A century ago, Lem Motlow, the owner of the Jack Daniel's Distillery, was involved in a murder trial [15213ef2]. Motlow was indicted for the murder of Clarence Pullis, a porter on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, on March 17, 1924. The incident occurred when Motlow had a physical altercation with a Black railroad porter named Ed Wallis, and when Pullis tried to separate them, Motlow accidentally shot and killed Pullis. Motlow was accused of first-degree murder and hired a team of lawyers for his trial in St. Louis. The all-white jury found Motlow not guilty, and he continued to operate the Jack Daniels Distillery, served in the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate, and had the tunnel connecting Legislative Plaza to the State Capitol named after him. The story of Motlow's trial is not widely known in Tennessee, but it was recalled by Nashville attorney James O. Bass, who served in the General Assembly with Motlow. The trial has not affected the success of the Jack Daniels Distillery.
In a more recent murder trial, a jury has retired to determine the fate of Elijah Cage and Max Lowcock, who are accused of murdering David King at Salt Ash in 2021 [b86409de]. The prosecution alleges that the murder was a 'drug rip gone wrong.' Tyson Stamp, who drove the pair from the scene, was acquitted of murder last week. The trial has focused on whether Cage and Lowcock planned to rob King of half an ounce of methamphetamine before he was shot dead. The defense argues that the men only went to Salt Ash to buy drugs and that King was armed with the firearm. The jury began deliberating on Monday [b86409de].
In Twin Falls, Idaho, a historic murder case has resurfaced with the discovery of a pistol that is similar to the one used in the 1896 murder of David Cummins and John Wilson. The Colt Frontiersman .44 pistol was found in the possession of Dan Buchwitz of Boise, who received it as a gift. The gun matches the description of the one used in the murder. Max Black, author of the book 'Diamondfield: Finding the Real Jack Davis,' used to show the gun in his presentation on Diamondfield Jack. The Twin Falls County Museum also displays a similar gun, although it is not the actual pistol used in the murders. The museum's gun is rusty and missing the grips, unlike the original pistol. The gun found at the sheep herder site, where Cummins and Wilson were shot, was a center fire, which was used to try and convict Diamondfield Jack. The discovery of the pistol has reignited interest in the historic murder case [9f72b127].