O COSI G I ACY - Old News | News items from Nashville ... ntr ddd t th tr d b th prnttn f n ndtnt...

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BOLD CONSPIR ACY Purdy and Others indicted For Conspiracy to Murder. One of the Parties Makes a Confession. Crosthwait, Taylor and Ewing The intended Victims. For several days the Grand Jury has been working on the celebrated case known as the First Colored Baptist Church tro uble. Another chapter of a rather sensa- tional nature was added to the case yester- day by the presentation of an indictment charging several Purdyites with conspir- acy to murder leaders of the anti-Purdy faction. The fact of the finding of the indictment was kept quiet until the arrest of the par- ties, which was accomplished late yester- day afternoon. The indictment charges that ''Clem McNairy, colored, J. E. Purdy, colored, Ben Parker. colored, Felix Pas- kett, colored, W. S. Peck, colored, and Cor- nelius Gowdy, colored, with force of arms. unlawfully, feloniously, wilfully, deliber- ately, premeditatedly and maliciously did among themselves conspire, combine ; con- federate and agree together to make an as- sault upon the bodies of Dr. S. W. Crosth- wait, Taylor G. Ewing and Tom L. Jones with certain pistols and with the un- lawful and felonious intent, then and there, them, the said Crosthwait, Ewing and Jones, to kill and upon them to commit the crime and felony of murder in the first degree." Capiases were issued and late yesterday afternoon Deputy Sheriff Shel Price arrest- ed McNairy, Peck and Parker. Purdy heard of the indictment and came up and surrendered. All the parties gave bond for their appearance. It was on Sam Neeley's evidence that this indictment was found. Neeley is an employe of the Methodist Publishing House. He was a former Purdyite but for sufficient reasons with- drew from the ranks of that fac- tion some weeks ago. He after- ward intimated to the anties that he was in possession of certain damaging testi- mony, and later he told the story to Capt. Clack. Upon the advice of Capt. Clack and other of his white friends he agreed to go before the Grand Jury and tell all he knew, and yesterday he was summoned to appear before that body. He stated before the Grand jury that one night, after an espe- cially stormy session of the church, Purdy called a council of his close friends and stated to them that this thing had gone far enough, and that certain of the leaders on the other side, naming Crosthwait, Ewing and Jones, must be killed. He then, ac- cording to Neeley's' statement, unfolded a plan by which this could be. accomplished, without getting the perpetrators into trouble. It was then stated that at the next meet- ing Crosthwait, Jones and Ewing would be on hand with aprotest against certain actions of the church session. Purdy said, according to the witness, that these three men would sit together and that he wanted Neeley, Peck and Gowdy to take seats di- rectly behind the three offensive members. McNairy and Paskett were to bestationed nearer the front and Parker was to stand watch at the door. All were to come armed, and should the three offensive mem- bers attempt to read. their protest or arise from their seats then; at a signal, they were to be shot from behind, and should they turn on their assailants, the men in front were to do the shooting. If they es- caped and got to the door, then Parker was to shoot them down as they came out. Neeley says that the programme, so far as the arming and going to church was con- cerned, was carried out, but the three in- tended victims did not leave their seats, and no disturbance whatever occurred. Neeley claims that Purdy was very angry at the failure of the plot and upbraided the men because they did not raise a row so as to get an opportunity to do the shooting. After this, Neeley alleges, Purdy sent for him one night and he went to the elder's house, where he Met the other conspirators, and here Purdy and Paskett tried to per- suade the others to go to the houses of Taylor Ewing and Crosthwait , call them to their doors and shoot them down; then to escape, if possible, but if arrested to swear that they were talking when some unknown person fired the shots. Neeley says he and one or two of the others declined to do this and that Purdy and Paskett were very much put out by the refusal. He says they t ried to persuade him that it was a duty he owed the church. Neeley charges that it was agreed, should an officer attempt to take the keys of the church from Purdy, that he would shoot him before giving them up. G m I a 4' Frpsezil Si c r. ;*q 0,1 ,,,•;„ 4 -f _ " r Does a General Banking Business. Also buys and sells stocks and bonds on commission. ACCOUNTS SOLICITED. WEINESEIAT, MAY 23, '94, At 12 o'clock noon, we Will sell for cash at our office ' for account of whom it may:con- cern, the following securities: 6 Lagrange. Furnace Co. bonds, first mort- gage, $1,000 each. $1,000 Tennessee Breeders' Sales Associa- tion stock. $500 West Nashville Building Company stock. $1,000 Cumberland Fair and Racing Asso: ciation stock. $1,000 Mechanics' Savings Bank & Trust Company. SYKES & CO., 218 'UNION STREET. my10 th,sa,tu 6t L,C).F.3 -r IB CD ND S. To whom it may concern: Notice is hereby given that : seven (7) bonds of Marshall County, Tenn., Nos. 5, 7, 18, 19, 35, 36 and 38, issued July 1. 1873.'and due July 1, 1893, of the par value of $:1,000 each, have been lost, destroyed or stolen. All persons are warned against negotiating said bonds. A suitable re- wavd will be paid for information that will lead to the recovery of the same. April 26. 1894. 1. W. HALSEY, Administrator of William W. 19 iller, deceased. P. 0. address No. 81 Broad st., Elizabeth, N. J. AttentiOn g Bricklayers! You arc respectfully requested to' meet at the corner of Jefferson and Denville streets TO- 1\1011ROW (WEDNESDAY) at 2 p. m.. to at- tend the funeral of ,our late brother, J. R. Creighton. W. N. PA UL. Corresponding Secretary. LITTENTIN Vi a 9 s <ix To the Officers and Members of Tennessee Lodge, No. 2, A. O. U. W.: A special meeting will be held at our hall to-Morrow evening at 1 o'clock sharp. May 23, for the purpose of at- tending the funeral of our 'deceased brother, John R. Creighton. Members of sister lodges are respectfully invited. BY order of the M. W. W. D. BARNES, Recorder. 3 DAILY FAST SI Leave Chattanooga- 8:45 a. m., 1:20.p. m., 11:15 p. m. Arrive Atlanta- 1:55 p. in.., 6:45 p. xn., 6:00 a. tn. Arrive Macon- 7:25 p. m., 10:40 p. m., 10:50 a. In. Ask for your ticket via E. T., V. & G. Trains leave Central Station. Chattanooga. Elegant free observation coaches. Pullman' sleepers on morning and evening train. 1/1./ General Passenger Agent, my-16 we,sa 4t Knoxville, Tenn.

Transcript of O COSI G I ACY - Old News | News items from Nashville ... ntr ddd t th tr d b th prnttn f n ndtnt...

Page 1: O COSI G I ACY - Old News | News items from Nashville ... ntr ddd t th tr d b th prnttn f n ndtnt hrn vrl rdt th npr t rdr ldr f th ntrd ftn. h ft f th fndn f th ndtnt pt t ntl th

BOLD CONSPIRACY

Purdy and Others indicted ForConspiracy to Murder.

One of the Parties Makes aConfession.

Crosthwait, Taylor and EwingThe intended Victims.

For several days the Grand Jury hasbeen working on the celebrated case knownas the First Colored Baptist Church trouble. Another chapter of a rather sensa-tional nature was added to the case yester-day by the presentation of an indictmentcharging several Purdyites with conspir-acy to murder leaders of the anti-Purdyfaction.

The fact of the finding of the indictmentwas kept quiet until the arrest of the par-ties, which was accomplished late yester-day afternoon. The indictment chargesthat ''Clem McNairy, colored, J. E. Purdy,colored, Ben Parker. colored, Felix Pas-kett, colored, W. S. Peck, colored, and Cor-nelius Gowdy, colored, with force of arms.unlawfully, feloniously, wilfully, deliber-ately, premeditatedly and maliciously didamong themselves conspire, combine ; con-federate and agree together to make an as-sault upon the bodies of Dr. S. W. Crosth-wait, Taylor G. Ewing and Tom L. Joneswith certain pistols and with the un-lawful and felonious intent, then and there,them, the said Crosthwait, Ewing andJones, to kill and upon them to commit thecrime and felony of murder in the firstdegree."

Capiases were issued and late yesterdayafternoon Deputy Sheriff Shel Price arrest-ed McNairy, Peck and Parker. Purdyheard of the indictment and came up andsurrendered. All the parties gave bond fortheir appearance. It was on Sam Neeley'sevidence that this indictment was found.Neeley is an employe of the MethodistPublishing House. He was a formerPurdyite but for sufficient reasons with-drew from the ranks of that fac-tion some weeks ago. He after-ward intimated to the anties that hewas in possession of certain damaging testi-mony, and later he told the story to Capt.Clack. Upon the advice of Capt. Clack andother of his white friends he agreed to gobefore the Grand Jury and tell all he knew,and yesterday he was summoned to appearbefore that body. He stated before theGrand jury that one night, after an espe-cially stormy session of the church, Purdycalled a council of his close friends andstated to them that this thing had gone farenough, and that certain of the leaders onthe other side, naming Crosthwait, Ewingand Jones, must be killed. He then, ac-cording to Neeley's' statement, unfolded aplan by which this could be. accomplished,without getting the perpetrators intotrouble.

It was then stated that at the next meet-ing Crosthwait, Jones and Ewing wouldbe on hand with aprotest against certainactions of the church session. Purdy said,according to the witness, that these threemen would sit together and that he wantedNeeley, Peck and Gowdy to take seats di-rectly behind the three offensive members.McNairy and Paskett were to bestationednearer the front and Parker was to standwatch at the door. All were to comearmed, and should the three offensive mem-bers attempt to read. their protest or arisefrom their seats then; at a signal, theywere to be shot from behind, and shouldthey turn on their assailants, the men infront were to do the shooting. If they es-caped and got to the door, then Parker wasto shoot them down as they came out.

Neeley says that the programme, so faras the arming and going to church was con-cerned, was carried out, but the three in-tended victims did not leave their seats,and no disturbance whatever occurred.Neeley claims that Purdy was very angryat the failure of the plot and upbraided themen because they did not raise a row so asto get an opportunity to do the shooting.

After this, Neeley alleges, Purdy sentfor him one night and he went to the elder'shouse, where he Met the other conspirators,and here Purdy and Paskett tried to per-suade the others to go to the houses ofTaylor Ewing and Crosthwait, call themto their doors and shoot them down; thento escape, if possible, but if arrested toswear that they were talking when someunknown person fired the shots.

Neeley says he and one or two of theothers declined to do this and that Purdyand Paskett were very much put out bythe refusal. He says they tried to persuadehim that it was a duty he owed the church.Neeley charges that it was agreed, shouldan officer attempt to take the keys of thechurch from Purdy, that he would shoothim before giving them up.

G m I a4' Frpsezil Sic

r. ;*q 0,1 ,,,•;„ 4 -f_ " r •

Does a General Banking Business.Also buys and sells stocks and bondson commission.

ACCOUNTS SOLICITED.WEINESEIAT, MAY 23, '94,

At 12 o'clock noon, we Will sell for cash atour office

'

for account of whom it may:con-cern, the following securities:

6 Lagrange. Furnace Co. bonds, first mort-gage, $1,000 each.

$1,000 Tennessee Breeders' Sales Associa-tion stock.

$500 West Nashville Building Companystock.

$1,000 Cumberland Fair and Racing Asso:ciation stock.

$1,000 Mechanics' Savings Bank & TrustCompany.

SYKES & CO.,218 'UNION STREET. my10 th,sa,tu 6t

L,C).F.3 -r IB CD ND S.To whom it may concern:

Notice is hereby given that : seven (7) bonds ofMarshall County, Tenn., Nos. 5, 7, 18, 19, 35, 36and 38, issued July 1. 1873.'and due July 1, 1893,of the par value of $:1,000 each, have • been lost,destroyed or stolen. All persons are warnedagainst negotiating said bonds. A suitable re-wavd will be paid for information that will leadto the recovery of the same. April 26. 1894.

1. W. HALSEY,Administrator of William W. 19 iller, deceased.P. 0. address No. 81 Broad st., Elizabeth, N. J.

AttentiOn g Bricklayers!You arc respectfully requested to' meet at the

corner of Jefferson and Denville streets TO-1\1011ROW (WEDNESDAY) at 2 p. m.. to at-tend the funeral of ,our late brother, J. R.Creighton. W. N. PA UL.

Corresponding Secretary.

•LITTENTIN Via 9 s <ix

To the Officers and Members of TennesseeLodge, No. 2, A. O. U. W.: A special meetingwill be held at our hall to-Morrow evening at 1o'clock sharp. May 23, for the purpose of at-tending the funeral of our 'deceased brother,John R. Creighton. Members of • sister lodgesare respectfully invited. BY order of the M. W.

W. D. BARNES, Recorder.

3 DAILY FAST SILeave Chattanooga-

8:45 a. m., 1:20.p. m., 11:15 p. m.Arrive Atlanta-

1:55 p. in.., 6:45 p. xn., 6:00 a. tn.Arrive Macon-

7:25 p. m., 10:40 p. m., 10:50 a. In.

Ask for your ticket via E. T., V. & G. Trainsleave Central Station. Chattanooga. Elegantfree observation coaches. Pullman' sleeperson morning and evening train.

1/1./• General Passenger Agent,

my-16 we,sa 4t Knoxville, Tenn.