The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-05-31
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
A Tale of Monticello Thirty Years Ago.
B Y P A P

Sometime in the spring of 1919, mule
team attached to common iarm wagon
might have been seen on the road leading
from the bay of Biloxi, northward, towards
the then hourishing town of Columbia in
Marion county, in this State said team
was driven and owned by young man
named William E. Allen, native of Con-
necticut, who had, until a short time previ-
'ous to the period of which l write, been
engaged i'll teaching school, near or at, Pass
Christian, but having recently purchased
the team was following the avocation of
hauling. He was accompanied by the fam
lily of Samuel Hicks, consisting of five per-
sons, viz Hicks and wife and three chill
dren, with a small load of household effects;
or in other words, Hicks was moving to
Lawrence county, where his wife's family
resided, and had employed young Allen to
transport him thither.
On the evening of the fourth day of their
journey, they stopped in front of farm
house some forty miles south of Columbia,
where Allen purchased a quantity of corn
and fodder for his team. Some mile and
half above this place, and near some un-
occupied buildings the little party encamp>
ed for the night. This was the last time
Allen was ever seen alive.
Two days afterwards an officer overlook
Hicks-who was then driving the train
with warrant for his arrest, on the charge
of horse stealing. Hicks employed man
to continue on with his wife, and children
while he returned with the officer; but not
being found guilty, and armed with a cer>
tifcate to that effect from the Justice be-
fore whom he was tried, he rejoined his
family some miles below Monticello, when
he changed his course, and instead of going
to Crooked Creek, his former destination,
he crossed Pearl river at Monticello, and
started for Louisiana, where he arrived in
due course of time; renting land in the
parish of st. Helena, near the town of
Greensburg he pitched his crop; and here
we will leave him for the time.
Some three weeks had elapsed after
Allen and Hicks had camped the last time
together, when the attention of some passer-
by, was attracted by numerous buzzards |
circling over a spot not far distant from the |
old camp, and upon going there to ascel.
tain the Sc, found Allen lying upon the
ground in a state of decomposition. The
coroner was notified, jury was summoned,
the verdict of which was: "Came to his
death by gunshot wound; the ball having
entered the back of his head, passing
through and out of his left eye; the deed
by some party, or parties, un>
known to the jury" After which. they
caused his body to be put in a coffin and
buried near the spot where it was dis
covered.
Not long after this when it was ascertain
ed he was moving Hicks, whose where
abouts was, now, unknown, he having fail
ed to go to his original destination, suspi-
cion at once rested on him; and the Cover
nor issued proclamation offering reward
for tie arrest of Samuel Hicks the suppos-
ID murderer of VIM. E. Allen.
Some six months elapsed when a gentle
nan living in ST. Helena parish, happening
% see the proclamation, arrested Hicks and
placed him in Jail at Greensburgh. His !
wife begged permission to spend the night !
which was granted. This was the last time
he ever saw her. Next morning, hand> !
,ufFed and mounted upon horse, accom-
panied by bis captor, he was on his way to 1