Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-18
FOR WIFE MURDER.
A Sensational Case From the
Fourth District.
Geo. Avant is in Jail Charged with Mur-
dering His Wife on Last Thursday
Evening-Both Sides.


The readers of the LEAF-CHRoN-
ICLE will remember that on last
Monday the columns of the paper
contained death notice of Mrs. Geo.
Avant, of the Fourth district of the
county. 1t went on to say that the
lady had died the Thursday evening
previous that Rev. r. e. Travis
preached her funeral and that she
was buried in Poole's graveyard, near
Garrettsburg, Ky. While at that
time there was the general belief
that she died of heart disease, quite a
different phase is now given the
death.
On last Monday Thos. Davie and
Wiley Powell, both good citizens,
came to the city from the Fourth
district, and told the authorities that
there were. very suspicious circum-
stances surrounding the death of Mrs.
Avant, and that they thought an ex-
animation the proper thing. Upon
this news a warrant was issued for
the arrest of George Avant, charging
him with numbering his wife. The
warrant was put in the hands of Dep
uty- Sheriff Jno. Station, who served
it ON Avant last evening and brought
him to the city, incarcerating him in
the county Jail.
AVANT's STATEMENT.
George Avant was seen at the Jail
this morning by LEAF-CHRoNIcLE
reporter. When told that he was in
the presence of a newspaper man he
began talking freely. "This arrest, y
said he sis nothing but scheme on
the part of Davie and Powell to break
me up. Wiley Powell and l mar
ried sisters. My farm goes in my
wife's name. They think that if
they can get me out of the way they
can get the farm. l think that ThOs.
Davie put Wiley Powell up to hav-
ing me arrested. / am innocent of
the charge. My wife died of heart
disease and can prove it. She had
been suffering for six or eight months
with palpitation of the heart, and ]
had been expecting her to die at any
moment. Our farm contains 400
acres of good land, have plenty of
stock, good outhouses, and am well
fixed for living. All further that l
have to say is that / can prove a
good character, and that / can also
prove that / did not kill my wife,"
Throughout the conversation Mr..
Avant talked excitedly, but seemed
to have no fear that an examination
would convict him of the crime.
THE OTHER SIDE.
The prosecution side of the matter
throws different light on it. On
the Thursday that Mrs. Avant died
the prisoner went to the drug store
of V. w. Smith, in New Proyi
dence, and bought ten cents worth of
He said that he wanted
it for the purpose of killing rats.
Obtaining the drug he went home,
and the prosecution claims to be able
to prove, by a negro servant, that he
gave his wife teddy; that she
tasted it and complained of its being
very bitter; that Avant told her to
drink it, saying that it was liver
medicine he was giving her. The
woman drank the whisky and died
shortly thereafter. The negro ran to
the residence of Thos. Davie, which
was near by, and acquainted the
family of the death. When Davie
got to the house Mrs. Avant was not |
quite dead. He put negro on his
horse and sent him for DIR. Rollow
and DR.. Bell. To this Avant OBJ
iected and threatened to kick Davie
off the place, saying that it would do
no good, that she was dead and all |
the physicians in the county could
not save her.
Neighbors came in and prepared
he body for the grave. DR.. Rollow
md DR.. Bell pronounced the death
to heart disease and the !
natter was dropped until Monday,
when complaint was made as above
tated.
The body of Mrs. Avant will be
,xhumed to-day and the stomach
will be taken out and analysed. DIR.
Y. l.. Carney left the city early this
morning to get the stomach and
will bring it to the city tonight.
r. H. Burney has been retained as
ounsel for Avant. The prelimi-
AIRY hearing will likely be to-mor-
ow evening.
GEORGE AvANT.
Geo. Avant was reared in Chris
ian county, Ky. He is about fifty
ears of age. He married Miss Kit
Y Reeves, daughter of Ed. Reeves,
Roaring Springs, Ky. Some time
go he had a fightwith negro on his
lace and his arm was broken in the