The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1922-11-09

Track and Throws it Under Nov
ing Freight Train.
Joe Myers Dyson, colored Of Ri
alto, Is held in the county jail on a
charge Of committing one of the most
heinous crimes in the history Of this
county. Saturday, November 5, he
made full confession of his guilt in
a signed statement, witnessed by G.
N. Volz and Deputy G. A. Hamilton.
Last Thursday night Dyson went
to the home of Nina Smith, colored,
for the purpose Of meeting his wife,
Costello Dyson, who, a few weeks
ago sued him for non-support. Ac-
cording to his statement, he gave his
wife so cents with which to buy some
fruit at the Rialto store. Believing
that his wife would go to the store
at once, Dyson left the house and
went to a section house near the rail-
road. where he waited for her, and
where few minutes later he struck
her down with club and dragged her
body to the railroad track, holding
her on the track until a passing
freight train, pulling out of the Ri
alto yards, ran over her, severing her
lower limbs at the thigh. She was
found dead afterward by DR.. Baldwin,
colored physician.
The sheriff was notified of the in
cident and the next day Dyson was
apprehended. 1t is said that by plac-
ing the body of his wife on the rail-
road Dyson intended to leave the i'm
preston that she was accidentally
killed by the train. After remaining
in jail short time, Dyson made the
following statement and confession:
Il, Joe Myers Dyson, make this
statement of my own free will.
was not forced to make the statement
and was not promised any reward If
made it. 1t was not made to escape
punishment. The real facts about
the killing of my wife are given
here.
"0n Thursday night about p. M,
went to the home Of Nina Smith,
where my wife was staying. After
talking with them about 20 minutes,
gave my wife so cents and told her
to go to the store and get me a
dimes worth Of bananas. | left the
house before she did, stating that |
was going to Jim Lakes. I crossed
the road and came up to the crossing
near the section house and waited
for my wife. | met her there and
persuaded her to go with me south
on the right-of-way near Ehe old
humping post. | told her | was GO
ing to run off and leave her and she
ran away from me for a short dis
tance. | asked her to come back and
she did and continued to walk in
front sof me. The hickory club that
you have was lying on the ground
and | picked it up and struck her on
the back of the head. After she fell
struck her again. Then | left her
there and went back by Jim Lakes
barn to Nina Smiths and asked if
Costello had returned, but they said
she had not | left there and went
cut to the road to Frank Lakes and
got the pony and saddle. came back
the same road near the old school
house and church There left the
road, going through the Claybrook
farm past Dan Jones' place into a
pasture, where I tied the pony to a
post near a small tree. walked from
there to where | left nv wife after
striking her with the club and sat
down on the ground near her and
called her. She answered, is that
you. Joe?' / thought then that
would take her back home. | drag
ged her up the dump and after got
up there | stood her up and held her
while she walked back near the
road crossing at the section house.
There was a freight train pulling out
of the passing track and decided
to place her body on the track and
let the train run over it. She was
not dead, but ! Just pushed her down
between the cars on the track #and
held her until the wheels caught her.
couldn't stand it any longer and
turned and ran. went back the
way we Comeback up the right-of-
way-and / crossed the field to where
left my pony / got the horse and
went back out through the field to
Rialte road near the church and
schoolhouse. / met Mary Shelton
and several other negroes in the
road, but did not sneak to them.
wont on out past Frank Lanes to
Willow Grove to a supper. | stayed
there until 1t was over and then went
back to Rialto. at which place | was
arrested and questioned by you. but
was afraid to tell YOU what | had
done. have been looking for vou
all day so that / could tell you what
had done. am sorry. but | do not
know why did it, but / hope you
all will be good to me.
Joe MYERS DYSON"
Witnesses, G. N. Volz, sheriff: G.
A. Hamiltnn. jailer: IN. A. Sherrod,
notary public.