door, and after giving it
good shake, opened it quietly to
make sure that he had been heard.
Evidently he had, for just as his
head was thrust through the open
ing, the report of a pistol was
heard, and the next moment the un-
fortunate young man appeared in
the cabin, the blood streaming from
his mouth. The ball had entered
his mouth and come out just below
and back Of the right ear.
By this time the boat had reached
the landing. The old folks failing
to make their appearance, after wait
ing for about Is minutes for them
to get off, the other nephew ventured
back to the door of the state~room
and called. The answer, "Go
ahead, l amt going to stop came
short and curt. So the boys got
off, and the steamer resumed her
course.
AS may be imagined, the fellow
who wanted to fool around that
state-room after what had occurred,
wasn't aboard and, save the low
conversation between the two old
people. plainly heard, but not un-
derstood, no sound came from that
quarter. As the steamer was pass
ing Hunters Bluff, some miles above,
the cabin boy came running for
ward with the announcement that
somebody was going over the banis-
ters; the next moment came the
startling cry, "Man overheard y
The engines were stopped, boat
launched, and every effort made to
recover the lost, but without sue
cess.
On examination it was found that
both Mr.. and Mrs. Butram had dis
appeared. The theory is, that she
had been dragged overheard by him
in her struggles to prevent his
throwing himself over. That ne
had planned this mode of escape is
evident from he fact that he left his
coat, pants and boots, or shoes, be-
hind him. Also three heavy val
ses, a pistol and part of a vial of
Iaudanum. The old lady had eVl~
dently not prepared to swim, as ,,
none of her clothing were found be- i