[Marshall] Texas Republican, August 18, 1860
We learn that on last Saturday an investigation of some negroes was held at Tennessee Colony, and from their testimony sustained to the full satisfaction of the whole assemblage, by circumstances and other corroborative testimony, two white men—Wyrick and Cabelle,—were implicated in the proposed insurrectionary movements of the negroes of our county. A full, fair and impartial investigation was had, as we are informed, and the verdict was unanimous that they were guilty. They were then taken to the woods and expiated their crimes on the gallows. They had both been citizens of our county for years, and on one or two occasions heretofore had been charged with a degree of certainty, of having harbored runaway negroes. Their general character was bad. The citizens engaged in the investigation numbered about two hundred and was composed of some of the coolest, most impartial and respectable men in the county, and we have fullest assurance that they but discharged their duty to themselves, to their families, and to their country. Let no one judge hastily and harshly of their actions, but reflect upon the startling emergency, which called upon them for prompt and decisive action; circumstances admitted of no delay, and however much the necessity may be regretted, yet their course was the only one which presented itself as equal to the emergency.—
Palestine Advocate of the 8th.
The Rusk Enquirer contains the following letter relative to this denouement and tragedy.
Palestine, Sunday Eve., 5th Aug.—News has just reached here of the hanging of two white men at Tennessee Colony; they had supplied negroes with a quantity of strychnine, and were instructing them as to the details of the plot which is now discovered, for the negroes to poison t-night, to-morrow kill the women and children, get possession of arms and kill the men on their return from the election. Some of the negroes here are engaged in it. I have heard nothing to implicate any one in your county. The plot is general north and north-west of us. The last news from Athens was that they were about to hang three negroes there, who had poison and arms. There have been some negroes arrested here. I do not think we need apprehend much danger as the plot is so generally made known and the people are on their guard. From Dallas, Fort Worth and other places above us, the same plan of action is developed, the negroes all tell the same tale; it is to be hoped that the worst is over.
Yours truly,
J. T. Eppinger.