The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-19
LOYAL HoRAcE MAYNARD.
How Rebel Scheme toAssassinate Him Was
Summarily Spoiled.

How Rebel Scheme to.Assassinate Him Was
summarily Spoiled.
Special to the Indianapolis JournaI.
WASHINGTON. Dec. l8-'The South at The
breaking out Of the Rebellion possessed no truer
or braver Union man than Hon. Horace May
nard, of Tennessee, now deceased" said South
ern Congressman to-day. When the storm OF
passion and hatred which drove Governor
Brownlow and ex President Johnson into exile
broke out it also poured its relentless fury on
the head of Horace Maynard, for so many
years representative in Congress from
the Knoxville district, afterward our minister
to Turkey, and also Postmaster general in the
Cabinet of President Hayes. And long after
the war, and even up to the day of his death, the
rebels hated him with deathless and demoniac
hatred, and would have taken his life scores of
times if the assassins could have seen any way
of eyadng the penalty of the law In one in
stance, particularly, the time, place and instru-
ments had all been prepared for his murder and
only the cool courage of three brave Republic
ans, brothers and an uncle of theirs saved him
from instant death. 1t was during the canvass
of 1876, when Mr. Maynard was posted to speak
at the town of Somerville. the shire town of Fay
cite county, in West Tennessee. That is
the only county in the State in
which there is majority of coored
people, and of course it was and is yet strongly
Republican. Nevertheless there was and is in
the county gang of as desperate and devilish
men as can be found. When it was known in
Somerville that Mr.. Maynard was to speak there
a gang of rufians held council and deter
mined to kill him while he was speaking in the
courtroom. He informed of the fact. but
bravely determined to make his speech, death.
or no death. Four desperate characters were
chosen to do the devilish deed, and. to provide
them with the necessary courage they were
filed full of whisky. One of the leaders of the
Republicans of Faye.te county was Sheriff
Reeves, as brave IA ever stopped a rebel
bullet He also heard of the plot, aud with three
brothers, as brave as himself, and an uncle. en-
tered the courtroom and took seats on one of the
tables used by the lav All of them were
armed to the teeth, a adv to scatter lead at
moments notice. our chosen ruffians en-
tered soon after Mr.. Maynard began his speech,
and in moment one of them called him
damned liar and repeated the insult again and
again; all the time the four moved forward TO-
ward the stand. Just as the last one was pass
ing him. Sheriff Reeves plncked him by the
sleeve and whispered to him: Don't you fellows
interfere with Maynard If you do, we i've will
shoot you down. The fellow turned and
called halt. A hurried whispering
took place, and then the scoundrels
slowly filed out, and disappeared. II they had
interfered with Maynard they would have been
killed to dead certainty, for the Reevcses were
dead shots, and as brave as they make them
anywhere. Sheriff Reeves was marked for de-
struction from that very hour. as were his
brothers. Two of the latter were killed by the
a r0 nd hQ 1r1ca a1f hrao
bullets to this day. The uncle stood his ground
and fought the figSt out; and, though very old
man now, was elected recorder of the county at
the election last fall"