Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1903-05-28
TOM CHOATE
MEETS DEATH
Killed Near Shellmound by
John Graham.
SELF-DEFENSE THE
VERDICT OF JURY
Capt. Donaldson is an I'm
willing Witness to the AT
fair, but not a Participant
His Statement.

Late Wednesday evening Tom Choate
was shot and killed by John Graham
near Moore's Crossing three miles be-
low Shellmound.
report was prevalent that Capt, w,
E. Donaldson, of Jasper, had done the
shooting, but the following statement
from the captain to the Chattanooga
Times, tells the story accurately, and
proves that he. while a witness and
an unwilling participant in the affair,
had no hand in the shooting
tom Choate came to John II. GrR-
hams and raised difficulty with John
Graham. Capt. w. e. Donaldson, Mrs.
Armstrong, Miss Laura Harris and Miss
Alith Graham were present and saw
part of the trouble. Choate threw a
rock at Donaldson, and Donaldson ran
under his arm and the rock missed him,
Choate also picked up piece of oak
scantling about nine inches long and
two by four inches in size. Choate
threatened to kill Donaldson both with
the rock and the piece of scantling AT
ter Donaldson had got away from Choate
he went to the house and Choate follow
ed him, threatening to kill him and
Graham both, and cursing and calling
them all sorts OF names and epithets.
Choate gathered Donaldson around the
arms and threatened to take gun out
of his hands which Graham handed to
Donaldson, telling him to keep Choate
out of the yard and house, but Choate
forced himself into the yard and house,
and threatened to kill both Graham and
Donaldson.
"When Choat grappled Donaldson and
the gun Graham saw that he was about
to get the gun, that it was all-import-
ant to keep, Choate from getting the
gun, and that if he got it he would kill
both Donaldson and Graham with it,
Graham then, seeing that both his and
Donaldson's lives were emperilled and
would be lost if Choate got the gun,
which he was about to do, Graham saw
that it was right then absolutely i'm
portant to kill ChOate to save both his
own life and Donaldson's also. Graham
shot Choate with pistol and Choate fell
down on Graham's porch and died i'm
mediately.
Graham at once sent for the high
sheriff and the justice of the peace, who
summoned the following jury of inquest
who were duly sworn according to law
by Esquire James Massengale.
"The jury, after hearing all the testi-
mony, returned the following verdict,
| to-Wit:
""We, the undersigned jury of in
quest, being duly summoned and en-
pannelcd by and before j, M. Masscn'
gale, j. p. for Marion county, having
been duly sworn to inquire about the
death of Thomas Choate, after having
heard all the testimony presented to us,
which is taken in writing and accom-
panyiug this report, upon our Oaths dc
hereby report and say that Thomas
Choate came to his death by pistol
shot fred by John Graham. We FIND
that said Thomas Choate, deceased
went to the house of the said John Ora
ham, forced himself into the house anC
made a deadly assault on the said JohT
Graham and Capt. Donaldson, who wal
at said Graham's home, with the inten
to kill them. and the said Graham ireC
and shot and killed said ChOate in hi
own proper and necessary self-defens'
OF himself and Capt. Donaldson, an'
said killing was entirely justifable.
"Signed by James Massengale, ]. P.
Will Hilton, Jr., S. Gillian, N. R. Arm
strong, J. S. Massengale and Franl
Howard, this 22d day of May, 1908"
THE above is a succinct statement
the facts, and while it does not contain
all of the testimony in detail, as swori
to by witnesses, it states the genera
facts correctly. Choate had drawn bot
bottle and his knife on Graham in th
house before Donaldson could get Choa
away, and be cursed Graham and Dor
aldson both for everything he coul
think Of, and swearing that be Woul
kill them both. Choate drew the bot
tie and his knife both on Graham !
Graham's room, and while Graham wa
sitting at his desk looking for and owe
some receipts. Donoldson then sai'
''Choate, don't do that for both job
Graham and myself are your friends