Wednesday, 6 Feb 1856:

DIED At Cairo, Ill., Feb. 4^th, 1856, Calvin P. Dfen (?), aged 22 years.  New Albany, Ind., paper please copy.

Wednesday, 13 Feb 1856:

Died at Thebes in this county on the 22d ult., Mary Celestia, daughter of Warren R. and Sarah C. Lovejoy, aged 1 year, 1 month and 8 days.

Wednesday, 19 Mar 1856:

Last Friday, Capt. Ed Stevens, clerk of the steamer Ohio Belle was shot through the heart by a man named Joseph B. Jones.  All the facts we could gather are as follows:  Jones got on the Belle at Smithland, Friday morning and when the boat was opposite Cache Island about six miles above Cairo, Jones went to the office to pay his fine.  He handed Mr. Stevens a bill, which Stevens pronounced counterfeit and handed back to him.  Jones, at this, became very indignant and commenced using the most violent and abusive language.  Stevens took him by the arm, walked him to the door of the social hall and pushed him out, remarking as he did so that his language would not do in the cabin.  Jones attempted to return to the cabin, but was met by Stevens, who shoved him back and told him that he should not go into the cabin again.  Jones then drew a Colt’s revolver and placing it about against Stevens’ breast, fired.  Stevens threw up his arms to knock the pistol off, but missed it.  The ball entered between the fourth and fifth ribs passing through the left lung and in all probability through his heart.  After the explosion of the pistol, Jones ran on the guard outside the cabin toward the stern and Stevens followed after him until he reached the middle entrance to the cabin, where he fell.  An elderly gentleman who was witness to the murder pursued and overtook Jones before he reached the stern of the boat.  He knocked him down and held him in durance until the officers of the boat and some of the passengers took possession of him.  He had cocked another barrel of his pistol to shoot Stevens the second time.  He said it was his intentions to get to the stern of the boat, jump overboard and drown himself.  He was under the influence of liquor.

            As soon as he was captured, one end of a strong rope was placed around his neck and preparations were rapidly making to string him up, at the juncture. Miss Heron, the actress, who was on board, appeared and made a strong appeal to them in behalf of the young man and insisted upon their turning him over to the laws of the country to be dealt with.  His execution was abandoned and he was taken to the engine room, securely lashed to a stanchion and a guard placed over him.  The greatest excitement prevailed and it was feared that the friends of Capt. Stevens would take summary vengeance.  The boat left here about 5 o’clock with the intention of lodging Jones in jail at Hickman.  Capt. Stevens was beloved by all who knew him.  He leaves a wife and three children at Newport, Ky.

            Jones is an intelligent-looking, handsome young man, apparently about 22 or 23 years of age, says he lives in Marshall County, Mississippi.  We do not know how true the statement is.  We feel somewhat inclined to doubt it, as he did not seem inclined to communicate anything respecting his name or family connections.  We think from what he said, that he has connections in both Memphis and Nashville.

Wednesday, 2 Apr 1856:

The Columbus Citizen states as a report and the Hickman Argus as a fact, that the body of Jones, the murderer of Stephens, was found floating in the river near Hickman, tied to a chair.  The Argus states that on the authority of a wharf boatman, that one of the officers of the Belle, as she was leaving the landing, said that they need not be surprised if they found a dead man floating there about.  The only presumption is that Jones was thrown overboard from the Belle, tied in such a manner as to prolong his sufferings and thus drowned.  The killing of Stephens was manslaughter; that of Jones was cold-blooded, deliberate murder.

Wednesday, 9 Apr 1856:

On Sunday evening last, George Denny was killed at Dog Tooth Bend by Elijah B. Dilts.  The particulars of the affair, as given to us, are as follows:  About a year ago, Denny was at Dilts’ house, where a difficulty occurred in which Dilts beat Denny severely with a chain.  Several months afterward, the two met at a house railing.  Denny remarked that there is something between them and it had better be settled on the spot, whereupon they fought and Dilts got thrashed.  Last Sunday, the parties in company with several others, were walking out when Dilts, without any provocation whatever, suddenly seized a club and struck Denny on the head.  Denny wrested the stick from him and threw it away.  He seized another and again struck Denny.  Denny then took the stick from him and struck him on the head.  Dilts then drew a pistol and fired.  The ball passed through Denny’s heart, killing him instantly.  Dilts was examined before a magistrate and committed to jail. 

16 Apr 1856:

The name of the young man who killed Capt. Stevens on board the Ohio Belle was not Jones as he represented, but Cocke.  Some years ago he killed a man in Mississippi named Anderson and has been a fugitive from justice ever since.  The name of Jones was assumed.  His parents live in the northern part of Mississippi, near Memphis and are of the greatest respectability.  The father and sister of the young man came up as far as Hickman, looking for his remains, but returned after an unsuccessful search.

            The grand jury of Ballard Co., Ky., have indicted Capt. Sebastian of the steamer Ohio Belle for the murder of Cocke.

Wednesday, 23 Apr 1856:

The last Jonesboro Gazette contains a communication nearly a column long (doubtless from the pen of the Attorney for the accused) taking us to task severely for giving an account of a difficulty which occurred a short time since between Denny and Dilts, which resulted in the death of the latter.  He accuses us of defeating the ends of justice by our publication, yet he goes on to argue the matter in a very affecting style and gradually falls into the same error with which he charges us. Of our statement that Dilts once beat Denny severely with a chair, the attorney says, “This, I am told, is false.  Then why state it?”  Well, we were told, upon good authority, that it was true, and we have yet seen no reason to doubt its truth.  We stated it because we believed it to be the truth.

            Our article relating to the matter was prefaced with the remark that “we state the circumstances as they were related to us.”  We received them from a gentleman who lives but a short distance from the place where the difficulty occurred.  We understand them to be the facts which were elicited at the investigation before a magistrate, and upon which he was committed.  We considered that we had a right to publish them, and we “followed the bent of our inclination.”  The writer in the Gazette seems not to like it.  We cannot help it—we are not aware that we have committed any breach, either of courtesy or law—when we are convinced we will certainly make the amende.

Wednesday, 4 Jun 1856:

Died at Lafayette, Ky., on Saturday the 24th ult., Lucy Miriam, infant daughter of Lon G. and Mattie E. Faxon of this city.

Wednesday, 9 Jul 1856:

Mr. G. W. Sill left on the cars this morning for Rockville, Ind., having in charge a youth named Thompson, who murdered his son at that place on the 3d of March last.  The two boys had a quarrel; Thompson drew a dirk, cut off one of Sill’s hands and then stabbed him in the abdomen.  He died almost instantly.  Thompson fled.  A short time since his parents forwarded to him a trunk of clothing.  Sill procured a requisition from the governor of Indiana, followed the trunk to Natchez and captured the murderer.  Thompson is about 20 years of age.  Sill was but 15.  (The boy was probably O. P. Sill, who was 10 year old on the 1850 census of Rockville, Parke Co., Ind., living in the household of his father, George W. Sill.  O. P. Sill was not on the 1860 census.)

Wednesday, 23 Jul 1856:

On Wednesday morning an inquest was held on the body of John Galvin which was found floating in the river near the wharf boat.  Galvin was watchman off of the coal boats for Dr. Young and on Tuesday night was tendered to his usual duties.  How he got in the river no one knows, but it is supposed he fell asleep on the edge of a coal boat and rolled off.  Not knowing how to swim he was drowned.  The jury returned the verdict of accidental drowning, as there were no bruises or wounds on the body and nothing to justify a suspicion of foul play. 

Wednesday, 6 Aug 1856:

Last Wednesday in the neighborhood of Blandville, a half-breed devil met a little girl 13 years of age going to school, threw her down and violated her person.  The girl was a daughter of Mr. Jett of Kentucky.  The dastardly villain cut the little girl with his knife in a most cruel manner and after accomplishing his hellish purpose, he cut her throat from ear to ear.  The devil was arrested near Mayfield and taken to Paducah where he was lodged in jail.  A delegation from Blandville to Paducah demanded and took possession of him.  After a preliminary lynch trial, he was sentenced to be burnt and the sentence was to have been executed yesterday morning at 11 o’clock.  We have not heard from them today, but the sentence was executed to the very meter.

Wednesday, 20 Aug 1856:

The man who committed rape and murder upon the person of Mr. Jett’s daughter in Kentucky has been remanded to the Paducah jail.  He was first taken to the scene of the outrage and we believe it was left to the father of the child to decide upon the manner of his death.  He, however, recommended them to place him in jail again.  The citizens acquiesced, though with great reluctance in the decision, and he was sent back.  The law will therefore take its course.  He has made a full confession of the horrible deed.  It seems that he was connected with a gang of horse thieves on the other side of the river and a band of free niggers over there were in the habit of harboring these individuals and receiving stolen goods.  The niggers were all well whipped and notified to leave the country in three days.

We are informed that on Wednesday last, while two men were engaged in digging a well at Mound City, the sides caved in and killed them both.  The name of one of them we believe was John Culshaw.  The name of the other we did not learn.  The accident occurred in the morning, but by the prompt efforts of the citizens, the bodies were recovered about 1 o’clock.

Wednesday, 27 Aug 1856:

We are informed by a passenger from Golconda that a week or two since, a Negro committed a rape upon the person of a married lady living at or near that place and was dealt with as follows:  He was stripped and tied.  The woman took a sword and whipped him until she was exhausted.  The husband then fired 12 balls into his body, none of which killed him instantly.  Her brother then took a rifle and shot him through the brain.

Wednesday, 15 Oct 1856:

On Monday night last, an aged and defenseless widow, residing near Little Muddy Station, Washington County, was set upon by three men and so badly beaten about the head and back that she died the next day.  The villains were father and two sons of the name of Gibson.  One of the sons was arrested on the spot and the other two are still at large.  The elder Gibson is 55 or 60 years old, large, dark complexion, course, rough feature.  The younger some 25 years old, is tall, gaunt and lentern jawed (De Soto Farmer).

Wednesday, 29 Oct 1856:

Death.—Mr. I. N. Axley, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Pulaski County, died last Friday at is residence in Villa Ridge.

Wednesday, 12 Nov 1856:

Last Thursday, James Henry, second son of the Rev. E. B. Olmstead, of Caledonia, was killed by the accidental discharge of his shotgun.  He had set the gun against a log and in taking it up the hammer caught and the gun went off, the whole charge striking him in the neck, killing him almost instantly.  We sympathize with the bereaved parents in the loss of so promising a son.  The lad was 15 years of age.

Wednesday, 26 Nov 1856:

The Benton Standard of last Friday week says that on the Tuesday previous, Col. John E. Hall, clerk of the Gallatin Court, was cruelly murdered at Shawneetown.  He was transacting business in his office, several gentlemen being present, and standing with his back to the door when Robert Sloo, son of Col. J. C. Sloo of that place, entered the office and fired upon him, the ball taking effect in the back.  Hall turned to see the cause when Sloo again fired, the ball taking effect in the breast.  Col. Hall fell a corpse.  Sloo was arrested and committed to jail.

Died on the 7th inst., near Thebes, in this county, Michael Miller, aged 28 years, 2 months and 26 days. 

Wednesday, 17 Dec 1856:

On Monday night last a number of men congregated in an unoccupied building on the outskirts of town for the purpose of card playing.  About 11 o’clock two of them named Browning and Wagner, got into a difficulty about a dime that had been bet, when Browning stabbed Wagner with a large pocket knife in the lower part of the abdomen, inflicting a ghastly wound through which his bowels protruded.  Drs. Murphy and Elliott were immediately sent for and dressed the wound.  Wagner lies in a critical situation.  Browning was taken before Justice Logan who committed him to jail at Murphysboro to await his trial at the next term of the circuit court (De Soto Farmer).