Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
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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].
Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
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| View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Entry | 1904 | Arthur Bell v. State | Shelby | Insurance Claims and Policies | West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 882 | 97 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | Berry Ellison v. State | Knox | Keeping a Bawdy House |
"Keeping a gaming house." Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 100 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Ed Gardner v. State | Shelby | Carrying an Illegal Weapon |
Ed Gardner was arrested in Memphis for unlawfully carrying a pistol. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 884 | 33 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Elvin Janes v. State | Weakley | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 720 | 27 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | George Spurling v. State | Polk | Carrying an Illegal Weapon |
George Spurling is charged with carrying a pistol |
East | Range: 8 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 813 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Hardy Haughton v. State | Madison | Larceny |
Cause of action: Larceny of a pocket book containing $146.70 and belonging to Miss Lillie Trump. |
West | Range: 81 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 726 | 53 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Henry Steele v. State | Shelby | Other |
Cause of Action: Vagrancy Incomplete case. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 706 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Henry Frey v. State | Shelby | Larceny |
Stolen bicycle, $25.00. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 892 | 26 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Jim Puckett v. State | Weakley | Liquor Violation |
Selling liquor without a license |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 720 | 27 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | James Long v. State | Hawkins | Assault |
After hearing she had been talking about him, B. A. Arnold went to James Long's wife and called her a "stinking, dirty liar." James Long challenged Arnold, Arnold replying that he could not fight fair with a person of color. Arnold ran toward his tobacco barn to get his shot gun and Long produced a pistol, steadied himself and shot Arnold, allegedly to simply stop him from pursuing his shot gun. |
East | Range: 5 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 3a | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Jerry Davis v. State | Washington | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Plaintiff is appealing the charge that he assaulted D. D. Pugh with intent to commit murder in the second degree. Case file is incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 91 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | John Hill v. State | Tipton | Murder |
Victim: Mrs. S. C. Hill, wife |
West | Range: 81 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 928 | 1101 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | L. Faccaro v. State | Shelby | Gambling | West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 892 | 20 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | Martin Brown, Jr. v. State | Rhea | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
Incomplete case file; brief for the State only. Brown was accused of selling within four miles of school & for selling liquor without a license. John Banks went to Dayton to buy brandy from Brown in the train depot. Banks drank it all with a friend & went back to brown to buy more. They were caught by the sheriff who found they had procured the liquor from Brown. |
East | Range: 5 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 16a | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Maggie Allen v. State | Shelby | Larceny |
Cause of action: larceny for $27.85. Victim: T. O. Sines. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 718 | 51 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | M. F. Mays v. State | Knox | Murder |
Plaintiff is appealing the charge that he/she murdered John Boyd. |
East | Range: 5 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 30 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Nathan Watkins v. State | Haywood | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Mary Elizabeth Frank also last name stated as Franklin. |
West | Range: 80 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1025 | 7 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | Pleas Wynn & Catlett Tipton v. State | Sevier | Murder |
Victims: Laura & William Whaley. The victims were one of the last people to be killed during the mid 1890's, where a vigilante group known as the White Caps took the law into their own hands in order to rid Sevier county of vice. As a result of the widespread outrage of the Whaley's deaths the Tennessee Legislature banned extra legal conspiracies and vigilante groups. |
East | Range: 9 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1070 | 952 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | R. B. Wright v. State | Fentress | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
Opinion only. Wright was charged with selling liquor without license and convicted. He was fined $50 and sentenced to 6 months in County jail. The judgment was reversed and the cause remanded for a new trial. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 827 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | R. C. Austin v. State | Chester | Tippling | West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 690 | 26 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Henry Hugh & Robert Fritts | Murder |
Defendants are charged with murdering George Edwards. Case file is incomplete; brief and opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 73 | 20 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Will Williams | Shelby | Attempted Murder |
Attempted to shoot and kill Henry Johnson. |
West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 684 | 14 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. John Hall | Shelby | Robbery |
Armed robbery committed against H. Hibbler. |
West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 684 | 51 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Tom Epps | Shelby | Burglary and Larceny |
Epps is accused of "burglarious" entering the house of John Harris and stealing $59.00. |
West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 688 | 34 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Nathan Watkins | Haywood | Rape |
Victim: Mary Eliza Franklin (under the age of 10) |
West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 690 | 19 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Sun Ross | Shelby | Carrying an Illegal Weapon | West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 690 | 18 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Harry Liggon | Shelby | Carrying an Illegal Weapon | West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 706 | 30 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Henry Steele | Other |
Cause of Action : Vagrancy |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 708 | 16 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Vester Gurley | Decatur | Murder |
Victim: John C. Kennedy |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 710 | 74 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Sam Rogers | Shelby | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
Selling liquor to a Minor, Lee Miller. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 710 | 19 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Jim Norman | Shelby | Attempted Murder |
The victim's name was Sandy Good. The defendant accosted him with a piece of iron. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 713 | 81 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Ida Wallace | Shelby | Unknown |
Case consists of case cover only. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 714 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Harry Smith | Shelby | Liquor Violation |
Cause of action: Violation of the Sunday laws of Tennessee or keeping his saloon open on Sunday (Shannon's Code 6784). Plaintiff was the owner and proprietor of the Blue Gem Saloon at the corner of Beale and Main Streets in Memphis, Tennessee. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 718 | 42 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Pearl Rhodes | Weakley | Other |
Cause of action: allowed five head of hogs belonging to him to run at large in the county |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 720 | 37 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. W. D. Ball | Larceny |
This is an brief for the appeal. No other documents are present. Ball was tried on three counts of larceny and receiving stolen property: two overcoats and some savings banks, which he allegedly stole from friends. The county where the original trial took place is never mentioned. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 864 | 19 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State ex. Rel. Mike Haggerty v. F. L. Monteverde | Shelby | Petitions for Certiorari |
Monteverde is Sheriff of Shelby County. Murder charges are pending against Haggerty for killing two sheriff's deputies, Thomas J. McDermott and Houston Mitchell. This case involves petitions for certiorari and Supersedeas as well as Habeas Corpus. Petition for Habeas Corpus. Others involved in the murders include George Honan, Harry Keene/King; Harry Hartley, and George Degg. The third digit of the docket number is illegible. It might be zero, 4 or 6. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 875 | 53 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Will Smith | Shelby | Assault and Battery |
Defendant originally found guilty of beating Salina Harris with his fists on 30 Dec. 1903. Appealing sentence. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 874 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Grant Wilcox | Shelby | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Wilcox "did unlawfully, willfully, disturb and disquiet an assemblage of persons met for religious worship at a church called Birdett Chapell [sic] by noise, profane discourse, rude and indecent behavior…" |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 882 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Bettina Smith | Shelby | Public Nuisance |
Alternate defendant name: Betty Smith Cause of action: "Indictment for profane cursing and swearing" |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 882 | 50 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Walter Roach | Shelby | Carrying an Illegal Weapon |
Defendant appealing sentence; was found guilty of unlawfully carrying a "pocket pistol" on 15 Oct. 1903. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 886 | 25 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. James Rogers | Shelby | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Plaintiff had been charged with assaulting Vera Compton, a girl about 11 years old, with the intention to commit rape on 18 May 1903. Attack took place in butcher shop where defendant worked. Defendant found guilty with "mitigating circumstances". |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 886 | 53 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Gus Wolf | Madison | Other |
Petition for retrial. Defendant was acquitted on charge of unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon but was convicted on charge of assault with intent to commit murder. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 895 | 16 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Eddie Stegall | Carroll | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Herbert Barnhill |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 892 | 125 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Frank White | Lauderdale | Carrying an Illegal Weapon | West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 896 | 25 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Robert Thomas | Shelby | Gambling |
Cause of action: Gambling/selling pools on races (horse) not seen in the State of Tennessee. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 901 | 119 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. William Tait | Shelby | Liquor Violation |
Cause of action: Liquor violation for retailing liquor within four miles of a school. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 901 | 37 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Mike Haggerty, Budd Deggs | Shelby | Liquor Violation |
The defendants were indicted and convicted in Shelby Criminal Court for the offense of selling wine, spirituous and malt liquors and cigars to visitors in apartments opening onto a theatre and place of amusement. Alleged that the verdict was not sustained by the proof. Appealed to TN Supreme Court at Jackson. |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 901 | 40 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Dave Day | Rhea | Liquor Violation | East | Range: 7 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 743 | 2 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. Charlie Cobb | Jefferson | Larceny |
Defendant alias: Budd Cobb. |
East | Range: 7 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 743 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1904 | State v. M. P. Langford | Gibson | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: H. D. Mason |
West | Range: 80 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 998 | 36 | Order A Copy |