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Winchester, Ten. Sept. 1st 1829
His Excellency William Hall acting Governor of the State of Tennessee
My son Thomas P. Taul, was most Cruelly Murdered, in this place on the 24th Instant by Rufus K. Anderson of Alabama
The Murderer and the deceased, were personally strangers to each other -
My son was confident from the first that the wound was mortal; & solemnly stated on his dying bed, that when he saw the Murderer approaching him he supposed he was a madman, and that he went into the house, at the door of whch he was standing to avoid him
That he did not see the Pistol un till [sic] it was within two or three feet of his body - He then threw forward d his hand to get hold of it - & at the same movement his right the Murderer fired - His right Arm was burned between the elbow & wrist, by the fire from the Pistol. The Murderer has fled, & I pray your Excellency, to address the Governors of the several States, particu larly Alabama to Cause him to be apprehended & brought to Justice
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I further state from the information of others, which I believe to be true, that there is no doubt of the fact, that the Murderer came from Pickens County Alabama, to this place for the ex press purpose of Committing the Mur der. His father & other relatives re side in this place & its neighborhood
The night before his arrival here, I am informed & believe, he stayed at the house of Thos Miller Esqr. in Alabama, distant about 25 Miles from this place - At which time & place, he had no Portmanteau, or saddle bags or baggage of any description He was travelling on Horseback.
Micah Taul, this day Personally appeared before the undersigned Justice of the Peace of said County & made Oath that the within & above state ments are true
[Saml?] Norwood JP
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State of Tennessee, To the Sheriff of Franklin County,
Whereas complaint was this day been made on oath by Micah Taul, to me James Sharp a Justice of the peace of the County & State aforesaid, that Rufus K. Anderson, late of said County, did on this 24th day of August in the year of our Lord 1829, with force & arms, wilfully, feloniously and of his malice aforethought make an assault, on the body of Thomas P Taul, and with a pistol loaded with powder & ball, which he then & there held in one of his hands, did wilfully, feloniously and of his malice aforethought, shoot the said Thomas P Taul, giving unto him a severe wound, in the abdomen, immediately above the navel, of which wound the said Thomas P Taul is now languishing, and as the said Micah Taul fears & believes the said wound is mortal -
There are therefore in the name of the state afore= said to command and require you to arrest the body of the said Rufus K Anderson & bring him before me, on tuesday the 25th of this Instant, at the court house of said county, to answer the premises & further to be dealt with according to Law -
Given under my hand and seal, this 24th day of August 1829 J Sharp JP (seal)
Summond [sic] for the State the following Witnesses James Woods, Abram Tolles Joseph Bratton
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Joseph Hill Thomas S. Logan James Dove
J Sharp JP
And on the back of which there were the following endorsements to wit
Warrant
The State vs Rufus K Anderson
Came to hand and executed and returned for trial on the 24th August 1829 the witnesses all summoned but Joseph Bratton, him not found
J Handly D Shff
State of Tennessee Franklin County
Came Rufus K Anderson and acknowledged himself to stand justly in= debted to the State of Tennessee in the penal sum of fifteen hundred dollars - William Knox & William Dardis who acknowledged themselves to owe the State the Sum of Seven hundred and fifty dollars each to be levied of their goods and chattles lands and tenements but to be void on condition, that the said Rufus K Anderson doth make his personal appearance before the judge of our next circuit court to be holden for the county of Franklin at the court house in the Town of Winchester on the second Monday of January next then and there to answer to the a charge of the State against
