Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-21
SHOT IN THE DARK.
ACOwardly Assassin Kills Albert Thomas,
Deputy Sheriff, on the Old
Raleigh Road.
The Young Man Takes Lady to Church,
and While Returning Home
Receives the Bullet.

and While Returning Home
Receives the Bullet.
Memphis can now boast a Five Points
| neigh bOrhood. II Is located in the vicin-
ity Of Brinkley avenue and the Old
Raleigh road. Every week or so 1t furnishes
an Interesting chapter in the romance OF
crime. Our Five Points, moreover, Is not
devoid Of originality. II rather has ten
dency 10 eschew ordinary crime, and 1t Is
continually supplying the public with nov
elites. Assassination is its stronghold, and
even in this captivating crime it seems to
have wonderful resources for picturesque
variations. A short time ago citizen was
shot and robbed during the night, ii being
miracle that he escaped with his life. His
would-be assassins escaped under the cover
Of night, and diligent search has Jailed 10
| reveal their whereabouts. Then the out
rageous attempt at the general assassination
Of the Dreyfus family followed, and the per-
petrators have not even had the whip of JUS
tice cracked at their heels. Sunday night
was the time for
! ANOTHER TERRIBLE CRIME
which proved to be fatal Again the crime
| of the cowardly ruffians took the shape of
assassination. On the corner of Brinkley
avenue and thel Cd Raleigh road stands the
| little grocery of Mrs. Mary Flynn, relict OF
! the late Patrick lynn. At night it is de-
cidedly lonesome neighborhood, and many
| men will not pass along that way without be-
| ing fully armed. Sunday Albert Thomas, a
young man who had been deputized by Sheriff
Athy to arrest unlawful persons, came to
town, spent the evening here, and at night
took young lady TO the First Methodist
church. When he had escorted her home,
he started for his home, which is in the no.
torious neigh borhOod Just described. 1t is
more than likely that his thoughts were
running in pleasant groove, than that he
was thinking of danger. When he reached
the corner of Brinkley avenue and the Old
Raleigh road, four pistol shots were heard,
and Thomas was heard to
CALL OUT THREE TIMES
in the darkness to Pat Heffernan, who lives
in the grocery and probably owns an interest
in it, he being the son-in-law of Mrs. Flynn.
The latter hurriedly awakened Heffernan,
who pulled on his pants and ran down stairs
hastily, only to find Thomas lying upon the
porch of the grocery, dead. In his hand he
held a pistol four chambers of which were
empty. 1t was found upon closer examina-
ton that one OF the chambers had been
emptIed some time ago, and that three shots
must have been fred by Thomas at the re-
treating assassin. His own death was almost
instantaneous. He was shot in the left side,
and only once.
SUSPICIOUS.
Shortly afterward negro woman living
this side Of the place of murder saw a man
rapidly walking toward town, but she was
not able to say whether he were white or a
colored man. Suspicion began Immediately
10 point toward negro named Clint Hill
lizard, a notorious character, and there are
excellent reasons for suspecting him. The
crime was evidently committed IN spirit of
revenge, and not for purposes of robbery. In
the latter part of May, 1873, Albert Thomas
got into an alteration of some kind with
Sam Loving near the Fayette county line,
and killed Loving. He was tried in the
Criminal Court for the crime, and on the
first trial was found guilty and sentenced to !
two years in the penitentiary. new trial
was granted and strong evidence was intro
duced for the defense, which broke down the
Gaze Tor the prosecution, and ii was accord
ingly noUe pros. This Sam Loving, whom
young Thomas killed,
WAS COUSIN
OF Clint billiards. Furthermore, a short
time ago Thomas had billiard indicted for
making an assault with knife upon Mrs.
Flynn, and also for "profane cursing and
swearing" Owing to the fact that Thomas
was out of town when the cases came up for
trial, and no explanation OF his absence was
made, the cases against the negro were dis
missed. w men lnOnaS returned 10 Town he
heard OF this, and going to Judge Horrigan
said he thought that he could make cases
aga lnst the negro, and very outrageous cases
at that. The dismissals were therefore set
aside and a cdpias was issued for Hilliard
and is still out for him. Thomas had de-
clared that if ever he met Hilliard
HE WOULD TAKE HIM.
The negro knowing this, in all probability
intended to get even with Thomas for kill
ing Loving and also wished to prevent his
own arrest. Suspicion also pointed to a
negro named Dave Hays, but he was viewed
rather as an accomplish or afording Clint
billiard assistance in getting away from his
pursuers than as the chief criminal. Sheriff
Athy and Deputies Powell, Harris, Newell
and Mason were upon the scene of the kill
ing at various times yesterday. Colonel
Powell stated that he had talked to nearly
every man, woman and child in the neigh
borhood concerning the killing, and he was
almost tempted to give it up. The preacher
and several members of the colored church
there claim that billiard was at church at
the very time when the shot was fred, but
that looks very gauzy. Church does not
usually keep in until II o'clock. If Hilliard |
is innocent. why has he SO mysteriously dis
appeared? Furthermore, those who heard |
the four shots say that the first one made a !
very loud report, evidently being caused by |
larger pistol. 1t ia also well known fact |
that HIlliard carries very large pistol him |
self. OF course these are mere circumstances |
which it would never do to hang a man Cd. |
HAYS ARRESTED.
Yesterday afternoon Deputy -Sheriffs Har- |
ris and Newell arrested Dave Hays in front |
OF Esquire Egnew's Office, where Hays had a |
lawsuit of some kind. The officers found |
blood on the negro's shirt, and asked him
how it came there. He explained that he |
had a fight three or four days ago, and got /
hit on the nose, which bled profusely on his
shirt. He stated to Deputy Harris that
he went to bed at 1890 O'Clock very
drunk, and that he knew nothing of The kilt
ing at all until yesterday morning. To an
other party who lives in the neighborhood,
Hays made statement that didn't tally at
all with this. He said he went to bed at 9
o'clock, and didn't know anything about the
killing until he was walked mp after it.
Though Hays had blood on his shirt, no
wound was discovered upon him. He said
to Deputy Harris when arrested:
81 would rather die than go to jail"
"Gou have your choice" said the officer,
grimly and meaningly.
Hays accordingly went peacefully, hand
cufed, to Jail.
LATER-HILLIARD ARRESTED.
About O'Clock last night Deputy-Sheriffs
John Powell and Tom Taylor and Colonel
in the rain for Clint Hilliard. Powell was
upon the scene of the murder until 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, but he was bent upon catch
ing Hilliard ii 1t were possible. The three
men secured waterproof cloaks and started
on their bleak and dismal journey, riding Z!
along the roads so dark that it was impossi-
BILE TO tell negro from White man. Once
or twice the horses got caught in gulleys and
the way was lost. Consultations were held,
and Colonel Chiles maintained that the
most favorable time to catch the fellow
was them as it was raining fearfully and he
would most probably seek shelter. 4 little
before 10 o'clock they stopped their horses
not far from the house of Nancy Cox, the
mother of Clint Hilliard, which is situated
in front of the Garfield Orphan asylum.
Hays took his place at the back gate Taylor
stationed himself at the side, while Powell
walked boldly up TO the front door and
knocked:
who's there" came from behind it,
"a friend" said Powell.
"What do you WANT"
Il want to see Nancy Cox"
TIE loor anoorj;n1l, oDnr.J - -. !