Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-05-03
THE NAY MURDER.
A Meeting Of Citizens to Devise Means for
Woods Capture.

4
A Meeting Of Citizens to Devise Means fol
Woods Capture.
Further particulars of the shock.
ing murder which was perpetrated
in GAINESVILLE on Thursday night OF
last week have been developed since
our last report, and add additional
horror to the crime. 1t was found
on removing Mays clothing that he
had been shot four times instead OF
twice. Besides the two balls that
penetrated his brain, two more had
been put through his body, thus
evidencing the vindictiveness of
the murderer. Wood having pur-
sued his victim to his home and
into the presence of his mother, had
no regard for the sanctity that such
place afforded, but made sure of
his murderous work with a fiendish
persistency that has no precedent in
this community.
Monday morning a circular was
distributed about the city calling on
the citizens of GAINESVILLE to assem-
BILE at the Court House and devise
means "for the capture of a MUIR
derer." That night at 8 O'Clock
about two hundred people respond:
ed to the call. The meeting was
held in the Circuit Court room and
was presided over by Col. Berry
Lyle. On taking the chair, Col.
Lyle said he had been requested to
call the meeting to order, but was
not fully acquainted with its object,
and requested that some person who
was, should state it. This was done
by Mr.. John Stuart. In a few
straight forward words and an unas-
Stunning manner he said that it was
desired to petition the Governor TO
offer reward for Woods capture
and to devise such other means as
might be thought advisable to bring
him to justice. G. M. Bell, Esq,
having been called for, responded
in a ringing and rousing speech
which brought forth frequent APP
plause. Br. Bell took a very cor
rect view of the matter, and his
remarks were pregnant with good
sense. His idea was that it lay en-
tirely with the conscience of jury
to determine whether or not a hoP-
EOcide was to be excused on the
ground of its having been perpetra-
ted in defense of a female relatives
honor. He said jury in this coun-
try had never been known to do
otherwise than acquit man charg-
ed with such deed. But the evil
dence should be carefully weighed
before jury and until the excuse
of Staying a seducer was fully estab-
lished, the public could not pardon
such murder as that recently. per-
petrated in GAINESVILLE.
A petition, asking the Governor
to give $500 reward for Woods ar
rest was then drawn up and largely
signed. A committee was also ap-
pointed to solicit subscriptions for a
reward to be offered by the people
of GAINESVILLE.
Mr.. Rohner and others had some
remarks to make and Col. B. Lyle
made speech in which he express
ed sympathy with the meeting but
cautioned the audience against any
rash action. He spoke very feeling
ly of the deceased-how he had
known him when he was curly
headed child and how he deplored
his untimely end.
A committee was appointed to
draught resolutions of sorrow and
regret in memory of Roy May.
We are disposed to look at the
matter in the manner in which it
was presented by MIR. Bell. The
public cannot undertake to decide
whether or not "Bud" May de-
served death at the hands of John
Wood. The public k7aoaOs nothing
but that an attrocious and most re-
voting crime has been committed.
A crime withal so ruthless and
hard hearted in its execution as to
chill the blood of him to whom the
tale is told.
Though the unwritten law that
acquits the slayer of a seducer is
very generally believed in in this
country, no class of murders should
be more carefully enquired into and
scrutinized. It will not do 10 allow
murders melted by icentiousness to
be excused under such plea, and
if the plea is not carefully Investiga-
ted it will be made to cover the
most horrid of crimes. Wood
should be brought before a jury of
his countrymen and the people Of
GAINESVILLE owe it to the good name
of the city to exert themselves to
that end