Life after Prison
Thomas G. Boyd, late of the Nashville
penitentiary, for offenses committed, against the United States "
revenue department, has started out on a lecturing tour. Subject, "
The Tennessee penitentiary and its mode of government. He lectured
at Madisonville last Monday night. (Source:Public ledger.
(Memphis, Tenn.), 26 March 1877. Chronicling America: Historic
American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Link
EAST TENNESSEE TRAGEDY,
Thomas G.
Boyd Killed
by His Nephew.
The Tr(a)gic Death of One of the Most
Noted Characters in the State- A Lawsuit the Cause of the
Murder
Special to the Chattanooga Times
Sweetwater, January 7, 1882.
Special to the Chattanooga Times
Sweetwater, January 7, 1882.
A foul murder was committed in this
town last night by Joe Boyd, of Atlanta, on his uncle, the notorious
Thomas G. Boyd. Boyd made himself notorious a few years since by his
swindling operations on the government he was an United States Claim
Agent, and filed a large number of bogus claims, using the names ot
alleged soldiers, who he said lived in North Carolina. When the
swindle was discovered, he fled the country. In order to cover his
escape, he had the bones of a negro exhumed and burned in a brush
pile, and his friends spread the report that the charred remains were
his. The story was discredited, and his chief bondsman, Louis
Lenoir, put a detective on his track, and finally captured him in
Canada. he was tried and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years
and to pay a heavy fine. He had considerable property, and in order
to protect himself transferred it to Jesse Williams, a kinsman. He
was pardoned before he served his time and returned to Sweetwater,
and was recently elected to a position ot trust in the county, being
a man of remarkable popularity, not withstanding the cloud on his
name.
Some time since he attempted to regain his property from Williams, but the latter refused to surrender it, and it is believed that it was on account of this lawsuit that Joe Boyd, of Atlanta, a brother-in-law of William, killed him. Boyd came to Sweetwater Friday afternoon, and had several conferences with his uncle, which seemed to be satisfactory. Last night he went to his house and deliberately shot him with a pistol, the bullet penetrating his heart and killing hm instantly.
JosephnBoyd was arrested and committed. He is a young man, aged about 23, a son of Andy Boyd, of Atlanta. Thomas G. Boyd leaves a large family.
Knoxville Chronicle, S.l
The general impression seems to be that the difficulty originated in hard feelings which have existed between the deceased and other relatives, among whom was Joseph Boyd, in regard to a lawsuit which has been pending in the courts tor some years, and through which, by means of a decision of the Supreme Court, at its last session in Knoxville, Thomas G. Boyd came into possession of a large amount of valuable property in and around Sweetwater. Thomas G. Boyd gained much notoriety a few years since in the fact that he was detected in a stupendous scheme ot defrauding the government
in the matter of claims, he being a claim agent. He disappeared, and the report was given out that ha was murdered and his body burned, and the charred remains were taken up and buried. The remains turned out however, to be those of a dead negro, which had been exhumed and prepared for the occasion, and the real Thomas G. Boyd was afterward arrested in Canada, brought back to Knoxville,
where, after a lengthy trial, he was convicted and served a term in the penitentiary. He returned from prison and to his old home at Sweetwater and set to work at once to re establish himself. He was first elected Justice of the Peace and afterward Mayor of Sweetwater. He was a man of great vigor and enterprise, and was driving a good business in Sweetwater in two or three different lines. He had been
a large purchaser of hogs and stock during the present season, and operated on quite an extensive scale
He leaves a wife and family of three children and a large circle of relatives throughout East Tennessee.
Some time since he attempted to regain his property from Williams, but the latter refused to surrender it, and it is believed that it was on account of this lawsuit that Joe Boyd, of Atlanta, a brother-in-law of William, killed him. Boyd came to Sweetwater Friday afternoon, and had several conferences with his uncle, which seemed to be satisfactory. Last night he went to his house and deliberately shot him with a pistol, the bullet penetrating his heart and killing hm instantly.
JosephnBoyd was arrested and committed. He is a young man, aged about 23, a son of Andy Boyd, of Atlanta. Thomas G. Boyd leaves a large family.
Knoxville Chronicle, S.l
The general impression seems to be that the difficulty originated in hard feelings which have existed between the deceased and other relatives, among whom was Joseph Boyd, in regard to a lawsuit which has been pending in the courts tor some years, and through which, by means of a decision of the Supreme Court, at its last session in Knoxville, Thomas G. Boyd came into possession of a large amount of valuable property in and around Sweetwater. Thomas G. Boyd gained much notoriety a few years since in the fact that he was detected in a stupendous scheme ot defrauding the government
in the matter of claims, he being a claim agent. He disappeared, and the report was given out that ha was murdered and his body burned, and the charred remains were taken up and buried. The remains turned out however, to be those of a dead negro, which had been exhumed and prepared for the occasion, and the real Thomas G. Boyd was afterward arrested in Canada, brought back to Knoxville,
where, after a lengthy trial, he was convicted and served a term in the penitentiary. He returned from prison and to his old home at Sweetwater and set to work at once to re establish himself. He was first elected Justice of the Peace and afterward Mayor of Sweetwater. He was a man of great vigor and enterprise, and was driving a good business in Sweetwater in two or three different lines. He had been
a large purchaser of hogs and stock during the present season, and operated on quite an extensive scale
He leaves a wife and family of three children and a large circle of relatives throughout East Tennessee.
He is buried in West View Cemetery in Monroe County, Tennessee.
Find a Grave link.
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