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State of Tennessee
Sevier County

An Inquisition indented taken
at Sevierville in the same county
the 13th day of October int he year of our Lord 1816
Before me Stuard Owens Coroner of the County aforesaid
upon the View of the body of John Compton then and there
lying Dead upon their Oath Thomas Price, Alexander Preston
Jeremiah Mathews, John Clabaugh Sentr, Thomas Locke
Sentr, John Williams, Robert Lawson, John Common, William
Common, Jonah Rogers, John Reed, and Anthony Lawson
Good and longest men men of the said County who being sworn
and changed to enquire on the part of the state aforesaid
when, where, how, and after what maner [sic] the John
Compton, came to his Death, do say upon their Oath that
one Ellis Thomas of theaid County yeoman not having
the fear of God Before his Eyes, But being moved and
seduced by the instagation [sic] of the Devil on the twelfth
day of October 1816 immediately after dark in the
night of the same day with form and arms at the
house of Stuard Owens in Sevierville in the county aforesaid
in and upon the said John Compton then and there being
in the place of God and of the State Feloniously Voluntarily
and of his malice of forethought made an assault
and that the aforesaid Ellis Thomas there and then
with a Certain knife made of Irona nd steel which
he the said Ellis Thomas then and there held in his
right hand, the aforesaid John Compton in and
upon the left Grind Joining, the lower part of the
Belly of the said John Compton then and there voilently [sic]
feloniously voluntarily and with malice of forethough
struck and pierced and Gave to the said John Compton
then and there with the knife aforesaid in anpon
the left Grind Joining the under part of the Belly
of the said John Compton one mortal wound of
the bridth [sic] of two inches and a half, and of considerable