The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-08-03
KNEW CHASE.
SALLIE RUSSELL AND SALOON KEEP
Err cox TALK.
Intimating They Have Valuable InfOrma-
tiOn Secured in Conversation With
Thomas R, Chase.

|
Thomas R. Chase.
The Mutual Life Insurance company
that paid the alleged widow of Thomas
Chase 5000 insurance on his life,
may never discover whether he is dead
or alive, by opening his grave, says
the Knoxville Sentinel.
Judge H. H, Ingerson says: "There
is no law in Tennessee, so for as I can
learn, permitting the exhuming of a cof-
fin from a grave, under such circum-
stances"
SO, whether Chase's remains rest in
the casket of his grave, or whether it
contains but stones, may never be
known to the public.
George 7. Wassom, the colored at
torney, suspected Chase's "death" as
bogus and through Joe Trigg he claims
he orally notified local representative
of the Mutual Life company that the
claim could be defeated for reasons he
gave at the time.
Wassom says he had a real estate
deal with Chase, that forced him to go
to Chase's home after the reported
death. He says that an attorney
there told him, in the presence of sew
eral persons, that after Chase was laid
out in death he was seen to draw up
his feet, and heard to speak.
sALLIE RUSSELL TALKS.
A Sentinel reporter went to the home
of Sallie Russell, on Payne street, to
talk to her about Chase. She is an un
usually strong person twenty seven
years Of age. Like most stout persons,
she is exceedingly good natured. She
invited the reporter in her front room,
and closed the door, that the interview
might be private.
81 suppose you know" the reporter
began" of all this talk about Tom
Chase not being dead?"
81 have read it in the Sentinel" she
replied.
''You have heard otherwise, haven't
you?"
"Yes. People never did believe Tom
Chase was dead. Different persons
have been here time and again, trying
to pump me into telling something, but
do not know anything to tell. "
''You have an opinion, haven you?"
eyes. believe Tom Chase is dead.
| If he were not dead and was, as has
been intimated, in this country, he
would come to me for help. He would
know that I could hide him and that I
would do SO. That's why l think he
is dead"
Once again during the interview the
woman said:
81 wish he were not dead. He'll
come back"
Then she laughed.
1t was the woman heart in her, hop
ing because of an excuse to hope. She
did not say it like believer.
Yet she might not have believed thai
he is dead, although she said she did.
1t may be Chase did not tell her of hi
plans, il plans he had in this direc
tion.
| "Did Chase tell you he wss going
home to die?"
"No."
"Well, have it from an authentic
source that you have made the state
ment to others, that Chase was going
home to die"
"No, he did not tell me, but he tolt
others so.
"Did he threaten to commit suicid,
in your house?"
"No."
"Did you tell people that he had
and didn't you show one of them bot
tie of morphine, bottle of laudum an,
quart Of whiskey that you took from
Chase because he said he would xii
himself?"
"No."
81 have it pretty straight that yo'
did. By the way how long had yol
known Chase?"
"Three years..
"How did you meet him?"
"He came to my house on the hil
aboYe here one night"
"You said moment ago you be
lieved Chase was aided. Do yo
mean you thought him crazyP"
'Well, he never seemed just righ
to me aud the last few months he wa
here he seemed great deal worse"
"How old was hep"
about fifty years Of age"
"You say you believe he is dead
Did he look like man that was goin
to.die when he went awayP"
"Not exactly, but he wasn't vel
He had been splitting blood for two Q
three weeks, from hurt in the ches
This he got in fall from a passengt
train"
lyon believe Chase is deads"
The woman said: eyes, and laugl
ed lightly as the reporter studied he
face. Her lack Of study counter
ance seemed more to indicate her fl
good nature, than an inability to loo
a lia souaralx- in tba faoa Oh ,.,4l