UAH Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives

Browse Items (18 total)

  • loc_robf_000272_000282.pdf

    Ashworth and Gill are witnesses for the defendant, Abner Tate. Ashworth's deposition is first. He answers questions regarding Elizabeth Routt and her husbands, particularly of her character and what others said and thought of her. He includes at the end that he has heard of her destroying the lives of her husbands, stealing cotton by way of her slaves, and was accused of having one of her slaves shoot Abner Tate. Thomas O. Gill's deposition follows. He is asked about Elizabeth Routt and her husbands as well, including her character and what others said and thought of her. Gill also confirms hearing of the "great many charges alleged against her." Gill is then cross examined by the plantiff's, Elizabeth Routt, counsel. He is asked whether the charges against her character are of his knowledge or the publics'. Gill names those whom he heard the information from and admits that the charges were rumors rather than facts. He also details the pamphlet written by Abner Tate that he received from an unknown sender. He was also asked about the sicknesses of Routt's husbands and the attending physicians which he was unable to answer.
  • loc_robf_000183_000187.pdf

    This is the statement of Daniel H. Bingham taken in December of 1855 regarding a murder that occurred in Alabama that occured in 1842. In his statement, D. H. Bingham accuses Abner Tate of the murder of one Jonathan K. Rier of Tuscaloosa. He also accuses Tate's slave, George Cabiness, of aiding and abetting in the committing of the crime. Following Bingham's statement, a statement of support is taken from Barbara Hazel placing a "stranger" in the home of Abner Tate the night of the murder. The next page is a second statement given by D. H. Bingham regarding the murder of Charles B. Sawyer of Coffee County, Tennessee and accusing Abner Tate and his slave, George Cabiness of the crime. His statement is followed by the witness, Barbara Hazel's statement that placed the victim in the home of Abner Tate.
  • loc_robf_000231_000233.pdf

    This letter is William M. Conner's statement as written to Abner Tate. In this statement, Conner refutes Mrs. Hazel's testimony stating that he has never threatened to "cow hide" anyone. Furthermore, Conner writes that his wife "says most positively" that Mrs. Hazel never requested her to "examine her bundle the day before she left her mother's."
  • loc_robf_000250_000259_000269_000271.pdf

    The depositions include the questions asked and the answer. Daniel Curry's deposition is first. The questions regard Elizabeth Routt and her husbands, particularly her third, Alexander Jeffries, whom Daniel Curry knew well. He details his death, claiming he saw him the day he died and he did not appear sick at that time. Later questions interrogate Curry about Routt's character and ability to murder her husbands. Polly Curry was asked the same questions as her husband. Her responses were similar. She stated that Routt was well thought of prior to the death of her third husband, Jeffries, the lost her good standing after that. Polly adds that she heard Routt say that she was glad her second husband was dead following his death and that she wished her last husband, Mr. Routt, was also dead so she could "live in peace." She also includes the rumors that Mrs. Routt was "too intimate" and charged with sleeping with two of her slaves, and had stolen cotton previously.
  • loc_robf_000260_000268.pdf

    As a witness for the defendant, Abner Tate, Dr. Davies' deposition includes a list of the questions asked and the corresponding answers on the blue document. Davies is asked about Elizabeth Routt and her husbands, particularly Alexander Jeffries. Dr. Davies is asked his professional medical opinion about the cause of death to which he states was believed to be from "inflamation of the stomach and perhaps the bowels." Dr. Davies also states that he believed him to have been sick approximately six to eight weeks. He also compares the symptoms of Jeffries and Brown, Routt's fifth husband.
  • loc_robf_000234_000234.pdf

    The deposition of T. O. Gill. In his statement, Gill calls for a retrial at this document certifies that despite Mrs. Hazel's statement, Abner Tate's kitchen could not be seen from any part of the porch. The statement further details other areas of the house pertaining to the witness's statement.
  • loc_robf_000240_000240_000244_000245.pdf

    In these pieces of John's statement, John corroborates that which his wife Sarah said in her statement. The small pieces of paper detail the strange stories told by Mrs. Hazel that were out of character and not representative of the people she spoke of. He also mentions what she stated of the murder of the man she cannot name and how a Mrs. Jones assisted by covering the "offensive smell." He also writes of Mrs. Hazel's accusations of Mrs. McDavid stealing her money and medicines. In the larger piece, John Pool brings up the porch location that she supposedly witnessed the murdered man from.
  • loc_robf_000235_000237_000239_000239.pdf

    The statement of Sarah Pool tells of her encounter with Mrs. Hazel in 1845 in Mississippi. She details the "strange stories" told by Mrs. Hazel and how she accused Mrs. McDavid of stealing and had "opened her bundle," a reference made in William Conner's letter to Abner Tate, that supposedly contained some medicines. Mrs. Hazel then asked Sarah to convey the story to Mrs. McDavid to which Sarah said Mrs. McDavid acted surprised at the accusations. Sarah also tells how Mrs. Hazel spoke of Mr. Tate and his right hand man involved in the murder of a man who she could not name.
  • loc_robf_000241_000243.pdf

    In his statement, William W. Sanders details the day Mrs. Hazel claimed to have seen Sawyer's body being burned by Abner Tate's slaves. He tells of how she told the story to him and that he was surprised when she relayed everything to him. Sanders ends by stating he believes Mrs. Hazel charged a "man of excellent character".
  • loc_robf_000180_000182.pdf

    This letter, written on September 4, 1855, contains information regarding several murders the occurred at the [sic] House between 1841 and 1846, as reported by D. H. Bingham. He further details the arrest and imprisonment of a Mr. John Gordon in relation to the murders, and his appearing in court. Possible information regarding the burial of the murdered men are offered in the letter as well. The letter ends with Abner Tate discussing the validity of certain confessions as many "delight" in "destroying the reputations of others."
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