Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-09-06
OF Men Claiming the Authority of the
Law, to Avenge q Wrong,

One Arrested, but .the Two Leaders in
the Crime Escape.
A bloody tragedy was enacted about 4
o'clock yesterday evening at the railroad
works which are being carried on at
Black Oak Ridge, about five miles
from Knoxville on th : Knoxville, and Ohio
Railroad, in which James Mcfarland was
shot dead by Milt Hodge, both colored.
The particulars, as we were able to gather
them from engineer Dennis Gleason, who
was an eye witness to most of the difficulty,
are about these: In the first place, McFar-
land had married sister of Milt.
and Sam. Hodge, and all lived in
the neighborhood of Beaver Greek,
or Hodges Tank, between Strawberry
Plains and New Market. He had Just set
i to work on the railroad companys works
yesterday morning. About the middle of
the afternoon it seems that the two Hodge
boys and Henry McBee, an old colored
man who lives in Knoxville, and who is,
perhaps, an uncle of McFarlands wife,
The Hodges remained up on the ridge and
/ sent McBee down into the cut, where
Mcfarland was at work, apd having ascer
tanned that he was there, McBee reported
back, and they all three came down, claim
ing that they had warrant and were depu-
tized to arrest Mcfarland, who they claimed
had beat his wife almost to death Sunday
night, and had threatened to kill her. They
did not produce any warrant, however. The
foreman of the works, upon their repre-
sentatien, permitted all of them to
go into the cut, to where Mcfarland
was. He declined to be arrested, demand
ing their authority, and considerable ex-
change of words took place, in which Ne
Farland gathered q rock in each hand, and
determined to resist arrest, and no hand had
yet been laid on him. In the meantime,
one OF the three men went for piece OF
rope to Mr.. Dennis Gleason, who was with
| another lot of hands near by, telling him
they wished to tie prisoner, and relating
to him the circumstances He was given
the rope and returned
About this time considerable excitement
was created in the cut, and all work was
stopped by the commotion, they We're told
that they must get out of the cut, which
they started to do, and Mr.. Gleason was
| going along rather in front, by the side of
Mcfarland, taking them out of the way Of
the work. While walking along thus Sam.
Hodge, coming on behind, threw the rope
rather moose fashion over McFarland's head
and stopped him. He wheeled around
and threw one of his rocks
striking Sam. on the side of the head, after
which the two clinched for scufie. Then
the other two joined in the rough and tulm-
BILE fight, and all four were down, but
Mcfarland held his own pretty well against
the three who We're making an effort to tie
him.
Finally they got up and were again being
taken ont of the cut, when, by some dex-
trous action, Sam. got hold of McFar-
lands hands and tied them be-
hind him, and amid his struggles
gave the signal to Nit, who loaded an old
army musket, which he had. and fired at
Mcfarland, the ball taking effect about the
left temple aud eye, resulting in almost in
slant death. The two Hodge boys then
made off with all the speed possible and
made their escape, but McBee was captured
by Mr.. Gleason. who, together with James
Barnes Il colored man from the works,
brought him to the city, reaching
here about dark A warrant was
taken for him by Barnes, andI he was
committed to Jail to await hearing before
Justice King, at O'Clock this afternoon.
Henry is well known about Knoxville, and
regarded as a peaceable old colored man
He claims that he was made tool of by the
Hodge boys, and has retained w. F. Yardley
} for his COUNSEL The facts will no doub
come out on the trial.
4 warrant was also taken for the Hodge
! boys, and placed in the hands of Sheriff
< C. B. Gossett, who went il pursuit of th'
criminals.
James Mcfarland, the man who wal
killed, was man about 80 years old, an(
leaves wife and family, at Hodges tank
, ! He was son of Aunt CLANCY Mcfarland
of this city, and had one brother and fou
: sisters, two married. He left here for tn,
works yesterday morning.
: Coroner r. H. Hood was notified of tn,
affair and procured horse and went on
about 9 o'clock last night to hold an in
t quest.
Fall STYLES lust received at Duubars