Order Cases Online
The files located in the Tennessee Supreme Court Cases represent an especially valuable resource for historical and genealogical research at the Tennessee State Library and Archives [TSLA].
Use quotes for an exact search. ex. "J. W."
View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
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View Entry | 1890 | Daniel Beeler v. State | Knox | Murder, 1st degree |
Beeler was charged with the murder by gun of S. P. Greenlee, sheriff of Grainger Co. The murder was widely reported. John Walfinbar was also charged and placed in jail, but then lynched. Beeler was kept in Knox Co jail to prevent a lynching. |
East | Range: 19 Section: e Shelf: Box Number: 1807 | 654 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | George Stone v. State | Lincoln | Murder |
Plaintiff in error is accused of murdering Thornton Burkley. Plaintiff has a twin brother named Tye Stone. Plaintiff does not deny taking part in the murder but blames the actual killing on Clem Massey. Plaintiff states that Masey came to him with a plan to kill Burkley and take the money had collected for his, "cross-ties." |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 872 | 71 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | John Gilmore v. State | Montgomery | Murder |
Pla. in error is accused of shooting and killing Abe Clardy. Gilmore and the victim were members of the same church and were on opposites sides of a debate regarding the employment of their current church pastor, Ephraim Dennis. The debate stemmed from a suit won by the church involving the title to the church property. The church sustained debt from said suit, and some in the church leadership wished to, "turn the pastor off," until debts were paid. This appears to have been an African American church. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 868 | 74 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | Julius C. Hite v. State | Davidson | Murder |
Plaintiff in error is accused of murdering W. F. McKinley, the husband of his daughter. Said murder took place near Dale's Saloon. Witness testimony indicates that Hite was angry with the victim’s treatment of his family. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 874 | 80 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | James F. Turner v. State | Davidson | Murder |
Plaintiff in error is accused of murdering Thomas Holton. The murder occurred in the office of Justice Aris [?] Brown, a Davidson County Justice. Holton and Turner were arguing over whether to hold a trial or not in the absence of Holton's lawyer when Holton was shot. Exhibit material includes an interior diagram of the crime scene. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 874 | 239 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | Joe Fowlkes v. State | Humphreys | Murder |
Plaintiff in error is accused of murdering Cas Steward by cutting his throat. Both the plaintiff and Steward were attending a dance at the home of C. C. Owens at the time of the murder. The motive for the assault is unclear. Before the murder Fowlkes and several other men attending the party allegedly stopped the dance and were asked to leave or end their disruptive behavior. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 851 | 139 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Jesse Frierson (col.) | Hamilton | Murder |
Frierson was in Irvine's Hall in Knoxville eating lunch during a Christmas celebration. He was a relation of one of the Irvine's. Officer David Musgrove entered the room, giving Frierson an arrest warrant for larceny. Frierson denied the charge, trying to escape. The officer drew his weapon, Frierson shot him first. Brief mentions that justice must be served, & that racist attitudes toward the event must be avoided. |
East | Range: 5 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 17a | 7 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. James Looney | Carroll | Murder | West | Range: 83 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 334 | 115 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. John Buxton | Morgan | Murder |
Victim was M. M. Williams. Murder occurred June 23, 1889. Victim was shot. |
East | Range: 19 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1823 | 82 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Frank Brenish | Shelby | Murder |
Victim was Mary Brenish, wife of Frank Brenish. |
West | Range: 82 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 501 | 54 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. James Looney | Carroll | Murder |
Victim: Will Cannon |
West | Range: 82 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 552 | 232 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. J. M. Hunter | McMinn | Murder |
Morgan Hunter was charged with assaulting and murdering Frank DeArmond. |
East | Range: 19 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1812 | 244 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Moses C. Byram | Robertson | Murder |
Byram charged with killing James Crafton. Jury found him guilty of murder in the second degree and sentence him to 13 years in the penitentiary. Byram appealed. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 785 | 178 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Richard Moses, alias Dick Moses | Williamson | Murder |
Def. is accused of murdering Samuel G. Smithson by stabbing him with a knife. Defendant claims self-defense. It appears that the victim, perhaps under the influence of alcohol, was angry with the defendant and searching for him in order to confront him. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 870 | 277 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. A. F. Francis | Cannon | Murder |
Defendant is accused of murdering F. G. Odom, aka Dock Odom, by stabbing him with a knife. The dispute between the defendant and the victim grew out of a county election for circuit court judge. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 872 | 144 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. George Wyrick | Knox | Murder |
Defendant was charged with the murder of J. A. Beeler, by gunshot wound, with a pistol. Some depositions infer that Beeler may have had an affair with Wyrick's wife. |
East | Range: 19 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1822 | 95 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Ed Carr | Shelby | Murder |
Victim: Annie Carr |
West | Range: 82 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 508 | 58 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Hardy Ballard | Shelby | Murder |
Cause of Action: Murder in the first degree. Murder victim: G. E. Pinkston. Some of the text is faded. |
West | Range: 82 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 501 | 99 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Henry Rucker (col.) | Maury | Murder |
Rucker charged with killing Joe Amis with a knife and rock. Jury found Rucker guilty of murder to the second degree and sentenced him to 10 years in the penitentiary. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 825 | 110 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Manuel Johnson | Maury | Murder |
Victim: John Boothe |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 835 | 82 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | William Cloud v. State | Hancock | Murder |
Cloud was accused of assault and battery on George Waddle with pistols and guns, shooting him in the head and body. George Waddle was 20 years old when he was killed |
East | Range: 19 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1815 | 63 | Order A Copy |