Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-17
The Clin,on Homtcide,

! ~
- go - - CLINTON, Aug. Is, 1879.
Mr.. EDITOR: I am not mixed
Jpn in the Bonham, Shipe and
Queener affair, but feel that while for
msI can not forget the dead-I owe
respect to the living. myself and the
truth. The more thoughtful have found
out long ago that opinions formed in
hasty excitement were not the most
reliable. And I am satisfied that the.
reports of this affair, as published in
the Tribune of July 18th, and later,
another piece which was published
therein, and which also appeared in
the Knoxville daily CHRONICLE of
July 29th, and as are being circulated
by many, are fair and full verifications
of this experience. The more remote
cause of this difficulty can be clearly
traced to the last general election for
county officers, for at tina: time
Queener was elected County Clerk, un-
der q solemn pledge that his office
should not pay tribute to houses of
i'll fame supremacy, and this pledge
we are satisfied he has kept. Not
withstanding, some of our friends, for
reasons satisfactory only to themselves,
found it convenient TO circulate re-
ports to the contrary. Admitting that
it was only for "fun," and that they
did not believe it. they being in every
respect best qualified to know the
truth Of the particular charge, this
lead to the fatality.
While it is admitted by all candid
people that the Shipes had cause for
irritation; for Bonham, as well as
those for whom he unfortunately be-
came the pugilist, had given ofense, as
candid minds, acquainted with the
facts, must admit. These, for the sake
of BOnham's friends, and with respect
to his memory, We are content to leave
unwritten. But We will say that the
active participants in this homicide
are not as much to be censured as some
others who are witnesses in the cause
for the State, and who by simply
keeping the truth 10 view, aud leaving
false stories and implications untold,
could have averted this sad calamity.
Those same appliances crepr out .lu
the publications, to which We referred
i'm the 6ou tset, aud we now 4Botiee
them slightly in detail. LIST. The re-
reporter of the Tribune OF July. 18Th
makes up his report from the evidence
before the Grand Jury. Hon. could
the reporter get this OUer the secresy
enjOaaed by tos0, and the s0Lenanaty of
oath, both Of the aOitneSses and jurors 2
He must have been e0UeSdr0pping an
tndict0bte 0fense, or has 5nf0ynoqts, or
some one else must haze oerjured them.
SetUes. Some parties We're arrested for
Certain conduct, can't say it was irreg-
ular conduct, for il seemed quite regu-
lar, ana TO have them arrested. ale
| though they could talk about younp
men who would not be SO Irregular >
was a violation of Ciinton's code and
practice, as is admitted. and
dep!ored by her best men aud mothers
and some wives. To show Bonham's
willingness to make amends for an in
suit to Sam Shipe. he said, ~ stand on
my otOs pastern .jints." the same
answer as gwen Queener when he
asked certain young man, who is a
hStateiswitness, aud VINO is new away
from Clinton on account of irregular
'.oondgcH to amend bis staieneat
which was made in /" fun.''SrPo show
that the reporter did not get "facts, I"
there was no A. l.. Young in town at
the time, nor did any Judge Young
have any room there. Judge ID. K.
Young was in town, and was IN Ross
store. Again, "Old Shipe" never
touched Bonhons in the least until Bon
nam shot him. This fact will fully an.
pear, and from men a0ho can not be
ToaCered or hired, oydino the
efforts made By certain gentlemen.
whether Bonham's skull was frac-
tured or not we do not say, but TO saw
+ ne was really dead man at the time
he drew his dirk is astrange statement
for one 10 believe, and ali plain think
j ling. men of common sense will not,
nor can, not believe, especially those
who saw his actions after this, and one
can best explain by only saying 1t is
not so. And again. that Sam Shipe
advanced towards BOnham just as the
shooting commenced, is only, to be ex.
planned as the other. The reason OF
tt cir statements are understood
Again, that Queener touched B0nham
after he shot The second time, or thai
be shot Bonham at all, Is false.
hood, and those giving it out knew
it when they did SO, or would have
known 1t il they had been willing t.
rely on the truth. The other pubiiea.
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