 |
 eeping the Peace
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
1 HACKBERRY
August 10,1929--Friday afternoon, Sheriff George S. Abernathy, Constables W.T. Milling and John Westfield and Deputy W.O. Hudspeth, armed with a search warrant, raided the home of 'Sugar Tree' Joe Lyle of District 19. A forty gallon capacity still was found in the smokehouse. The complete outfit was of copper and there were 150 gallons of peach mash boiling just ready to be run off into brandy. Lyle was attending the funeral of Pugh Jackson at the time and has not yet been arrested.
Feb.12,1930--After six months of liberty, "Sugar Tree" Joe Lyle has been taken into custody and is now in the county jail to await a trial in the Montgomery County for possessing a still designed for the purpose of manufacturing intoxicating liquor.
Lyle disappeared from his home last summer after county officers during a raid on his farm discovered a still and a quantity of mash flavored with peaches. He was indicted by the grand jury, but was in Benton County in West Tennessee and under a capias. Lyle, having been indicted by the grand jury, was arrested by Sheriff Allie Pafford of Benton County.
Deputy Sheriff R.R. Pursell escorted the prisoner back to this county and he was committed to jail to await the trial in court.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
2 PALMYRA
July 30 1923--John 'Big John' Hall, Palmyra farmer, about 50 or 55 years old, and Mrs. Dollie Perigo, wife of Frank Perigo, former fireman at the Palmyra Lime Company's plant, are held in the County Jail here charged with murder in connection with the death of Perigo whose body was found about 6:00 Sunday afternoon, partially buried in a shallow gully on the farm of Sam Broome, near Palmyra, a short distance from Hall's home.
Mrs. Perigo, according to the sheriff, registered no emotion of interest in the finding of her husband's body, merely saying, "Oh, they have found him, have they?" Hall admitted under oath at the inquest at Palmyra, the sheriff says, "that he had spent about fifteen minutes at Perigo's home Friday afternoon and had loaned Perigo $15.00 with which to attend the Junior Order of United American Mechanics' picnic at Lone Oak Saturday.
Perigo's body was found by John Robertson, or Williams, a white man who lives and works on Hall's farm. He testified that he had gone near the gully to pick some luscious looking blackberries to eat while in the field. He said he was attracted to the gully by its appearance and found the body. According to Deputy Joe Stalls and Sheriff Oscar Johnson, the body had been placed in the gully at a place where the gully was about a foot wide and probably a foot and a half deep on the upper side. Some dirt had been placed over the body, and some bushes had been cut around the spot, apparently with a pocket knife and laid over the gully.
Perigo was last seen alive, so far as known, when he was passing up Weaver's Hollow going in the direction of Hall's house Friday afternoon.
Mrs. Perigo is said to have ridden a horse to Hall's home early Sunday morning and during the afternoon a son of Hall's went to the home of G.Wallace Dinsmore, a Justice of the Peace in District 19 and pleaded with the magistrate to issue a warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Perigo and her ejection from his father's home. It is said the boy left the magistrate's home, apparently badly disappointed because it was his mother's dying request that Mrs. Perigo be kept away from the place. Mrs. Hall was buried two weeks ago at Blooming Grove in this county on July 17,1923.
Perigo is said to be about 49 years of age. He was twice married and is survived by two children of his first marriage (Lonnie and Ardie). They live with Thomas Jackson near Palmyra. Mrs Perigo was twice married, her first husband being Munroe Durham. She married Perigo about a year ago.
Perigo has been a resident of Palmyra for the past twenty years or more and has been a hard worker, honest, reliable, and well liked by his employer and neighbors. The body was taken to Palmyra this afternoon for interment by Hugh Allen, Shiloh undertaker, who brought it here Sunday night.
From: Semi-weekly Tobacco Leaf Chronicle
3 PALMYRA
January 21,1896--Officer Heggie, of the lower portion of the county, a day or two ago, captured Coon Elliott of Pot-Neck, over in Stewart County, and he will be brought here to jail. Elliott is charged with stealing a horse from an old man living in the vicinity of Palmyra named Coon Powell. It is stated that the man was caught up with by reason of his attention of a woman of the vicinity in which he lived, and Officer Heggie learned of Elliott's whereabouts and captured him.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
4 PALMYRA
November 16,1878--A shooting scrape occurred last Sunday at the house of Miss Sivels on Scarce Grease Branch. It seems from what we can learn that a row was raised and Hardin Bradley shot Jim Wynn, the shooting taking effect in his arm, making a slight but painful wound.
Bradley, who was arrested the next day, was tried before Squire Wilson and bound over to the court. (This branch is off Benton Ridge Road)
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
5 DISTRICT 19
January 26, 1932--Robert Elrod of District 19 was fined $18.00 including cost by Bowman S. Meriwether, Justice of the Peace, Monday on a charge of assault and battery Friday night upon McCormack Suggs, farmer of the same district.
Suggs swore to a warrant for the arrest of Elrod after he said Elrod beat him over the head with a rock and manhandled him when he was returning from a meeting at the Union School House when the Eastern Dark Fired Tobacco Association contract was explained to a number of growers. He said Elrod had it in for him ever since a number of months ago when he quarreled with Elrod for the manner if which the latter cut his hair.
Suggs said Elrod accused him of calling him a vile name and talking about him and he said he responded "you are not worth talking about." Then he claimed Elrod leaped of him. The fight occurred near Suggs' home.
Elrod admitted to fighting with Suggs, but said Suggs had been talking about him. He was represented by W.R. Fain Jr., while Suggs was represented by G.B. Lyle.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
6 HAMPTON STATION
September 15,1931--Warrants charging assault and battery with a gun, driving a car while intoxicated, disorderly conduct have been issued against Gracey Appleton, Southside resident, as a result of a disorder on the home of Tom Willoughby near Hampton Station Monday night.
Appleton was alleged to have been disturbing on Willoughby's home and Constable Julius Stanley was summoned to arrest him. Appleton is said to have drawn a shotgun on Stanley and compelled him to leave the place.
From: Clarksville Tobacco Leaf
7 HACKBERRY
November 19,1873--An old grudge between William Lane and John Dawson at Mt. Vernon Furnace culminated last Wednesday, 12th inst., in a rather serious affair. Lane fired three shots at Dawson, the last one taking effect, passing through Dawson's right lung. Tom Murphy, a brother-in-law of Dawson, was deputized by the magistrate in the neighborhood to arrest Lane, who fled from the scene of action. Murphy went in search of Lane at several places and in the rounds, searched the premises of William Thompson, a collier at the Mt. Vernon works. Failing to find Lane, some words occurred between Thompson and Murphy, the latter finally leaving, making some threats. After night, Murphy returned to Thompson's, and demanded the door be opened. Thompson refused, telling him that Lane was not there; whereupon Murphy broke the door down and entered, when Thompson struck him in the forehead just below the hair with a hatchet, breaking the skull in, depressing the brain, and a second blow inflicting a severe gash on the back of the head.
Dr. Ussery and Dr. Eldridge were called in to see to the wounded men. Murphy's case required a very skillful surgical operation, which they performed and both parties are doing well with fair prospect of recovery.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
8 DISTRICT 17
May 5,1941--Verile Lee Vance, 33, of the 17th District, was allegedly caught making whiskey in a still described by officers as little more than a cooking utensil, was scheduled to face U.S. Commissioner W.B. Corlew for arraignment at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon.
Vance was charged on a federal warrant with owning and operating an unregistered still and possessing unstamped liquor, after officers said they raided the small outfit at the edge of the woods near his home Saturday. They said Vance was in the act of making a run on the small ten-gallon capacity still at the time, and had made a gallon and a half of whiskey. That was confiscated along with four barrels of mash.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
9 LONE OAK
August 15,1923--Preliminary hearing was set at 1:30 today for Robert Lyle, Negro, who was arrested near Lone Oak this morning, charged with assault and battery, sworn out by his brother, Henry Lyle. The warrant charged that the prosecutor and his son Herbert Lyle, had been driven out of their own woods by Robert Lyle who used Henry Lyle's ax and his own knife. Bob Lyle does not deny the charges. It is claimed that the assault came as a result of a dispute over Bob Lyle and his children taking stove wood out of Henry Lyle's woods. Practically all of Henry Lyle's clothing was cut off in the attack but no cuts received.
August 17,1923--A fine of $5.00 and costs was imposed on Bob Lyle charged with assault and battery with a knife and an ax on his brother, Henry Lyle.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
10
DISTRICT 13
June 13,1933--Clarence Byard, about 42, resident of District 13, was lodged in the county jail Monday afternoon by Deputy Sheriff Tom E. Huggins, and Gracey Cotton is at home suffering from a pistol wound in his cheek as a result of an altercation Sunday night at Brodie's Filling Station on old 13 and 48.
Byard is charged with assault and battery with a revolver. Hearing has not yet been set.
Cotton told Deputy Huggins that Byard shot him during an argument when he went to him a second time Sunday night to purchase liquor. One bullet grazed the side of his skull and the other lodged in the cheek.
Genie O'Neal, Negro, said he heard the shooting when he had gone into the filling station to buy some peanuts. He hurried out and found Cotton wounded. O'Neal conveyed him home. Cotton was not believed to be critically wounded.
July 28,1933--The criminal court returned a verdict of guilty against Clarence Byard, District 13 resident, giving him a sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days in the workhouse and a fine of $100.00 Byard was found guilty of shooting Gracey Cotton with intent to kill. The testimony was conflicting in a number of details. Several of the witnesses admitted that they had been arrested and served sentences.
Witnesses for Cotton said that he did not appear to be drunk when seen after the shooting. Cotton said that he bought whiskey from Byard that afternoon and had gone back to get more whiskey when the shooting occurred. He claimed that he met Byard some distance at the back of the station and asked for whiskey. Byard refused, and according to Cotton's testimony, he called him a liar and at that, Byard began firing at him.
Witnesses for Byard said that someone came to the back door of the Brodie Filling Station located at the intersection of 48 and old 13 and knocked violently on the door. Byard rushed to the door with his pistol and as he opened the door, someone struck at him with a large stick. Byard then struck at the man with his pistol, his gun striking the man, he stated. Then as soon as he could he fired three times at the man, who fled without making any noise except the sound made while running.
Byard said that he did not know that he had hit anyone until the next day. Byard pleaded self-defense of his property.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
11 PALMYRA
January 19,1933--Making, according to Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont, who with Deputy T.E. Huggins arrested him, a complete confession to the robbery and slaying Sunday night of Kleeman Hughes, 34-year-old partially paralyzed farmer of the Palmyra community, John Robert Davenport, 27, was jailed here this morning without bond.
Davenport, captured about 3:30 a.m. today by the weary sheriff and deputy on a road on the edge of Houston County a short distance from the Montgomery County line, admitted in route to Clarksville, according to the sheriff, that he beat Hughes down with a stick he had cut in the woods near the Hughes home, took $38.00 from a purse in his trousers pocket and left him dying on the roadside.
The deed completed, Davenport went to Nashville where he paid $25.00 for a secondhand Ford Coupe in which he returned to this section early Monday night. From this city, he went to Houston County to accompany a woman who had been with him part of the time since the robbery and slaying of Hughes.
We suspected Davenport in our first investigation of the case Sunday night and had since been on his trail constantly.
When placed under arrest, the sheriff had not mentioned the killing nor had he said a word to Davenport until he arrived at the scene of the crime. Stopping his car Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont asked the prisoner "who used a mailbox directly in front of them?" Davenport replied he believed it belonged to the widow Hughes. "Isn't that Kleeman Hughes' mailbox?" the officer suddenly asked, and Davenport replied that the officer was trying to frame him. Confronted with proof he had gathered after tireless investigations the prisoner declared, "You know too much, I'll just tell you the whole thing."
He then related the circumstances leading up to the murder. He said he did not mean to kill Hughes but after he had struck him, the victim cried out. He hit him again to silence him, and said he must have struck him harder than he intended.
Davenport confessed before W.B. Corlew, Justice of the Peace, his reason for killing: "the depression and his desire to buy an automobile". He will be formally charged with murder in the first degree.
Davenport had only a few cents of money in his possession when arrested this morning. He had a bill of sale for the automobile he purchased in Nashville.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
April 24,1933--Submitting a plea of guilty, John Robert Davenport, about 25, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the criminal court jury today for the murder of Kleeman Hughes, aged 40, paralytic farmer of near Palmyra. Davenport gave three reasons why he "pulled this job." He had gathered ideas of high living, wanted an automobile, and wanted to get married. The defendant told the officers that he walked the railroad from Clarksville to Corbandale on January 15th of this year, the day he committed the crime. He then walked across a field where he cut the sassafras stick with which he struck Hughes. The stick, about 3 1/2 feet long and rough, was exhibited in court this morning. When he arrived at Hughes' farm, he met a Negro who engaged him in conversation. Then he went to the gate to wait for Hughes. It was about 8 o'clock Sunday night when Hughes returning home from church arrived. He first struck him with the intention of knocking Hughes unconscious so that he could rob him, he stated. He said that Hughes "hollered" and he struck him with more force the second time but did not intend to kill him.
Then, he went through Hughes pockets and removed $38.00, which he carried with him. Davenport went to Nashville and bought a car for $25.00. This car was given to Mr. Hughes' family by the officers. The court tried the case in less than two hours and the jury reached a decision of life imprisonment in about ten minutes.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
12 DISTRICT 19
July 17,1923--Two young men, Andrew Pulley and Frank Powell, have furnished bonds before Marable McFall, Justice of the Peace of District 19, for their appearance at a preliminary hearing now set for July 28 in connection with charges lodged against them as a result of a cutting and disorderly affair Saturday night a short distance from the Central Church in District 19.
William Vaughn, about 20 years of age, son of Riley Vaughn, is in serious condition from wounds alleged to have been inflicted by Pulley during the trouble which followed an ice cream supper at the church. The men, it seems, were engaged in an argument regarding their attention to some girls at the supper and according to Joe Stalls, Deputy Sheriff at Palmyra, who arrested Pulley and Powell, both the defendants made battle on Vaughn. There is said to be a grudge of long standing between Vaughn and Pulley, which is believed to have contributed to the trouble.
Pulley is charged with assault and battery with a knife with intent to commit murder and charges of unlawfully carrying a pistol and disorderly conduct were brought against Powell. Vaughn suffered from a four inch knife wound across his left breast.
July 30,1923--Andrew Pulley and William Vaughn were held to the state on charges of assault and battery with intent to commit murder at the preliminary hearing at Sailor's Rest before G.W. Dinsmore and Marable McFall, Justices of the Peace. A coincidence in connection with the trial was the arrest of the prosecutor Vaughn on a warrant sworn out at the outset of the trial by Pulley, who charged Vaughn with assaulting him with a rock which he said caused him to cut Vaughn.
Charges against Frank Powell were dismissed.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
13 LOUISE
January 11,1937--Five hours after he was charged with having stolen the 1931 Model Ford Coupe belonging to Boyd Dillard from in front of Mrs. Lee Chester's Roadhouse on Highway 48 Saturday afternoon, Dillon Baggett of the Louise community was arrested by Deputy Sheriff J.A. Rinehart. The auto, its front bumper, radiator, and hood badly bent up was found where it had been abandoned on the creek bank some 300 yards from Baggett's home.
Baggett, according to the officer, did not deny riding to his home in the car, but he claimed he did not remember whether he had driven it there or not.
Deputy Rinehart said he was also investigating a 'tip' that Baggett was drunk at the time the car was taken, and that a second count of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquors may also be brought against him.
Mr. Dillard had left the switch key in the lock.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
14 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
November 9,1918--Henry Whitlow and Ruth Meeks, meat sellers of District 13, having partaken of 'Joy Water' yesterday, took Commerce Street for a speedway in the afternoon and in their hilarious ride down the hill, crashed in the jail yard, tearing their meat wagon to pieces, crippling the horse, and bruising their own anatomies considerably. Deputy Sheriff Johnson happened on the scene just as the wreck occurred and with humanitarian aims gave each a nice bed and cell in the jail. Considering their celebration incomplete without some fireworks, they proceeded to tear up their bedding and set fire to it with some matches that had escaped the eagle eye of the jailer. The hose was turned on their cells and the fire put out before either celebrant was scorched. Taken before Squire Smith this morning, the magistrate furnished the 'set pieces' for their desired fireworks by fining each a sum amounting with cost to $26.00.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
15 ANTIOCH
January 20,1913--The skeleton of a man in summer clothing was discovered in a dense woods near Hackberry Thursday night by a crowd of opossum hunters headed by Johnson Yarbrough. The young hunters were frightened by the ghastly sight and did not make an investigation until Friday.
An examination next day showed that all the flesh was decayed except part of one foot which was protected by a shoe, and that possibly two years had elapsed since death. From the dried fragment of flesh in the shoe, it was ascertained the man was white. The sum of $1.61 was found in the pockets, a small collapsible drinking cup, a memorandum book without entries, compliments of McEwen Bank of McEwen, Tennessee, in it two ticket coupons from tickets bought at Clarksville and Cumberland City. Nearby gold-rimmed spectacles were found. The teeth indicated a person of middle age. No signs of violence or robbery and who he was and how the remains came there are mysteries. Found on a hillside in a dense woods about two miles from Hackberry and half a mile from Antioch Church.
Squire Matthew Sanders was notified and after holding an inquest, had the bones and clothing put in a box and buried.
During the first week in August, Ed Bagwell, who was cultivating a field of tobacco within twenty yards of the spot where the skeleton was found, saw many buzzards flying over the spot.
January 23,1913--The skeleton found near Antioch Church last Thursday night, is thought to be a Mr. James C. Bunnell.
On July 29 Mr. Bunnell of Clarksville disappeared. On that day a carnival company was setting up its shows on the Public Square. Mr. Bunnell came uptown and as late as noon was seen at the corner of Franklin and Second Street at the Northern Bank. Since then, he has never been seen nor heard from.
The skeleton found was about the size of Mr. Bunnell. Mr. Bunnell had a brother, Dolph Bunnell living at McEwen. He also had a nephew connected at that time with the Bank of McEwen. In the pockets of the coat was found a memorandum book marked 'compliments of Bank of McEwen, McEwen, Tennessee'.
When Mr. Bunnell left home on the morning of July 29, he wore a pair of low tan shoes. The shoes found on the skeleton were also of that pattern. He also used eye glasses and at all times carried a pair with him. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses were found near the skeleton.
Relatives have been notified of the find and Mr. Blake Bunnell of Erin and Lee Orrell of Clarksville will go to Hackberry tomorrow and endeavor to identify the remains.
Mr. Bunnell wore a black hat when he disappeared, but the hat found was brown; it may have faded.
January 20,1913--Two and a half years ago Morris Minor of District 19 disappeared during the summer. After he had been gone for several days, relatives became alarmed and formed a search. He walked away from home and was seen by railroad section men and others coming toward Clarksville but at Hematite all trace of him was lost. He was never seen nor heard from again.
It is only a few miles from Hematite to where the skeleton was found. Minor was a middle-age man, nearsighted and wore glasses all the time. The skeleton matches a man of his stature. He frequently traveled on the L & N Railroad between Cumberland City and Clarksville and would likely have the ticket coupons in his pockets.
January 23,1913--Mr. Albert Minor, a brother, was accompanied from Hackberry by Mr. H.T. Hodges to the spot where the remains of a human skeleton were buried. When the teeth and skull were shown him, Mr. Minor almost instantly declared that it was not that of his brother.
The human skeleton was found by possum hunters near Hematite last Thursday night.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
16 PALMYRA
September 18,1909--In the Chancery Court Judge Stout rendered a decree granting a divorce to Mrs. Tommie Harvey Wickham from her husband, Walter Wickham. This case created much interest on account of the youth of the bride who is now in her fourteenth year, and has been married nearly two years. Wickham is a widower with several children and is about 45 years old.
From:Daily Leaf-Chronicle
17 HACKBERRY
November 20, 1896--Reports of doings of White-Cappers comes from the 18th District of the county.
Several nights ago two unknown men went to the home of James Kelly, a planter living on what is known as Goolinghorn Branch, and called him to the door, when he was shot at several times, one of the bullets grazing his right temple and another passing through the lower part of his vest. The regulators ran before they were discovered.
A night or two after the above occurrence, regulators visited Nick Lyle's home in the same district, and after calling Lyle and several farm hands to the door, they began a regular fusillade. A bullet passed through the clothing of one of the farm hands but nobody was wounded. The regulators fled.
From:Tennessee Watchman
18 MORE COUNTERFEITS!!!
February 9,1821--Counterfeit 2 dollar notes on the Branch Bank of the State of Tennessee at Clarksville, have made their appearence in circulation, purporting to have been engraved by Murray, Draper, Fairman, & Co. with their names on the bottom of the note, encompassed in a nice border and also purporting to be signed by Hu. L. White, Pres. and Luke Lea, Cashier executed with tolerable skill, though much rougher and paler than the genuine notes; the paper is something inferior to that on which the genuine notes are engraved and written-but the writing of the plate, as also the end borders, are so nicely and well imitated as to defy detection. Those that hve made their appearance, are of letter X payable to J. Hoston instead of J.H. Poston, dated May 17,1815, No.5189; the other letter Z payable to J.H. Poston, No.1646, dated Jan.4,1817. There is a criterion by which the base notes can be detected, (by reference to a genuine note) at the top on the right and left hand, the word "TWO" is environed with nice borders-on them the flower border is always to be found on the righthand and the smooth border on the left; the case with the counterfeits are precisely different-the flower border is always to be found on the left and the curve line around the word "of" in the beginning of the style of the Bank on the base notes is more than double as heavy as that around the same word on genuine notes. To the genuine notes the number is in small roman letters, the counterfeit has a large capital "N" in copperplate hand without any letter "o" at the end.
From: Clarksville Semi-Weekly Tobacco Leaf
19 ESCAPED
January 31,1890--William Carter, col., sent to the penitentiary from this county in December,’88 for mule stealing, his sentence being for four years, escaped from that institution soon after Christmas. Last Saturday Sheriff Charles W. Staton was informed that he was living near Palmyra, going by the name of William Hensley, and went down there for him, but he left the neighborhood a day previous.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
20 SHILOH
March 17, 1913--A runaway wedding which resulted in a pitched revolver battle took place at Shiloh in this county Sunday evening. The groom received a bullet in the head said to have been been used by Wash Mitchell, also of Shiloh vicinity.
Burl Allen, who is a thrifty young person of that section, and Miss Lola Sykes were married yesterday by Esquire H.E. Allen, member and Chaplain of the Montgomery County Quarterly Court and brother of the groom. After the ceremony, the couple, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Cleve Allen, went to Palmyra to take a train. At the depot, they were overtaken by the bride's father, John Sykes, accompanied by Wash Mitchell and the shooting followed.
Mitchell, it is said, claimed he was deputized to arrest Allen. After his wounds were dressed, Gus Carver, a Deputy Sheriff at Palmyra, brought him to Clarksville this morning. It is claimed no warrant ever was sworn out for him and he was released. It is understood a warrant has been sworn out for Mitchell, who it is now claimed, is posing as an officer without authority.
Allen's statement said Mitchell fired in his face.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
21 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
February 24, 1913--John and William Chadwick, sons of J.H. Chadwick of District 13, are mixed up in a shooting affray in Stringtown Saturday night in which Burnis Suitor lost his life and Douglas Suiter was wounded; today they waived a preliminary hearing and will await action of Criminal Court. Both young men are in jail. It is understood they will make a plea of self-defense when the case comes to trial. They all attended a dance at the home of Jesse Byard. During the evening a row took place and the Chadwicks left. It is claimed that when only a short distance away from the Byard residence, they were come upon by Burnis, Douglas and Cleveland Suiter, and the shooting took place. The bullet that killed Burnis Suiter struck just below his heart. Douglas Suiter was shot through the left knee, sustaining a serious wound. The Chadwick boys proceeded to their home and awaited the sheriff, who had been notified by telephone. The body of Burnis Suiter was buried at Macedonia Church Sunday afternoon after funeral services at the home of William Suiter by Rev. Mr. Hensley.
Antioch Cemetery
From: Daily Leaf-Chronicle
22 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
July 31, 1923--The probable use of bloodhounds in an effort to run down thieves who Monday night broke into and robbed James Black's general store in the old Fambrough stand in Stringtown, District 13, was considered early this morning by Sheriff Oscar Johnson upon request of one of Black's sons who notified the sheriff of the robbery.
The prizes, consisting of pocket knives, watches, etc., on a punchboard, were taken together with an undetermined amount of money from the cash drawer and a quantity of merchandise. Officers investigated the robbery during the day.
The robbers entered the store through a window and it was discovered this morning when the store was opened.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
23 PALMYRA
March 25, 1913--Another tragedy reported from near Palmyra. In this instance, two hearts which would flutter as one and an irate father were the main makings of the play.
Miss Heallon Speakman, 14, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. U.S. Speakman, is the young lady. John Floyd, a stalwart young fellow who has just attained his majority and a neighbor to the Speakman's, fell head over heels in love wih this winsome little Miss. It was one of those life or death cases and meant everything to him.
Columbus Hall, kindhearted uncle of Miss Speakman, consented to assist young Floyd in securing his license and did so, going on bond.
At the last minute and when the happy couple was on the point of eloping to a minister, Father Speakman got wind of what was transpiring and promptly forthwith and at that identical moment went on the warpath. Before the young lady left her home, her father appeared with a warrant and had Floyd and Mr. Hall arrested, charged with perjury and falsifying to the County Clerk about the girl's age.
Both men were given a hearing before Squire Joe Corban and bound over to the Grand Jury. Hall furnished $1,000 bond and was released, but the would-be groom was not so fortunate and was put in jail where he languishes awaiting the slow approach of the next Grand Jury.
From: Daily Leaf-Chronicle
24 LOUISE
July 23, 1923--Deputy Sheriff Joe Stalls and J.B. Hussey, bloodhound owner of Erin, were unsuccessful in their efforts Sunday to trail robbers who entered the store of Sam Harris at Louise Saturday night and looted Davis' cash drawer and the stamp drawer in the post office of between $10 to $16 in cash.
The dogs struck the trail at the store and kept on it in and out of creeks for a distance of about a mile but finally lost the scent. About $8 or $9 was secured from the post office drawer and about $7 from the store cash drawer. The thieves forced an entrance through the back door of the store.
Sheriff Oscar Johnson was notified and ordered the bloodhounds sent to Palmyra, where Deputy Stalls joined with the owner in the search.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
25 LOUISE
July 31, 1913--Joe Poole struck John Schmittou on the head with a table leg at Louise Tuesday inflicting a severe wound. Schmittou is a youth. They met in a store at Louise and Poole, it is said, offered indignities which the boy resented. When he did, Poole picked up a leg off a new table, which was part of the store's stock, and struck him a heavy blow. He was rendered unconscious by the lick and has since suffered several hemorrhages from the ears and nose. Poole was arrested and put under bond.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
26 MT. ZION
October 21, 1933--T.W. Blackford, groceryman of the Mt. Zion Community near Lone Oak, returned to his home last night with a strange kidnapping story. He was held captive for two weeks by two men who accosted him in Nashville. They forced him to drive them through Florida and return.
Blackford was able Friday morning to effect his escape in Chattanooga when the two men left him alone for the first time. He stated that they entered a restaurant to get breakfast and left him alone in the car. When they left, he started for home. The kidnappers were known as George and Sam.
From: Daily Leaf-Chronicle
27 HACKBERRY
July 14, 1923--A number of barrels, a kiln, and other paraphenalia used in connection with the operation of a still were destroyed late Friday afternoon by Sheriff Oscar Johnson, Deputies Herschel Walker and Joe Stalls, and Constable J.R. Harper, near the Oakridge Schoolhouse on the Districts 18 & 20 line. According to the Sheriff, there was evidence that the still had been in operation on the site about a week ago.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
28 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
December 11, 1899--Saturday night during a crap game a difference arose between Mike Ward and Charley Arms. Ward went for his shotgun and when he returned with it, Arms took it away from him and broke it across his head, knocking him down.
Ward claims that he grabbed a stone as he fell, and jumping to his feet as Arms started away, threw the stone at him, striking Arms in the back of the head.
Arms is also wounded in the hand, as he alleges, by a pistol ball. Arms, it is understood, claims that the pistol doing the shooting was held by Walker Ward, Mike's son, and that the stone which hit him in the back of the head was thrown by John Wolard. Two shots were fired.
After the fracas was over, S. B. Arms, father of Charley, notified the officers. Sheriff A.C. Stafford and Deputy G.L. Welker investigated, but are making no arrests at this time. This morning the Wards and Wolard came and gave themselves up. They will waive an examining trial and give bond for their appearance at Criminal Court.
From: Progress-Democrat
29 HEMATITE
September 7, 1892--News of a robbery at Hematite on the Clarksville Mineral Railroad has been received here. Frank Shean is the L & N agent at this place and a day or two ago he left his office for a short while, going down to a creek nearby to bathe. When he went out he noticed a yellow, cock-eyed negro seated on the platform, but thought nothing of his presence. Upon returning to the office in a short while, Mr. Shean found that the place had been broken into, his gun had been taken from its accustomed place and his trunk was missing, while the yellow negro had disappeared.
Upon searching the surrounding woods, Mr. Shean found his trunk but it had been broken into, a perfectly new suit of clothes that had never been worn was gone as was also $50 in cash. No arrests had been made at last account nor can any definite clue be found as to the guilty party. Suspicion points to the cock-eyed mulatto, but who he is or where he is Mr. Shean does not know.
Mr. Shean was formerly L & N agent at the Princeton Junction near Clarksville, is well-known in this city and his loss is regretted by many friends and acquaintances.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
30 PALMYRA
November 28, 1914--Sheriff Welker returned last night from Palmyra, where he went in answer to the notice given him of the burglary of the Post Office. He states that he made a close investigation of the house and all papers, etc. on the floor, but failed to find anything that would give him a clue to act upon. The care used to cover up the tracks, said Mr. Welker, indicates the robbers were no amateurs but evidently professionals who understand their business thoroughly.
From: Clarksville Chronicle
31 CORBANDALE
October 30, 1875--A negro named Jasper Butler shot and killed another named William Scott near here last Tuesday. From the evidence given at the inquest, Butler was at Pete Eldridge's in bed, and Scott came up and inquired for Butler; on being told he was in a house a few steps off, Scott said he was going to kill him, got Pete's gun and started for him. Butler, hearing the threats, got his pistol and stepped to the door, when Scott fired at him, the shot taking effect in the door facing; Butler fired two shots at Scott, both taking effect and killing him. Butler went and gave himself up to Esquire Elliott, who summoned a jury and held an inquest on the body yesterday morning. The verdict was "killed in self-defense". They made Butler dig the grave and help bury Scott. These two negroes came from Alabama last year and were thought to be bad characters.
November 6,1875--The report of the Butler-Scott murder that I sent last week was correct so far as known then, but a very different light has been thrown on it since. The Negroes, Pete, Letha and Violet Eldridge and Hester Street were implicated with Jasper Butler and all arraigned and tried before Esquire Elliot and found guilty of murder in the 1st degree and sent to jail today. Mrs. Sivels, the main witness, was present at the time of the murder and testified that it was premeditated and cold blooded. The jury of inquest did not know this fact. The evidence the prisoners gave which I reported to you was all false. It was given to hide their guilt. There are 18 or 20 witnesses in the case and the outrageous deed caused a great deal of excitement in this neighborhood.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
32 SOUTHSIDE
November 22, 1937--A $5 fine and a reprimand was administered Saturday afternoon by General Sessions Judge Ridley Goodpasture to Miss Dollie Harvey, 34-year-old resident of Southside Community, who was charged with whipping her mother, Mrs. Will Harvey, about 70.
The daughter said she resented an insinuation by her mother that she had "stolen" articles which were misplaced during laundering. The other said her daughter whipped her with some buckberry bushes and then struck her on the arm with an iron poker.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
33 GOOLINGHORN
May 10,1907--C.S. Wickham was arrested last night for being drunk and disorderly, and fined $20 in the city court this morning. Wickham came to Clarksville from his home in the country and loaded up on mean whiskey. He became very disorderly, and at a late hour last night he was arrested in the eastern part of the city by Lieut. Alsbrooks. He resisted and acted boisterously on the way to the station, waking up many residents. During the mix-up, Officer Alsbrooks was struck on the head several times by Wickham. This morning he claimed his mind was a complete blank about his lark and he said he remembered nothing about it. But for the fact that Wickham has borne a good reputation and was under the influence of liquor he would have been given the limit in the city court.
From: Clarksville Weekly Chronicle
34 BREAK-IN
May 24,1873--Some persons or person broke into the kitchen of H.P. Dorris on the Charlotte Pike last Wednesday night and carried off a barrel of meal, a lot of soap, coffee, buckets, etc. To save the family some trouble, they also milked the cow before leaving.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
35 PALMYRA
July 24,1933--Will Turner, Palmyra Ferryman, was held to the state over a $250 bond as a result of stabbing Wiley Divasier at Palmyra Saturday night following an argument. The hearing was held before Squire W.B. Corlew. Divasier was not seriously hurt it was said. Both men were alleged to have been drunk when the trouble occurred.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
36 HACKBERRY
January 22,1932--Tom Mixon, District 18 farmer, was held to the state under a $250 bond by W.B. Corlew, Justice of Peace, this morning on a charge of possession and transporting of a quart and a pint of liquor. Mixon’s arrest resulted from a raid on the home of Teamont Eads, also of District 18, Tuesday by Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont and Deputy Sheriff Tom Huggins.
A small still was discovered in the Eads home with a quart of liquor. Eads was arrested and pleaded guilty Thursday before Magistrate Corlew and was held to the state under bonds of $250 each for possession of liquor and owning and operating a still.
Mixon was implicated by Eades, who alleged that Mixon had been aiding him in the manufacture of the liquor. A warrant was served for the arrest of Mixon then and this morning he pled guilty to the charges.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
37 LONE OAK
September 5,1930--Shot through the abdomen during a quarrel in Lone Oak this morning, Douglas Akin, 19-year-old farmer, died at 9:45 this morning at Clarksville Hospital to which he was conveyed immediately after the tragedy.
Joe Castleberry, Lone Oak Blacksmith, alleged to have been the slayer, is in the county jail here to which he was conveyed by Dr. H.C. Guerin, Slayden Physician. He faces a first degree murder charge before W.B. Corlew, Justice of the Peace. Date for the hearing has not been set.
The shooting was said to have grown out of an argument in which the two men engaged about 8:30 this morning. The victim was standing on the front porch of Morgan Brothers, Lone Oak Merchants, when Castleberry approached him from his blacksmith shop across the road.
An eyewitness, Nolen Poole, stated that Castleberry had dared Akin to follow him to his shop. Poole said that Castleberry came out of his shop, armed with a revolver, and began firing at Akin. The witness estimated the blacksmith fired five times. Akin reeled and fell on his face.
The stricken man then arose and walked several yards, with his hands pressed to the wound. Meeting Poole, who had started towards him, Akin asked that he convey him to his wife, Mrs. Jennie Pritchett Akin.
Poole started for his car, but when he returned in it, Percy Morgan had the wounded man is his car ready to convey him to the hospital. This was the last time Poole saw Akin alive.
Castleberry left the scene walking, it was said, after having stated he was going to surrender to Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont. Castleberry was given a ride to Clarksville by Dr. Guerin.
Among the eyewitnesses of the shooting were Herman Huggins, Barney Underwood, and Cecil Pritchett.
September 6,1930--Preliminary hearing for Joe Castleberry, 48-year-old Lone Oak blacksmith, charged with first degree murder in connection with the slaying Friday morning of Douglas Akin, is tentatively set for 10:00 Tuesday morning September 9, it was announced today.
H.B. Stout of the local bar has been retained by Castleberry as counsel. Castleberry remained in jail today, denied bond on the first degree murder charge.
The slaying took place at Lone Oak between Castleberry’s Blacksmith Shop and the general store of Morgan Brothers. Castleberry obtained his .32 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol from his blacksmith shop and shot Akin through and through.
Castleberry rode to Clarksville with Dr. H.C. Guerin of Slayden, and surrendered at the County Jail while Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont was at Lone Oak investigating the circumstances of the killing. “I had no fear of Castleberry becoming a fugitive” said the sheriff, “believing he would come to town to surrender or wait somewhere for me. I merely went to Lone Oak for a preliminary investigation of the case.”
Sept.9,1930--Ruling that the proof introduced by the state warranted his holding the defendant for further investigation and that the plea of defense counsel for bail was insufficient for him to act on, W.B. Corlew, Twelfth District Justice of Peace, this afternoon bound the charge of first degree murder against Joe Castleberry, Lone Oak Blacksmith, over to the grand jury and remanded him to jail without bond. “I will leave the decision as to bail to County Judge John Talley Cunningham” said the magistrate. (NOTE: Castleberry was later granted liberty under a $3,000 bond)
October 9,1931--With a jury empanelled at 10:45 a.m. the trial of Joe Castleberry got under way at 11:00 a.m. today.
The white-haired defendant pleaded not guilty to the indictment read by Attorney General Matt G. Lyle.
The first witness to take the stand was Mr. A.L. Akin, who said he is the father of sixteen children. Douglas Akin, he said, was married and the father of one child. The witness was chiefly used to establish the fact that Douglas Akin was slain and that the homicide occurred at Lone Oak in Montgomery County.
The second witness was Lynwood Tarpley. Mr. Tarpley, undertaker, said he sealed four wounds, three in the back and one in the right side.
The twelve men who are trying Castleberrry are:
F.M. Tanner, C.M. Blanks, Hugh Holt, J.B. Tucker, A.L. Stanley, J.C. Loggins, Hicks Polk, Lonnie Hogue, H.G. Heflin, J.L. Holt, E.S. Nicholson, and Floyd Swift.
Oct.20,1931-- Eight witnesses Monday afternoon testified they saw Joe Castleberry, Lone Oak blacksmith, shoot Douglas Akin on the morning of Sept.5,1930, and the number of shots fired varied from three to six. All said Akin was standing in the county road leading by Castleberry’s shop when Castleberry came out of the shop and began firing.
Oct.23,1931--Joe Castleberry was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the shooting to death of Douglas Akin. It was understood that the jury reached a verdict easily. Not a single juror was for first degree murder and the electric chair and not a single one was for acquittal.
Dec.18,1931--Joe Castleberry, on December 7, entered the state prison at Nashville voluntarily to begin his sentence. He took his own commitment prayers, preferring not to make an appeal and to enter the prison with out being escorted by transportation officers.
From: Clarksville Semi-Weekly Tobacco Leaf
38 DISTRICT 16
George Talley kills Dr. Brake
November 23,1888--Montgomery and Dickson Counties have never been joined in a deeper tragedy than that enacted at Woods Valley, Dickson County, last Monday evening, the slayer being a resident of this county, and the slain of Dickson County.
Dr. James G. Brake was a physician of that neighborhood. He was 34 years old, a bachelor, a good physician, stood well in his community, and was highly regarded. He was George Talley’s family physician and as such frequently visited his house.
In Talley’s family was a daughter, Miss Ella, 15 years of age, whom Dr. Brake visited professionally and treated last spring and summer. Recently, she was discovered to be enceinte, and she stated that Dr. Brake was the author of her shame, he having accomplished her ruin while attending on her. Last week Dr. Brake was sent for by Mr. Talley. When he reached his house he was ushered into a room in which were Mr. and Mrs. Talley and their daughter. The young woman charged him with her ruin. He did not deny the charge the Talleys say, but asked for time in which to consider the situation. Mr. Talley gave him five days in which to make restitution by marrying his daughter or after that take the consequences. On Saturday, Mr. Talley was in Clarksville and while here, obtained license for the marriage of Dr. Brake and his daughter, Miss Ella.
On Sunday, Lafayette Grigsby of the Charlotte bar, visited the Talley home, commissioned to act for Dr. Brake and to obtain the best compromise of the case possible. Mr. Talley was not at home and Mr. Grigsby’s visit resulted in nothing. On Monday the five days given by Talley to Brake expired.
November 23,1888--Dr. Brake lived on his own place at Woods Valley with the family of Wiley Slayden, who looked after his farm and mill. This is six miles from George Talley’s and eight miles from Charlotte. At dark Monday evening Dr. Brake returned from Charlotte. He had put his horse in the stable and fed him and had been at the house only a few minutes when the furious barking of Slayden’s dog attracted attention. Mr. Slayden and the Doctor went out towards the barn to see what was the matter, the former carrying a lantern. Just as they reached the gate between the stable lot and the yard a shot was fired and Brake fell. Slayden retreated, recognizing Talley. Another shot was fired into Brake’s prostrate body, and to make assurance doubly sure his assailant clubbed him brutally with his gun, killing him instantly.
Talley got on his horse and came to Clarksville, arriving here at an early hour Tuesday morning. He at once told what he had done and why he did it, making no effort to conceal anything. On Wednesday, Sheriff Grigsby, of Dickson County, came here after him. He surrendered to the Sheriff Wednesday and yesterday Sheriff Grigsby, Sheriff C.W. Staton, and others carried him to Charlotte for trial.
George Talley is about 50 years old. He is a poor man, though a good citizen and is respected and well connected in this and Dickson Counties. He claims only to have done what every other true man would do-shoot the despoiler of his home on failing to make what restitution was in his power. On the other hand, the friends of Dr. Brake, who also stood well in the community, claim that whatever connection he may have had with the poor, unfortunate girl, there were others implicated and circumstances did not justify his death. It is a terrible affair either way.
The body of Dr. James G. Brake was brought to Clarksville Wednesday evening and shipped to Goodlettsville, Davidson County, yesterday for interment.
November 27,1888--George Talley was brought to Clarksville Saturday and gave bond in the sum of $15,000 for his appearance at the next term of circuit court to be held in March. His bondsmen were John Talley and E.W. Cunningham, W.B. Dunlop, A.H. Abernathy, and G.T. Cunningham. The grand jury of Dickson County has indicted Talley for murder in the first degree.
July 27,1891---George Talley was acquitted at Charlotte Saturday of the murder of Dr. J.G. Brake over two years ago, the details of which are familiar to the public. The jury was out only a few minutes before the verdict was reached. The case has been closely contested, this being the third trial, and the first and second ones resulting in a hung jury. George Talley is buried in Talley-Abernathy Cemetery on Green Lane.
From: Clarksville Star
39 DISTRICT 20
July 1,1924--In the preliminary hearing Saturday afternoon before Wiley J. Smith, Justice of the Peace, Hillman Heggie, District 20 farmer, was held to the state on charges of owning and operating a still.
Heggie was arrested Thursday afternoon by Deputy Sheriffs Joe Stalls and T.B. Rawlings on his farm and is said to admit joint ownership and operation of the still. Between 300 and 400 gallons of mash were found near the still
From: Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle
40 PALMYRA
August 10,1908--Sunday night between 1 and 2 A.M. a group of 50 to 60 masked men came into Palmyra in search of a man by the name of William O'Neal of Drakesboro, Ky, representing himself as an insurance agent.
There are two roads leading to the direction of Shiloh over which telephone wires are strung. The wires were cut on both roads before the party arrived in town. Upon their arrival, they went to the telephone exchange where they found the door unlocked, and entering, they covered the operator, F.N. Gleaves, who was asleep, with guns in the hands of 4 men. He was ordered to put on his shoes, when they took him down to a bridge about 500 yards distant, holding him about 30 minutes during which time the hotel was searched for this man, O'Neal. The latter, however, had left in the direction of Clarksville on the 7 P.M. train the previous evening.
Some of the men were on foot and others on horseback. They came down the two hollows that led into the town. The man for whom they had been hunting had been in Palmyra for several days and had spent a good deal of his time about the store of Isham Davis. The man was thought, it seems, to be a detective.
From: The Clarksville Star
41 HEMATITE
August 15,1924--The Ford touring car belonging to Lucian H. Wyatt, which was stolen last August 4 when parked on South Third Street while the owner was shopping, was found Monday in Guthrie, Ky. by Claude Kimbrough, Todd County Sheriff, and restored to the grateful owner. The Ford was in good condition with the exception of a flat tire, which probably brought about recovery as the driver possibly decided that it was easier to take another Ford than to worry about the menial task of changing a tire.
From: As told by Robert Davidson (Duck's Journal)
42 HACKBERRY
June 29,1888--Last Friday, the Leaf contained a notice of the death of Mrs. Letha Sanders, wife of Robert Finney Sanders, of the 18th District. Mrs. Sanders died suddenly Thursday morning, the 21st, about 2 o’clock. She was a sister to Burrell Owens, merchant of Palmyra.
A sensational sequel to this death occurred Wednesday when the husband of the dead woman was arrested, charged with her murder. He is now in jail without bail, awaiting development in the case.
From what we can learn, Sanders and his wife, who have been married about four years, did not live happily together and at times it was his custom to abuse her.
On Wednesday afternoon before his wife’s death, he went to Dr. Eldridge and giving the symptoms of a foul stomach, asked for medicine for his wife. Dr. Eldridge asked if it was necessary for him to go and see her, but Sanders said not, whereupon the doctor gave him two doses of Calomel and Dover's Powders, with instruction to take one at 6 pm and the other at midnight.
Sanders says he carried the medicine home and delivered it to his wife; that she started to get supper, but he stopped her and cooked the meal himself, and churned; that she took the first dose at the appointed time and they retired to bed early, no one being in the house except himself, wife and two little children. He says about 10 o’clock she woke him, complaining of a pain in the stomach and he gave her a dose of Hoffman’s anodyne for it; they both went to sleep again and in an hour she woke him again, in the meantime having grown alarmingly worse. He rang the farm bell and hallooed for his neighbors but none of them heard him; that his wife declared she was going to die and would not listen to his leaving her to go for a neighbor; that she grew worse, until he saw that death was near at hand, when he left her and ran to the top of the hill, calling to his neighbors, Hunt and Yarbrough, but when they got there she was dead.
The neighbors who assembled at Sanders' found his wife laid on the bed in a neat, clean gown, which he declined to let them change. He was also averse to an examination of the body and refused on the afternoon of the burial to let Dr. Wickham hold a post mortem examination.
For a time, he has been dividing his attentions between his wife and a young woman of the neighborhood, who is now reported to be enceinte by him and we have it on good authority that his wife’s grave was not filled before he and this woman, taking up his two children, left the grave together. His refusal to allow an examination of the body, his careless indifference since, and threats that he is said to have made against his wife’s life, led to the belief of foul play and to his arrest.
Sanders was present Wednesday when her body was exhumed and examined, and a hog would have shown as much feeling as he did under the circumstances.
Mrs. Letha Sanders died on the night of June 20,1888. On June 27,1888 her husband, Robert Finney, was arrested and charged with her murder. The following letter of early March 1888 ws written by her sister, Carrie, to her brother, Burrell, concerning the status of Letha and Robert Finney:
“Tell me how Finnie and Letha are getting along? I hear that people think he and his girl friend will marry soon. If I was Letha, I would leave him so quick it would made his head swim. His going off and leaving her and children by theirselves at nights shows he wants to get rid of her and he will some day, you see if he don’t. Why don’t you and some others disguise yourselves and waylay the road some night when he goes to Thomas Jackson’s and beat him nearly to death. Leave life, only a low life. Rascal! He has destroyed her happiness for life and the sweetness of her children. Why can’t mother take her home to live with her?”
July 3,1888--It has developed that R.F. Sanders charged with wife murder on the night of June 20, bought on June 15, of Askew & Edwards, a bottle of Strychnine, saying that it was for the killing of rats. He gave his name as W.G. Sanders instead of R.F. and his residence as the 16th instead of the 18th District. We understand Dr. Lyan’s analysis so far shows no evidence of poison, though a test has not been made for Strychnine. Indeed, owing to the condition of the woman’s stomach it would be difficult to detect Strychnine were she poisoned with it.
April 26,1889--The Sanders case was called yesterday. Both sides announced ready. Eleven jurors were enlisted and the jury will be completed and testimony begun this morning. A large crowd from “the Goldenhorn” was in town today for the trial.
(The results of the trial were not listed in the paper. The girlfriend got married before the trial ever started. The children were named Norman and Morris. Morris was born May 30,1887. Norman ended up in Texas and Morris in Indiana. Robert Finney later married Rosa Lee Milam and had a daughter born on June 25,1891, about 26 months after the trial.
From: Daily Tobacco Leaf Chronicle
January 29, 1891---The Criminal Court is moving along with the docket at a moderate gait and several cases were disposed of yesterday. The case of The State against Finney Sanders, charged with the murder of his wife, was called and a nolle prosse entered.
Sanders, it will be remembered, has been tried on this charge twice in the Criminal Court here and each trial resulted in a hung jury. It was evident to the Judge and Attorney General that the defendant could never be convicted, hence the action.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
43 DISTRICT 22
June 26,1926--A forty-gallon capacity copper still on the farm of C.B. Lyle, along with four barrels of mash were seized Thursday afternoon by Deputy Sheriff Joe Stalls in a single-handed raid. The mash was almost fermented and would have been ready for the process of converting it into liquor by today, the deputy believed. No one was about the still, therefore unable to suggest the possible owner.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
44 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
June 22, 1908--Joe Hogue was seriously cut this morning by his son-in-law, Ed York, in a difficulty at York's home in the 13th District. York was arrested and is in jail awaiting his examining trial which has not been set. He refuses to discuss the trouble.
York and Hogue were in the garden at the time of the cutting, which is said to have been about a family affair. After heated words, York pulled his pocket knife and began slashing at Hogue, stabbing him in the back, on the arm, and in the armpit, inflicting serious wounds. Hogue is about 55 years old and York is about 21.
The examining trial will not be held until Hogue's condition is determined.
From: The Clarksville Star
45 LOUISE
December 21, 1926--Ed York, about 40, lumber worker of the Louise community, was placed in the county jail this morning by Constable H.T. Cook and W.T. Perry on a charge of incest with his 19-year-old daughter. His arrest followed complaints of neighbors.
York, it is said, was dragged from his home about 7:00 Tuesday night by some 15 masked men and at the point of a pistol, whipped with switches until blood was brought from his back.
York will be given a preliminary hearing before J.R. Harper, Justice of the Peace, at 10:00 Monday morning.
The charge, said to be one of the most cruel and deserving of the most severe punishment on the list of statutory offenses, has attached to it upon conviction a time in the penitentiary of not less than three and up to 21 years.
"Nothing is too severe for him" is the sentiment of the people of the Louise community it is said. People complaining to county authorities about the illegal acts of York who is a widower, claimed that he has been living with his daughter as his wife for some time and recently had encouraged the visits of other men to his home, stating to his daughter "we were in need of Christmas money".
York was arrested early this morning at the home of his mother in District 13. He denied the charge, claiming he had no idea why he was so "brutally beaten" Tuesday night.
From: The Clarksville Star
December 24,1926--Ed York, 40, a cord wood cutter of the Louise community, was dismissed on a charge of incest by J.R. Harper, Justice of the Peace, Monday afternoon following the plea of not guilty entered by both York and his 19-year-old daughter, Viola. Viola was taken by force from the shanty near Louise owned jointly by J.H. "Carver" Marcum and Leslie Scott with whom he, Viola, and his 7-year-old daughter were spending the night last Tuesday.
The father and daughter both admitted that they confessed to be guilty of the charges on the night of the mob's visit but said it was because their lives were endangered and they knew of no other course to pursue. The men were masked and each carried a gun, they testified. York said he was dragged and kicked for a distance of some hundred yards from the shanty where he was whipped. He said members of the mob accused him of being a spy.
The daughter appeared highly indignant at the outrage committed against her father and declared he had treated her in a gentlemanly manner in every respect.
Scott and Marcum both told the court they had noticed no improper relations between the two on the afternoon and evening when they were at their home. Both testified that the father and the younger daughter slept with their heads in one direction and the older daughter was lying in the opposite direction.
Two other witnesses, Sam Byard and Ivy Hollis, with whom the father and daughter had also visited, corroborated the other witnesses' statements claiming they had seen nothing improper in the relationship between father and daughter.
From: As told by Robert Davidson (Duck's Journal)
46 ANTIOCH
June 2, 1903--Suit has been filed in the Circuit Court of this county against Dr. Ben R. Ussery by Miss Maggie Lyle for breach of promise, claiming damages to the amount of $10,000. The suit will prove somewhat of a sensation on account of the prominence of the parties concerned, who are highly respected citizens of this county.
Dr. Ussery came to Clarksville on the evening of Thursday, May 21, and was married to Miss Buyde Allen, daughter of William Carney Allen, a well-known merchant at Shiloh, at the Cumberland Presbyterian parsonage, the Reverend A.M. Williams officiating.
The announcement of the wedding was a great surprise to the friends of the contracting parties all over the county, for invitations had already been issued to the marriage of Dr. Ussery and Miss Maggie Lyle, daughter of Henry Lyle of Antioch. The announcement of the approaching marriage has been announced in the local papers, the bridesmaids and attendants had been selected and were preparing for the marriage which was being looked forward to as one of the social events of the season.
Legal papers in the case have been issued and are being served by Deputy Sheriff R.L. Black. The declaration of the suit has not been filed and will probably not be until a few days before the time of convening the next term of the Circuit Court.
(Mrs. Buyde Allen Ussery remained a widow for 7 1/2 years. On Christmas Day 1912, she married A.T. Felts. They moved to Washington, D.C. The child, Elizabeth, later married Frank Cole and lived around Washington, D.C. also.
Maggie Lyle never married. At the age of 68 (1937), she was buried at Antioch also.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
47 NEAR PALMYRA
June 18,1903--A sensation has been created at Cumberland City over the alleged elopement of Dr. Douglas Lewis, a practicing physician and a man of family, with Miss Myrtle Harris, the 16-year-old daughter of E. Powers of near Palmyra of this county. A warrant has been sworn out for the arrest of Dr. Lewis on the charge of abduction. The elopement took place about June 2nd, but an effort was made to keep the affair a secret and the particulars have just leaked out. The girl was employed at Dr. Lewis’s home to assist his wife in her domestic duties when the elopement took place.
It is understood that Dr. Lewis returned to Cumberland City Tuesday night and after having some words with his brother-in-law, left for parts unknown. A warrant was then issued for his arrest. He is a member of one of the most prominent families in Stewart County.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
48 PALMYRA
June 5,1913--An unsuccessful attempt was made to rob the safe in the general store of Swift & Ussery at Palmyra Tuesday night. The thieves succeeded in entering the building, but were unable to open the safe. It was badly damaged with the exterior part of the lock and hinges knocked off. Explosives were not used, presumably because the building was near a residence in which several persons were asleep. Tools with which the robbers entered the store and attempted to open the safe with, were secured from Alex Parker’s Blacksmith Shop which was first broken open. If anything was taken from the stock, it cannot be missed.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
49 LOUISE
February 24,1906--Sheriff White of Wayne County arrived here yesterday from Allen’s Creek for Ed Murphy, who was arrested at Louise on a warrant from that county, where he is wanted on the charge of robbery.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
50 SAILOR’S REST
February 18,1915--Judge Charles W. Tyler has summoned a special grand jury, which will convene Friday to investigate the recent night-rider raids in the lower end of the county. Doc Davidson, an alleged member of the night rider band that has been operating along the borders of Stewart County, is now in jail. It is expected that the investigation of the grand jury will result in important developments.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
51 LONE OAK
October 12,1935--Owen and James Proctor, brothers of the Lone Oak community, were bound over to the grand jury under bonds of $250 each this morning when given a preliminary hearing before Magistrate John R. Dickson on charges of disorderly conduct.
Both of the men were charged with disorderly conduct and Owen was accused of the theft of $5 from Roscoe Baggett, which is alleged to have occurred during the making of change Saturday night at Baggett’s Lunch Stand at Lone Oak.
Baggett testified that Proctor took $5 of his money when he reached into the cash drawer without being invited. Proctor wanted change and Baggett would not give it to him.
From: Semi-Weekly Tobacco Leaf Chronicle
52 CHICKEN THIEVES
October 31,1893--Three men are in jail, and from the evidence now in hand it appears that they will remain there some time. The arrest of Charles Mixon and Bob Rainwater, by Officers Robinson and Rollow, on suspicion of carrying concealed weapons resulted in finding a pistol on the person of the latter. The three men, Rainwater, and Charles and Burrell Mixon came to the city together, and when Burrell Mixon saw that his companion had been arrested he took on a big scare and started up the river, making tracks for home. He was overhauled, however, near the pumping station by Officer Walker. The trio arrested had some 20 chickens with them, and the officers believed they had been stolen.
When Burrell Mixon was arrested he gave the whole thing away and said he, in company with the others, stole the fowls from Ben Davis last night on Budd’s Creek. The chickens are in the hands of the officers and the two Mixons are being held until Davis can come to town.
An effort was made this morning to find out the history of the men and it was partially successful. They live in the neighborhood of old Vernon Furnace, on Budd’s Creek. Rainwater is said to be a pretty hard citizen, but the Mixons bear fair reputation for honesty. Burrell Mixon is said by people who have known him all his life, to be nearly crazy. This is the first time, however, either one of them has been arrested so far as the reporter could ascertain.
When arrested, Rainwater had two circular clocks and a fairly good gold watch on his person and the police are of the opinion that they were stole. The men will all be held until the matter is thoroughly sifted.
From: Semi-Weekly Tobacco Leaf Chronicle
53 LONE OAK
November 14,1893--Duff Castleberry was killed Saturday evening near Lone Oak, on the southside, by Richard (Dick) Dickson, son of T.Y. Dickson of that locality. The particulars as received here lead to the conclusion that the killing was done in self-defense. It seems that Castleberry had rented a tract of land from Dickson’s sister and that she had an interest in a lot of corn grown on the place. Castleberry was engaged during the week gathering corn. He was putting it up, it is said , so it was exposed to the weather. Dickson went to the place one day last week and told Castleberry that he should put the corn up so it would not be damaged. The men had a few words over the matter, and during this conversation, it is said, that Castleberry intimated that if Dickson interfered with him he would get hurt. Matters went on smoothly until Saturday evening, when Dickson went back to the place, again remonstrating with Castleberry about the way he was putting up the corn. One word brought on another when finally Castleberry picked up a hind-gate of the wagon, a heavy plank, and struck Dickson over the head, knocking him down. The plank flew out of Castleberry’s hand with the force of the lick and fell to the ground with Dickson. The latter picked it up and dealt his adversary a heavy blow on the head, felling him to the ground. Castleberry never recovered consciousness, dying from the effects of the blow Sunday morning about 1:00. Dickson gave himself up to an officer and came to the city Sunday evening to consult an attorney. He has engaged C.V. Lyle to conduct his defense and he will have his trial today (Tuesday) before the local Justice of the Peace.
Dickson is about 27 years old, while Castleberry was about 22 at the time of his death. He is reported as a quiet, inoffensive young man and was thought well of in the community. Neither of the men had married. Up to the time of the difficulty they were fast friends.
November 17,1892--Richard Dickson, was brought to the city this morning by Constable James Harper. It is highly probable that an indictment for murder in the second degree will be found against Dickson.
Dickson was seen by a reporter this morning and he talked confidently about his case.
He says that after he had knocked Castleberry down the wagon ran over him which he thinks may have had something to do with his death.
The public is at a loss to know why some people call the murdered man Walker and others Castleberry. His true name is Walker, but he was known by the name of Castleberry on the southside, from the fact that his father died many years ago and his mother afterward married Castleberry, and the boy being reared by his stepfather was generally given that name. More people knew him as Castleberry than did as Walker.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
54 MARION
September 4,1939--Burglars took approximately $60 in cash and a carton and a half of cigarettes from the general mercantile store of W.M. Suggs at Marion some time during Sunday night.
The money was taken from a cash drawer. A number of checks and a pistol were left.
The intruders entered the store through a front window. Several large oil barrels were moved. The heavy screen wire was ripped open and the iron bars over the window were spread apart.
Discovering the robbery when he opened his store early this morning, Mr. Suggs found where the burglars apparently made an unsuccessful attempt to enter a back window which was some five feet above the ground. The screen was torn off but when the robbers found the window barred they abandoned the attempt, going to the front window.
The merchants’ wife said today that the burglars were careful not to leave any clues by which they might be identified. Local officers investigated the bread-in.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
55 CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
November 9,1908--John Meadows, Thomas Patterson, and Ed Huff were arrested Sunday on warrants charging them with shooting with intent to kill. The charge was preferred by Claude Suiter of District 18. It is alleged that the men went to Suiter’s house and threatened his life and shot at him several times with birdshot taking effect in his back. Their bond was fixed at $1,000 each, which was furnished by Meadows, the others remained in jail pending their examining trial.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
56 ROUND POND
October 22,1901--News of an early morning tragedy has been received in this city. The particulars however, are very meager as there were no eye-witnesses to the affair. Ben Fletcher, a darky who had been employed by H.L. Johnson who lives on the Cumberland River between 7-Mile and Armstrong Ferries was killed instantly this morning about 5:00 near James E. Thompson’s farm in District 17. The particulars as learned are that words passed between Mr. Johnson and the darky about something the latter had done. Mr. Johnson was getting ready to make molasses and when the Negro appeared for work, the trouble was renewed and Johnson picked up an ax and struck Fletcher in the side, killing him instantly.
Further particulars of the trouble could not be learned. The officers were notified and Deputy Sheriff Black and Coroner John Straton went out to the scene of the killing. They had not returned to the city at press time.
October 23,1901--H.L. Johnson who killed Ben Fletcher in District 17 early yesterday morning, came in last night and gave himself up to the proper authorities. He was locked up in the county jail and his examining trial will be held this afternoon. Mr. Johnson was seen by a Leaf-Chronicle representative at the jail this morning and gave out the following statement as to how the killing occurred. He said that Fletcher came to James E. Thompson's place near Round Pond early in the morning where he was making molasses. He was boisterous and began threatening the life of a farm hand, Will Garrard, who was employed by me. He carried an ax and by his threats compelled Garrard to quit work. He turned around then and started at me with the ax and at the same time his son Lewis came toward me from behind striking me in the face with a rock. As Fletcher started toward me I picked up an ax lying near and struck him in the breast with the pole of the weapon which resulted in almost instant death.
There were two eye-witnesses to the affair, James Thompson and Will Garrard. Mr. Johnson has a bruise on the left side of his face which bears out the statement as to the attack made on him. He came to the city yesterday prepared to make bond for his appearance at the next term of the Circuit court, but was informed that it could not be fixed until a preliminary trial was held.
October 24,1901--The examining trial of H.L. Johnson who was charged with the murder of Ben Fletcher Tuesday morning on James E. Thompson’s place near Round Pond was held yesterday afternoon before Squire Smith.
The testimony introduced clearly showed that Fletcher had started towards Johnson with an axe that had been raised above his head and that the darky was in the act of striking Mr. Johnson when he received the death blow.
He was released from custody and left last night for his home. Attorney T.F. Martin acted as prosecutor and Gilbert & Gilbert represented the defense.
In speaking of the case after the trial, Mr. Martin said that he had never heard of another case in which the proof showed as clear a case of self defense.
From: The Leaf Chronicle
57 DISTRICT 22
January 19,1906--G.W. Maxey, a young white man from the 22nd District, was placed in jail yesterday. The circumstances surrounding Maxey’s incarceration are unusual. At the last term of Criminal Court, he was convicted of carrying brass knucks and fined. The fine was secured by two gentlemen whom Maxey was working for and everything went along smoothly until Maxey married several days ago.
Maxey, it is said, left the employ of the two men who secured his fine and the latter gave him up. He was arrested and will now have to secure other bondsmen or work out his fine.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
58 PALMYRA
March 22,1918--The trial of Jesse T. Bryant for the murder of Henry Baggett on October 29,1915 was begun in Criminal Court yesterday. Mrs. Bateman, formerly Mrs. Henry Baggett was the first witness for the State.
Her evidence on direct examination was in substance as follows:
She stated that she lived with her husband on a place near that upon which Mr. Bryant lived. Mr. Bryant, she said, came by where she was with his gun and made improper proposals to her, which she rejected until he “told me I had to submit, which I did”. She stated her husband was told of the affair and he told her to take the pistol and if Bryant again bothered me to use the gun on him.
The day of the killing, I went to where my husband was chopping wood near the Bryant home. I went out to where he was and after being there a short time I went down to the Bryant home with the pistol in my bosom. While nursing my child he saw the pistol I had and asked me to give it to him, which I did, as he was constable and I thought he had the right to demand it. While Mrs. Bryant and I were talking, Mr. Bryant sat in the door where he could see my husband and without hearing a word spoken, I heard two shots only, and when I run out I saw my husband lying on the ground bleeding. After I went out, I heard Mr. Bryant say that when trouble came up between him and Baggett a year or two before that, if ever he had to do anything of this sort he would make a finish of it.
She also stated that she went to the home of Bryant with the pistol, which he saw she had for the purpose of killing him, as her husband had told her if she did not kill Bryant that he would and then kill her.
March 23,1918--J.T. Bryant, who is being tried in the Criminal Court for the murder of Henry Baggett on October 29,1915, in the 19th District near Palmyra, went on the witness stand in his own behalf at 3:15 yesterday afternoon following a short recess after the conclusion of the State’s testimony.
On direct examination, Bryant said that he was 56 years old and that for the past two years had lived in Clarksville and was now employed by the Dunlop Milling Company as a carpenter. He was born in Dickson County and moved to Montgomery County in 1869. Since that time he had been employed by the Palmyra Lime Works at various intervals and when not working there had farmed. He had served two terms as constable of the 19th District and was holding said office at the time of the homicide in 1915. Baggett and he were boys together, and three or four years before the killing, they had some trouble over the sale of a horse to Baggett by Bryant, and that since that time they had never borne a pleasant feeling for each other but that friendly relations had been maintained between the two families.
Bryant says that there were illicit relations between himself and Mrs. Baggett about two months prior to the killing. Mrs. Baggett, he said, came to his house one Monday afternoon in August during Mrs. Bryant’s absence. Bryant says he was lying in the yard on a pallet under a shade tree, and that Mrs. Baggett, after being told that Mrs. Bryant was not at home, sat down on the ground near Bryant. During the conversation, Bryant says that Mrs. Baggett told him that she had seen “her fellow” at church the night before and that he was coming to see her the following Wednesday.
Bryant says he told her if she was going to act that way with the other fellow she had just as well do it with him. She agreed, he said, and when asked “when and where”, she replied “most any time I can get rid of Old Henry”, referring to her husband.
The next morning, Bryant told the jury, he was on the road near the Baggett home when he saw Mrs. Baggett approaching. He squatted down beside the road and when the woman approached, she sat down between his knees. Bryant testified that he told the woman it would not do for them to be seen in that position and suggested that they go into the woods. The woman agreed.
March 23 1918--A few days before the killing, Bryant said he met Mr. and Mrs. Baggett on the road and when near him, the woman asked Baggett for his pocket knife, which he forced her to take from his pocket. The woman then went home and Baggett called Bryant’s attention to a nearby tree which he said he thought contained bees and requested Bryant to go with him to examine the tree. Bryant stated that his suspicion was aroused by that request, but started toward the tree followed by Baggett. Turning around suddenly, Bryant said Baggett was facing him and had his hand in his hip pocket. Bryant says his suspicion had become so thoroughly aroused then that he left Baggett and went to his own home.
The defendant testified that on the day of the killing, October 29,1915, he went to Palmyra in the morning and upon returning home about 12:30, his wife told him that Mrs. Baggett had been there twice that morning and stated that she had come to kill Bryant. Bryant says that shortly after he had finished dinner and was sitting on the porch, he saw Mrs. Baggett coming toward the house and that Baggett was cutting wood near a spring a short distance from the house, as he had done frequently before. Mrs. Baggett approached the house and told Bryant to get in the house because her husband was coming to kill him. Bryant, together with the woman, went into the house and were sitting by the open door when the woman told him that she had a pistol and Bryant told her that she had better give him the pistol, but she refused to do it. About that time, Bryant says he looked out of the door and saw Baggett approaching the house about 30 yards away. Bryant says he stepped to the porch and told Baggett to stop but he did not heed the warning. When in about thirty feet of the porch, Bryant says he pulled out his pistol and fired at Baggett, who did not stop. In a moment he fired again and Baggett acted as though he had been hit but did not stop. The third shot struck him in the forehead and he fell on his left side and lived only about five minutes. Bryant says that Mrs. Baggett then laid her pistol on the table and told him to take it.
Bryant then telephoned Esquire B.J. Corban, who came to the scene and held an inquest.
March 27,1918--In the Criminal Court yesterday afternoon, the jury returned a verdict of murder in the second degree against J.T. Bryant whose trial for the murder of Henry Baggett on October 29,1915, has been in progress since the middle of last week. The punishment is not less that ten or more than twenty years in the State penitentiary.
A motion for a new trial was immediately entered by the council for the defense and Bryant was released pending further developments on his original bond.
From: Semi-Weekly Leaf Chronicle
59 MARION
August 2,1898--Late yesterday afternoon, Sheriff Collier received a telegram from Marion, Tennessee, on the Mineral Road, telling him to come at once with a posse and bloodhounds, that a rape had been committed. The telegram was signed by R.B. Stone. Soon afterwards, Sheriff Collier and Officers Paul Marable, W.C. Willis and Charles Staton left for the scene of the crime.
Yesterday morning abut 8:00, Mrs. Riley Slaydon, who resides on Barton's Creek and Mrs. Miller, her neighbor, as was their custom, went to a nearby spring to attend to their milk, the two keeping their milk in the same cave. While there, Tillman Brake, who was at work a couple of hundred yards on the opposite side of the house from the spring, came down to get some water in a jug and returned, after having a short conversation with the ladies.
About 11:00, Mrs. Slaydon returned home and as she entered the house a horrible sight greeted her eyes. On a feather bed upon the floor lay the form of her daughter, Mrs. Florence Floyd, covered with blood from her head to her feet and her skull crushed. Mrs. Slaydon screamed, and this brought young Brake, who was at work in the tobacco patch. Brake rushed for a doctor and told the wounded woman’s daughter and sister, who were at school. Suspicion was aroused by the peculiar actions of Brake and it was thought he had something to do with the crime. Later he was arrested and was kept in the company of the officers from this city. Finally this morning, Collier got him off to one side and by telling him that the particulars of the crime were known and that nothing could be gained by holding back, he confessed all. Brake was in love with Mrs. Floyd, who is a widow, and had asked her repeatedly to be his wife but always being refused. Recently, Mrs. Floyd had been receiving the attention of another young man in the neighborhood and it is believed that jealousy caused the crime. Brake went by the house on his way back from the spring and asked her once more to marry him. She did not encourage him and said that she never expected to marry. That angered him and he committed the crime.
August 2,1898--A large crowd was present when the officers had Brake in their company and if they had known the intentions of the officers, there is little doubt that Brake would have been mobbed. Collier and Willis got in a buggy with Brake and told the crowd that they were going to a certain point up the road to get the testimony of some negroes and that they would soon return, leaving officers Marable and C.W. Staton with the crowd. As soon as the Sheriff and his prisoner were out of sight, they drove at break-neck speed in the direction of Clarksville, where they landed about 1:00 this afternoon, placing their man in jail.
In the meantime, the crowd became restless and suspicious. Finally Marable and Staton told them that the prisoner was then on his way to Charlotte. The latest reports say that the mob has gone in the direction of Charlotte after the men.
Mrs. Floyd is terribly disfigured and there is no chance of recovery. She is the daughter of Riley Slaydon and is a widow with one child.
Tillman Brake is a brother of Dr. Brake, is 27, and is a good looking man. All of the parties stand high in that community and are well connected.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
60 BOOTLEGGING
January 18,1930--Although he entered a plea of not guilty to possessing liquor, Melton Neblett, Southside resident, was held to the state this morning by W.B. Corlew, Justice of the Peace, under a $500 bond and was fined $50 by City Judge Callis Tate. Neblett was arrested on Commerce Street Wednesday when Patrolmen Jerry Lee and J.W. Baggett detected liquor bottles protruding from his pockets. A search of his clothing revealed seven half-pint bottles, the officers stated.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
61 HACKBERRY
April 3,1929--Pleading guilty to assault and battery with intent to commit voluntary manslaughter, Oll Davis, farmer of District 18, was given a sentence of from 1 to 5 years in the State Pen by a Montgomery County Criminal Court jury Monday. Davis' son, John Davis, an L&N engineer living in Paris, Tennessee, was acquitted on the same charge but he was fined $50 and costs by the jury on an indictment of unlawfully carrying a pistol to which he pleaded guilty.
The two defendants were indicted for an alleged assault upon Lewis Mixon on the night of March 8, 1928, when it was said, they drove to Mixon's house and after he had been called from the residence, opened fire on him. Mixon was seriously wounded.
The men then barricaded themselves against officers and were only arrested after tear bombs had been shot into the house in which they had sought refuge.
The alleged assault was said to have been the aftermath of a lawsuit involving the land of Oll Davis' late brother which had been deeded by the deceased to the Mixon family.
September 9,1929--Notice of the escape of Oll Davis, Palmyra farmer, from the penitentiary to which he was sentenced to not less than one year and not more than five years for assault and battery with intent to kill on Lewis Mixon in April of 1928, has been received from Warden A.A. McCorkle by Sheriff George S. Abernathy and Chief of Police J.E. Robinson. The warden offers a reward of $25 for the capture of Davis.
Davis with his son, J.P. Davis of Paris, were indicted by the Montgomery County grand jury May 8,1928, on a charge of attempting to kill Lewis Mixon on the latter’s farm near Palmyra. The men were said to have lain in wait for Mixon and attempted to ambush him when he returned home in his car. They were also said to have fired into Mixon’s home.
Davis and his son barricaded themselves in an old house and were captured by Sheriff Herschel Walker and other officers only after tear gas had been fired into the building. In the trial, April 2,1929, the younger Davis was dismissed on the assault and battery case, but the father was given from one to five years in prison. He began his sentence some four weeks later and had completed approximately four months of his term when he made his escape.
Sheriff Abernathy said this morning that it is unlikely that Davis is in this section yet, but he expects him to return within a short while.
July 16,1931--After being at liberty under a parole since April, Oll Davis, District 18 farmer, was ordered taken up on his parole and Thursday night began another hitch in the state penitentiary to which he was sentenced more than a year ago for shooting Lewis Mixon, also of District 18.
Davis was given a sentence of from one to five years and after completing almost a year of it he escaped. Davis returned to the prison and voluntarily gave himself up. He served the minimum of his sentence and then he was paroled and ordered to go to Henry County. Davis stayed a part of the time in Henry County, but of late was residing almost all his time in this county. He was alleged to have threatened Mixon’s life again and created a disturbance in District 18.
Sheriff William Egbert Beaumont was ordered to arrest him and Davis was taken into custody. Because of having violated his parole, Davis will be compelled to serve the remaining four years of his sentence.
September 16,1931--For the second time this summer, Oll Davis, former resident of District 18, has been taken into custody, charged with violating his prison parole. Davis was arrested this morning under instructions of Attorney-General Matt G. Lyle.
About two months ago he was given parole, having served a portion of his sentence in prison for shooting with intent to kill following an attack on Lewis Mixon. Under the terms of his parole, he was not to return to this county. Davis returned but was taken back to prison.
After a while, he was released upon condition he would not return to Montgomery County; but, again, he took up his abode in District 18.
Davis was arrested this morning and placed in the county jail to be transported back to the prison in a day or so.
Oll Davis family cemetery
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
62 SAILOR’S REST
November 4,1913--Edgar Steely has been landed in the county jail for bootlegging. This is the second time he has been charged. Operations were in the vicinity of Sailor’s Rest. Complaints from that section resulted in an investigation by the grand jury last week and the finding of an indictment.
From: Clarksville Jeffersonian
63 STOLEN
November 2,1853---Some villainous wretch, or wretches, feloniously entered Dr. T.J. Donoho’s stable last Wednesday night, and carried off two horses. As yet all efforts to learn the whereabouts of the thieves and their booty have been in vain, but we trust the scoundrels may be overtaken and a just punishment meted out to him. The country is full of horse thieves, and nothing but vigilance to detect the offenders and a strict enforcement of the law can rid us of the evil.
From: Clarksville Tobacco Leaf
64 SALEM
January 7, 1874--Monday night, Bill Waller was lying drunk at the Seven Mile Ferry and several friends were trying to get him on the ferry, when Bud Grey came up to help drag him on the boat. Waller stabbed him, it is thought fatally, in the side, and also in the face. Grey is still living, but we understand that Dr. Swift thinks the wound is probably mortal. Grey is a noted character in this county. Before, he was the most out breaking man in the county, but he has been more peaceable lately. He was under indictment for killing Tinsley. Waller also appears to have been cut.
From: Daily Leaf Chronicle
65 HEMATITE
December 24,1906--Claude Davis, a young white man from Hematite, was arrested today on a warrant charging him with the theft of $13.50 from Bertie Hencliff. The money was recovered and Davis was taken before Squire Jarrell and bound over to the criminal court. He was unable to give bond and was sent to jail.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
66 DISTRICT 22
September 26,1908--Miss Kate Swift entered suit today in court for $10,000 damages against P.R. Neblett and A.J. Abernathy. The suit grows out of alleged remarks derogatory to the plaintiff’s character, which prevented her from securing a school in District 22. All of the parties reside in that district. Savage and Fort represent the complainant.
From: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
67 DISTRICT 18
March 30,1909--A deplorable affair, the outcome of family trouble, took place Sunday afternoon at 4 PM in District 18, on what is known as the Biter farm. Will Hayes fatally stabbed his brother-in-law, Wesley Schmittou, who lived only a few minutes after the assault. Hayes claimed self defense.
Soon after the killing, he left home and has not been seen. He told his family to tell all who asked that he did it and would return to give himself up.
A reporter learned that Hayes, who lives about one mile from his wife’s mother, Mrs. Bettie Schmittou, went to the latter’s home, and after a heated argument over some family affair, struck Mrs. Schmittou with a chair, inflicting several bruises. When Mrs. Schmittou’s husband come home and learned of the assault, he went in search of a magistrate to swear out a warrant for Hayes' arrest. Soon after Mr. Schmittou departed, his son, Wesley, returned home. The latter, upon being informed of the assault, went to Hayes’ home and called him out of the house to the public road, a distance of about 150 yards, where the trouble took place. Schmittou is said to have gotten after Hayes about a knife trade and they agreed to exchange knives. It is claimed Hayes took
Schmittou’s knife and used the weapon on him, stabbing him thru the heart and in the left shoulder.
After Hayes stabbed Schmittou, he is said to have held the latter’s head in his lap until he expired, a few minutes later, when he called his aunt to close the dead man’s eyes. He then made his escape.
The knife used by Hayes on Schmittou was an ordinary pocket knife with about a three inch blade. Hayes struck with great force and tore the flesh in a frightful manner.
Schmittou was about 22 years old and unmarried. Hayes is abut 30 and has a wife and two children.
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