Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-25
THE LARKIN MURDER CASE.
[conesuded from the first page. ]

that night had no conversation with mo-
Their about costs, or anything of the kind.
Next morning WAS in the st .ble currying
horse; the boy Win, came down and said he
had freed squirrel; witness went up; two
shots were fired and the squirrel killed. This
was two or three hundred yards from Sc
house. witness brought the squirrel back;
the boys took the gun and went on to work;
witness went and got his horse and went on
the Carriers Valley road to the Jim Cooper
place to execute the warrant on Arthur La1-
kin; didn't see Arthur at the time first pass
ed, being mistaken IN the field he was in;
saw black woman, asked her and
found which field Arthur was in; got
down, sat down on the fence
a while till Arthur got back
to the end; went up, think Art. spoke first
he stopped and a friend conversation en-
sued. Witness spoke about the rough
ground Art. spoke about the trouble in get
ting good stand of corn, and made other
remarks to which witness responded, Wit
ness then informed Art he had a process
against him, stating that they appeared to
be giving him Cart. trouble about selling
liquor. Art. said he had heard that he was
| indicted. Witness informed him that it was
not an Indictment, but warrant from a
commissioner Art said he wished he knew
who informed on him. Witness told him
it was not usual to tell. Art
| asked when court met at Knox
vile, witness told him he would
| have TO go before a commissioner first and
| if not bound over that ends it. Art. asked
| and was told that Netherland, at Rogers
| vile, was the nearest commissioner. Art.
! asked who the witnesses were, and was told
| that Caldwell Cooper was one of them. Art.
L Il
! Rogersville, and it appeared like second
arrest for the same otfense. Art. said he
was not selling for himself, but another
party. Witness told him that was a ques-
| ton to decide. Art. wanted to know if he
couldn't send some one to give bond. Wit
ness told him it was dangerous to do that,
| he had better go himself. Art. asked what
amount of bond must be given witness
| told him an ordinary bond of 81 900 or
$500 would be required; told Art. he had
blanks for giving Uond. Art. just remarked,
"Now I amt gazing to give no such a
| bond; amt going to ask anybody to go on
| the bond" All at once Art. turned around,
| took the line off his hand said he was not
going, and made as if to get a rock. Wit
ness said don't do that" Art put his
hand in his pocket and said ''now you get
out of this fieli" coming towards witness.
Witness then pulled out his pistol and say
| ing, stop or march" stepped
back and fred once, and then
again second shot Witness is as positive
as he is of anything that the last shot took
effect and killed Larkln; he believed then,
/ believes now and always will believe
that Art. Larkin had knife
drawn when the shot was fired.
VIM Larkin came up towards witness and
Il, haIIa t-aIi ar nfo ~ FOX hnI M
witness, who turned with his pistol and
said, ''Now, you go back" William stop
ped When witness waived toward William
the pistol was turned toward the women
and children. Witness backed out of the
field after the shooting and got away, CON-
inSsdown the Carter's Valley road to Rogers
vile. The first party seen by witness was
| black man. half or three quarters of g
mile of, witness told him he had gone to
arrest Art Larkin, but Art. mad assaulted
him and he had to shoot Art. The black
mon was asked to go up, that Art. was per-
haps dead, or would die. Witness then tOlG
Robt. Cooper and others of the killing, anc
that Arthur had made at him witt
a knife Witness then came Oh
through Rogersville to Morristown, his
home, told the sheriff and Other
parties; consulted on the matter and wat
coming to Knoxville to report to the mar
shall when he was arrested Gan explana-
ton was made from the diagram of the
field. Art. was leaning on the plow be
tween the handles facing from the horse;
witness behind the horse and facing Art
witness re NAMED in that position till Art
commenc ed talking and took the line of
his hand, then made right square towards
witness; witness backed rather diagonally
toward the fence; Art came 4 or 5 stepl
from the pillow square towards witness,
when witness fired the first shot. The shots
were quick. Art. came step or two be
tween the shots. The secon shot mus
have been the deadly one for a man hi
couldn't go the distance that Art went
When firing the first shot
witness held the pistol to one
side. didn't want to hit him; wanted
to keep Art. off. At the second shot wit
ness still held the pistol to one side but wa
backing, and still more excited. Art. fel
on his face Immediately after the seconC
shot, 6 or steps from the pillow, may be 10
towards the witness. Vim. Larkin came di
rectly towards witness. Art. was about
steps from witness when he took the lint
off his hand. Witness kept the same dis
lance from him. Art had remarked sever
al times that he didn't see how he could go
on account of his crop, but at the time h,
remarked he was not going witness saw il
his right hand what appeared to be abou
an inch of a knife. Witness had beef
assaulted and shot at in discharge of duty
Once before had similar experience; wen
to arrest man in the field; was caught anC
held and unarmed Was thus always OF
guard. The killing occurred June -, 1881
IL Witness was asked if he knew anything o
| tba He ha how
in the record; had not seen it since Mr.. Gil
lenwaters had it at Rogersville. Witness
was asked if at the time he fired he was il
fear of great bodily danger of his life. Oh
jected to by the prosecution, and question
ruled ont as incompetent.) After tn
shooting witness turned to 60 to his hors
as soon as saw or thought the other mai
would not do anything; did not walk or run
made rather fast time.
Cross examined-W in the commits
: sioner's office the day the warrant was take
out. DR.. Goddard, collector, and witnes
were together good deal, and told eac
other of cases worked up. Witness gave il
formation of Art S violation from letter
and also from a man in Rogersyille, wht
asked witness if Art had licens
to sell liquor Witness had prope
information and gave 1t TO Dl
Goddard; took this warrant and others
Witness went to his mothers not much owe
! a week before the killing. At livery sta
bic in Morristown, when witness got
horse to go on the trip, did not tell Fran
Cain had made one trip and didn't sue
} coed, but was going again and would XII
, two men. Jas. Bethany didn't exactly sa
he wouldt go with witness when went al
ter him, but begged off, and advised witnes
to go by himself. When witness left hir
didn't think he would go. Left mother all
, the girl up when went to bed The girl wa
in the kitchen with a light about the tim
witness left the porch to go to bed. Man
tina Larkin left for home, and witnes
said Immediately he was sleepy, whereupo
= his mother went and fixed the bed, and vii
ness went to bed. There was no more cor
versation. The law suit witness was intel
ested ia as administrator was determine
six or seven years ago, in the Suprem
, Court. There was a suit against witness