Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-09-03
COL. BUFORD IN JAIL
How the Murderer of Judge Elliott
Spends His Tlme-Talking
About His Crime.
From the New York Times.

LOUISVILLE, Ky, Aug. 26.-Col.
Tom Buford, the murderer of Judge
Elliott, is still in the Louisville Jail.
awaiting the time when he will be al
lowed new trial or ordered to be sent
10 the penitentiary at Frankfort. there
to spend the remainder of his life.
Buford persistently refuses to be in
teryiewed, and the numerous attempts
of reporters to have q conversation
with him have proved failures. AL
though the newspaper men can get no
satisfaction from him, he talks quite
freely with Others To day a Post
and News reporter met q person who
while awaiting trial, was confined in
Jail several days in the same room
with Buford. Buford's quarters are oe.
cupied by q number Of Breathitt
County prisoners, and DR.. Al. Marritt,
of this city. They are the most COM
Portable in the jail, and Buford is well
pleased with his treatment at prison.
He seems cheerful and hearty, and
does not appear in the least like q
bloodthlrsty assassin that the j1ry
found him to be- His health is ex-
cellent. He eats with q keen appe-
tite and sleeps soundly at night. He
is fond of conversation, and having
been q great reader, and possessing
the usual Kentucky command of
language, he is very entertaining. His
fellow prisoners may at any time be
seen gathered closely about him, list
ening as he discusses topic after
topic with peculiarly graphic power.
AS for the state of his mind, he is by
no means insane. Buford delights
in playing solitaire, and in trying his
skill at chess with some of his COM
panions. In fact, he uses all expedi.-
ents to prevent time hanging too
heavenly. Though eccentric. he does
not seem morose or sullen, but is cheer.
full, even gay at times, and is fond of
joke. s.s..ss~anr - e
+ Buford talks freely with his COM
panions about his crime, and about his
crime, and about his reason for COM
hitting it. He says he believes the
Judges of the Court of Appeal acted
in collision to defraud him of the
property in litigation /; it was all put
up job and was q downright piece of
robbery; the worry Of the lawsuit
killed his sister, and the decision of
the Judges was an outrage to the
rights and honor of his family. When
he went to talk to Judge Elliott about
his affair, the latter, he says, turned
pale and stammered and hesitated in
his conversation, as if conscious that
he had been guilty of acting wrong
fully. He also told the man who tells
this story that he considered it had
become personal matter between
MIN and the Judge. "If a man comes
to your home and robs you, would you
not shoot him?' asked Buford.
''And if man defrauds me of proper
ty and Injuries my honor, ought not
to shoot him like common robber?
If had let myself be a toadstool for
the Judge 1 would not think myself
worthy Of being considered gentles-
man." He does not seem much con-
cerned at the prospect of remaining
in confinement the remainder OF his
life, but has lingering hope of once
more being free. He also is confident
that the decision of the court in refer
ence to the property viii be in some
way changed, and that, although he
may be in prison, he will have the
satisfaction of obtaining the money.
He is very strong in his language 8
against the Judges of the Court of APP
peal, and says: :, Whatever I have
done, the Court Of Appeals, have damn
ed. themselves by this transaction.
and the people will find it out too
Bnford thinks that in course of time
the public feeling against him will
die away, and that people will begin
to look at his side of the case. 81
have killed Elliott, and after while
people will begin to inquire why /
killed him. Thy will investigate the
matter and will discover how shame