It has many years since the citizens of McKenzie were stirred up as they have been for the past week. The deadly pistol has gotten in its work, the strong arm of the law has been defied, and brave, loyal citizens have been forced to arms to vindicate the peace and dignity of the town.

On August 25, license was issued, and S. D. HAWKINS and MISS WILLIE LOONEY were united in marriage.

One week and one day after the wedding, Mr. Hawkins startled the people of McKenzie by filing in chancery court a bill for divorce from his young wife, charging adultery. He charged that WILL CANNON and PORTER DAVIS had been with his wife for several months and she was enceinte at the time of the wedding. This created a sensation, comment and disbelief given by different opinions… A few days passed, and Mr. Hawkins and JIM LOONEY, brother of Hawkins’ wife, met on the streets and came very near shooting each other, Hawkins with a pistol and Looney with a double barreled shotgun. Friends prevented the shooting, but from indications, only blood would satisfy the hatred.

A few more days passed, HAWKINS and LOONEY, instead of being bitter enemies, became close friends. Mrs. Hawkins’ answering her husband’s bill for divorce, denying charges against her. PORTER DAVIS published a card in the Democrat to vindicate himself, and Looney and Cannon appeared to be best friends.

Last Saturday, less than two weeks from the time the divorce bill was filed, JIM LOONEY and WILL CANNON met in McKenzie and were in conversation in the hotel saloon. Looney telling Cannon of some lots near Pate’s pond about a half mile from the crossing and he contemplated of purchasing and asked Cannon to go and look at the lots. Cannon readily agreed and they took a drink, Looney treating, and started. They were accompanied as far as C. HAWKINS’ residence by a young man named CURRIN, who there decided not to go any further and returned to town. This was about half after three p.m. Later in the evening Looney returned to town and told some friends he had killed Cannon and immediately left for his home at JACK DELANEY’S.

The citizens were soon apprized of what had bee done and a general search was instigated for Cannon’s body. The body was found at 9:00 and a more ghastly sight would be hard to find. He had been shot four or five times, bloated, lying near a log. Cannon had a pistol in his picket, but the general impression was that Looney shot him without warning.

An inquest was held Monday and the jury decided that Cannon came to his death by pistol shots from the hands of Looney. The evidence brought before the jury was such to implicate Hawkins. Hawkins had sent a package upstairs to Looney which supposed to be a pistol. This besides other things, caused Cannon’s father, who had come to court to swear out a warrant for Hawkins’ arrest. Last Wednesday, Constable SARTER served the papers on Hawkins who asked Sarter to step down the street with him, which he did. Passing a horse belonging to his uncle, Hawkins jumped on it, Sarter caught the bridle, but Hawkins drew his pistol and ordered Sarter to release the bridle at peril of his life. Hawkins galloped through town, firing his pistol.

A few hours after Hawkins escaped, a posse of well armed men started after him. They returned about 11 and reported they had Hawkins placed but had evidence that he had been reinforced by LOONEY and HENRY PATE, and would make a desperate resistance, so they wanted more men. About 12:00, a posse of 15 men started out and searched all the evening and night, without success. The search was renewed yesterday. Hawkins and Looney were known to be a few miles from town, and in the afternoon at 3:00, fresh news came to their whereabouts. A new posse set out. As we go to press, no further particulars in the affair had been received.

While the inquest was being held, Mrs. Hawkins testified to her innocence of the charges made against her. It is also a fact that Hawkins and his wife had settled their differences and had been living together as man and wife for two days prior to his departure.

Carroll County Democrat Huntingdon, Tennessee -- Friday, September 20, 1889 Another ruffle in the Hawkins-Looney-Cannon case last Wednesday by HENRY SARTER reading a warrant of arrest for S. D. HAWKINS, charging him as accomplice in the murder of WILL CANNON. Hawkins submitted and asked Sarter to walk with him to SCATES’ livery. As they were walking, Hawkins managed to decoy his captor near his horse, and it seems that CHARLEY grew tired of HENRY’S company and preferred taking a morning ride by himself, so deciding, he galloped out of town, firing a farewell of two shots to McKenzie. A posse followed a safe distance behind.

LOONEY on TRIAL

4 October 1889 - Carroll County Democrat

The sensation of the week has been the trial of JIM LOONEY for the killing of WILL CANON at McKenzie, Saturday, Sept. 14, 1889. Looney was arrested at Cairo, Illinois and brought here last Friday by Detective MYERS and City Marshal MAHONY of Cairo, Illinois. The prosecution: ex-governor ALVIN HAWKINS, C. HAWKINS, M. L. MCKENZIE and ALONZO HAWKINS. The defense: Judge JO R. HAWKINS, J. MAT BELL and SIDNEY J. EVERETT.

First witness was JOHN BAKER who said he carried a package for S. D. HAWKINS and gave it to TOM CROW, who gave it to JIM LOONEY. They were upstairs over HAWKINS’ place of business. He saw the box there the next day, in which Hawkins kept his pistol. MAT THOMAS testified that he saw a pistol in LOONEY’S pocket at the train depot while Looney was in company with Cannon. JIM CURRIN stated that he was talking with Looney and Cannon and was asked by them to go with them to see some lots near PATE’S pond. After going a short distance, Looney tapped his shoulder, motioning for him to return to town. NAT CLICK said he saw Looney and Cannon going together to the pond. This was the last time that anyone saw them together. Looney was seen leaving town going towards home. Cannon was found that night after considerable searching, with four bullet holes visible.

The defense presented their principal witness, Jim Looney, who said he killed Cannon in self-defense. He said that he and Cannon talked and Cannon asked what they were going to do about the Hawkins’ divorce case. He answered he wasn’t having anything to do with it when Cannon jumped up, starting to draw his pistol, exclaiming “I am not afraid of Hawkins, you are the one, and d…n you, I will fix you now!” Thereupon Looney drew his pistol and shot Cannon. He went to town and saw GEORGE MUSE and told him what had occurred, explaining how it was done. Muse testified that the statement made by Looney at the time was the same that Looney told in court. The defense introduced several witnesses to prove that Cannon’s character was bad and he was a seducer of women. Miss MARSH testified that Cannon had seduced her and she had a two year old child fathered by Cannon. MRS. HAWKINS, Looney’s sister, was on the witness stand and stated, contrary to what she had told the jury of inquest that she had not been intimate with Cannon, also in testimony in answer to her husband’s bill for divorce, she now said that she had been seduced by Cannon and his threatening to kill her, so she continued to meet Cannon.

The case continues.

Another article - same issue -
As soon as TOM CROW was subpoenaed as a witness in the Looney trial, he took the train and left for other parts. He told someone that he never expected to put his foot on Tennessee soil again.

* * * * * Another article -- Carroll County Democrat - 20 November 1890
Not Dead --- Some weeks ago, the Carroll County Democrat pubished that JAMES M. LOONEY of Gleason had been killed by MR. CANNON Oct. 5. Mr. Looney requests us to state that he is not dead and can be found selling groceries, hop-tonic and cider at Gleason. He says Mr. Cannon is dead.