Year: 1875


We assert, most positively, that
Reed is alive. We have undoubted
proofs Of his absolute escape. Reed
has said 10 witnesses that he had no
sooner been thrown upon the railing
of the bridge before he clutched the
rope, his hands being loose, and was
let down. The rope either broke or
clipped, he did not know which. He
said about this time he was shot at
from the bridge. He struck the
ground a short distance from the end
Of the lope, feet foremost, and rolled
down near the brink OF the river
Somehow or other he was seized with
the idea Of plunging into the river,
and did so without a second thought,
having first relieved himself of the
moose, and SWAN across TO the old
bridge pier, where he fOunu landing,
and GATHERED the drift wood
against the pier about him, and wait
ed until perfect quiet reigned, when
getting upon the log in the drift he
guided it down to the ice-house, at the
Souther extremity of the lower wharf,
and thence went to his home on
Whiteside Street, arriving there at 2
o'clock Saturday Tiiording. May l.
He knocked at the door softly. Har-
rison Samuels, his father-in-law, cried
out from within, "WhO's there 2" "a
friend" responded Reed. Let me
inn The door was cautiously OPENED
and there, sOn-in-law and father-in-
law confronted each other. The lat
ter, as a matter Of course, was thun-
derstruck. He thought Reed had
been consigned to the deep.


When Reeds wife subsequently
came IN and found his wet clothing
lying upon the floor, she was so over
come that she gave vent to her feel
ing in cries and shrieks almost discOt-
erirg Reed to the neightors. The fact
Of her husbands escape was so as
founding that she could hardly believe
her own eyes. Had he come before
her cut of the grave she could not
have been more amazed. During the
whole Of Saturday, Reed remained
under the bed, concealed from all who
mighL come into the house. In the
afternoon his relatives from Franklin,
Tennessee, came down with The in
tentiOn Of fishing in the after his dead
body, but 10 and behold! they found
him alive under his own bed. Reed
remained under the bed until about
II O'clock Saturday night. 1t having
been previously arranged that he
should 90 to Franklin to see his moth
er, who was frantic with. Eritf and
could not he cOmiOrted, and then leave
for points unknown, they left Samu-
els house on foot, and taking a circuit
Ous route through the city, a last came
upon the Franklin Pike and went out
the pike TO their point Of destination.
The meeting of Reed with his mother
was scene that may be better imag-
ined than described. The dead had
come to life again; her son had es-
capped an ignominious death she be-
held hIm there before her.


When Reed left Nashville, he had
thirty or forty dollars OF his own. AS
his kinsfolks were e&pettiHg some
bounty money daily from Washing
ton, il WAS thought hest also that Reed
should there and waiting its arrival.
obtain a portion and go hence. 1t
was partly on this account that he be-
took himself TO Franklin. They
found, However, on the Monday fol
lowing that the money had arrived
Drawing from the bank at Franklin
some four or Ave hundred dollars, the
amount due them. they freely hand
ed over to Reed $3.50, and with it and
his $50 or $40, he put out, after bid
ding them all an affrc;iouate adieu.


The above are facts which we have
CLEANED from undoubted sources.