Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-05-29
W - = ..f-r4->4 4,tv-..''
4 Tragic ChspiSs ID Tanners Career,
(chIcago chronIcIe. }


aware of the fact that the late Cover
nor John r. Tanner was at one time
arrested and tried for murder. The
circumstance happened in June, 1867
and was caused by the jealousy and
haired of neighbor. For years there
had been uuarrels between John r.
Tanner and Thomas Erskine. for
whose death Tanner was tried, and
this eliminated on the occasion of the
opening of new road at which both
men were forced to be present.
After EIskine had started home at
the conclusion of work Martin, another
neighhor harnessed his team to the
wagon. George Luse and ohm Tan
ner took seat with him, Tanner oc-
cupyng the middle of the seat, Martin
drove. The question then arose whe-
ther to take the new road back past
Erskines house or some other way
BY the new road the distance was on
ly mile and half; by the other way
it was nearly four miles. Tanner said
that if they did not go by the new
road Erskine would think he was
afraid or him. They went by the new
road. When they were within about
81 yards of the house they saw Frs
kline, James Rusk and Jacob Moots
standing in frCnt of the fence, by the
tree, and about eight or ten feet from
the spot where the wagon must pass
Martin said
There is going to be trouble"
He proposed to put the whip to his
team and run by at full speed.
Tanner said:
You'll do nothing of the kind. Drive
by in the ordinary way"
Elskine put up one hand and stopped
the team, saying that he wanted a
settlement of his account with Tanner
right then and there. to which Tanner
assented. Both men took out their
account books and compared the items,
checking them off until they reached
the item in dispute between them.
The amount of it was unimportant.
joan Tanner said:
tom, I've paid you that"
"No, you haven't" said Erskine
81 did pay it and I'll make an affida
VT that l did
That's the way some people get
rich. by swearing to lies Erskine
replled
Don't talk that way to me; | don't
propose to take it," said Tanner.
"I will talk any way | please" was
the response.
81 will show you" was Tanners re-
ply. With that he put his hand in his
trousers pocket-he had on no coat
and checking his impulse, drew his
hand out again empty If he had
been a less cool and elf-collected man
the chances are that he would have
fired then, but he did not.
Draw your little pepper box; I'm
prepared for you" was Erskine's re-
sponse' Thus saying he stepped back
to the tree and seized an AK by the top
of the handle. At this Martin struck
the horses with the whip and started
the team. Erskine ran up behind the
wagon with the drawn ak. Tanner
jumped over the seat and stood i'm
mediately behind it,
AS Erskine threw the ak Tanner fell
forward in order to dodge it, firing his
pistol at the same moment. The poll
of the ak struck Tanner in the head
and glanced off, raising a knot on the
scalp The blade of the ak, passing on,
struck George Luse in the back, sever
ing his shoulder blade and inflicting a
wound which afterward proved fatal
The ak then fell over the front gate
of the wagon at the horses feet.
When Luse was hit he heard the re-
port of the pistol, felt the wound and
| thought tnat Tanner had shot him
He fell over on the reins, stopping the
horses. Martin picked up the lines
and started them again. The bal
from Tanners pistol struck Erskine in
1 the breast, on one of his ribs, which il
| followed, inflicting only flesh wound
not serious in it's character He re-
covered himself, ran after the wagon
picked up the ak where it lay, then be.
| ing within ten feet of the wagon
ra sed it for the purpose of throwing
l. when Tanner fired the second snot
| The ball struck him this time in the
temple and he fell in the road on his
face, go or 70 feet from the starting
point from which he had followed the
wagon. The uplifted axe fell on his
PROSTATE form. Tanner jumped out o
the wagon and walked away, through
the fields, in the direction of his house
The first trial took place at the fal
term of court, in 1868, Judge Candy
presiding. The Rusk family were ac
tive in the prosecution, on Mrs. Els
kine's account, and paid money in aiC
of it. All who We're present at tht