Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02
TERRIBLE SUNDAY TRAGEDY.
Tom. Day stabbed TO Death by His
Nephew, Ed, s. Mere Boy.

about o'clock Sunday morning, in
which Charles Thomas Day, more
commonly known as Tom, was stab
bed to death by his nephew, Edward
Day, a lad some 16 or II years of age,
perhaps, son of Andrew Day, a
butcher in our market. The particu-
lars in brief are about as follows:
Ed. went to the house of Tom, his
uncle, about 8 O'clock, and went in.
Tom and Mr.. M. q. Lusby were sit
ting by the fire. Ed. didn't sit down,
but before he had been there long,
Tom asked him (Ed.) why he came
there and brought Frank Pegg, both
drunk, Saturday night. Ed. denied it,
but Tom insisted he had, and some
sharp words We're passed, after which
Ed. went out of the house, rather cry
ing with rage. The two kept passing
abusive words, and Ed. told
Tom if he wanted to fight
to come out. Thereupon Tom
picked up the shovel and started out
towards the gale. Mr.. Lusby told
him to put it down. They kept talk
ing and eursing each other, and Tom
sat the shovel down by the gate. Ed.
| finally remarked that he YVES as good
a man as Tom, and Tom replied if
50 that was as good time to settle
it as any; pulled off his coat, laid it
on the fence, aud started toward Ed,
apparently trying to gel hold of him
with his left hand-he had hardly any
use of his right arm-when Ed. drew
his knife, which he had up his
sleeve, and made plunge at
Tom. The blow was a well>aimed
ond did deadly work. The death
stroke was plunge in the left side,
just below The nipple, no doubt pens
Grating the heart. There were also
two fearful gashes, cutting through
the muscle to the bone on tbs left arm,
above and below the elbow, the first
evidently being made as the plunge
was made, the other as the knife was
drawn out. The knife was large,
keen, sharp, 81 inch blade.
As soon as Ed. inflicted the
death blow he started to run
up towards the pike. Tom.
| went into the house, got
large navy pistol from the bureau
drawer and followed several steps, as
far as the bridge. In attempting to
cock it it went off once at his feet, then
he drew it up some higher and fred
| again, but came no ways near his
mark. ALI the while he was bleeding
profusely. He then started to go back
to the house, but sank down on the
way, and was taken up and assisted in
the house by NJ. a. Lusby aud VIM.
Chapman, and soon expired, living
only ten or fifteen minutes alter he
was stabbed. Alex. Chapman, who
was close by, went for DIR. Ludlow,
but Tom. was dead before he got
| there.
Coroner A. 8. Hudiburg was brought
TO the spot and summoned the follow
ing Jury of Inquest: j. r. Thompson,
J. L. Householder, Jno. W. Harris, J..
H. Knox, 81. Turner,J. w. Allen, and
J. G. Worsham. VIM. Chapman and
M. 81. Lusby were examined as wit
nesses, and the jury returned verdict
that deceased came to his death by a
cut or stab with knife in the hands
of Edward Day.
The body was afterwards dressed,
and kept until yesterday evening,
when it was buried, being taken to
the Spring Place burying ground, in
the country.
Ed. came to his fathers home on
Mabry street and put out to make his
escape. He told some parties as he
was going that he had had hi of a
row and was getting out of the way.
Constable Don c. L1shy, as soon as he
heard of the affair, struck out in pur.
suit of Ed. accompanied by Alex.
Chapman. He was successful in
his pursuit, and came upon Ed.
about mile beyond Boyd's
ferry. He offered no resistance, but
delivered himself up when they got up.
on him. Ed. appeared to be surprise d
to learn that his uncle was dead, did
not seem to realize the situation of
affairs, and claimed that he only in-
tended to cut his arms, thinking he
had q pistol, or something. He was
taken before Justice King, Sunday
afternoon, but hearing postponed,
and he was committed to jail.
Yesterday morning the prisoner
was brought before Justice King, in
the Circuit Court room, at the Court
House, where large crowd was gath.
cred. Attorney General D. D. Ander-
son appeared for the prosecutionrfand
Mr.. J G. J. Williams represented the
prisoner.
M. II. Lusby was the first witness
examined. His evidence was substan-
TALLY confederation of the facts
given above.
Alex. Chapman next testified to
about the same facts, as did VIM.
Chapman, except.both said that Tom.
either caught hold, or was in the act of
taking hold of Ed, and Ed gave back
before infictiDg the stab.
For the defense only three witnesses