Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-07-23
From the Norfolk Herald,
THE AFFAIR AT cHUckATucK,


ne circumstances Of the bloody aifray
al Chuekatuck. on Tuesday last. hayips
been incorrectly reported in some Of NJ,
particulars. we are enabled. through ih,
po'iseness of MIR. kilby. The Coroner, 10
present true statement of the whole az
lar, from the testimony taken down al
the inquests---
SUFFOLK. Nansemond County.2
July Q. 1885.
Mr.. Broughton: AS the fatal and des.
perate affair, which took place al Chuck.
ainck on Tuesday evening last, may be
misfcprescnted abroad, as | understand
has been the case, deem il not amiss, in
Tact, my duty, 10 give you true and cor
rect account, as coroner Of Nansemond
county, and the Jurors that sat upon the
several cases. The facts are these
There had existed for some time, violent
enmity betweea Samuel Whitfield and
VIM. I. Cowper, both Of Isle of Wight
the cause Of which II is not material or
proper here 10 relate, aud on Tuesday
last the said Whitfield and Cowper. and
Josiah &. Parker met at Chuckatuck vii
iage. After being there some considers.
ole time, without passing any words. as
10 known, Whltsfeld was in the act of
getting into the carriage, whsn Cownc..
10 or 10 feet of, fred a pistol at Whit.
field. but without effect. Whitfield i'm.
mediAiely turned drew pistol aud fired
at Cowpcr. with fatal effect. the ball or
load entering the lower part of the left
side, he drew q second pistol and again
shot at Cowpcr, but missed him, and the
Dali passed on and killed an old negro
man David or Rix.) Cowper, at the same
time, apparently retreating. threw bis
hand around and fred another pistol at
Whitfield but without efsct Atthe same |
limo, for il was all done in a moment,
Whitfield pursued aud engaged with /
Cowper. and struck him several blows, /
and at the same time. Josiah G. Parker,
Gown brother to Cowper) stepped up aud
bowed the load Of another pistol into
Whitfields back. and lodged the came in
his body; he then.proceeded to beat, with /
the butt end ola horsewhp, the head OF
Whitfield, and thereby fractured his skull .
either Of which wounds would have killed
him. Whitfield lived s or 9 minutes, and /
Cowpsr lived till next morning the old |
man lived but short time. This think,
70 the truth ~ near as can be told. Ii is
not my province 10 ssy where the fault
lay, or who was 10 blame, but must say /
that Whitfield, tho oysrpowered. fought
with genuine bravery. and died like 10.
70. Thus, air, ended the most brutal and
ssysEe scene Of butshery, perhaps. that
aver happened in this county, and the aw.
ful distress which this inhuman tragedy
has created, is beyond descripiion-hu |
manly shudders at the idea oft. Besides
many other relatives, two aged mothers,
an aflectionste wife and two sisters, now
exist 10 bemoan the awful catastrophe:
and shall we not pity the old negro man 7
lie appeared unconscious Of the extent Of
lis wound, and innocenty observed 10 a
physician Standing by, Master Doctor,
can't you do something for me believe
hey have killed. me too, in the scrape,"
md then sunk and died. The old man
was not neglected. but was decen,ly buri-
I'd by janice Milby. Esq.
The verdicts OF the Jurors were, that
Parker killed Whitfield f.loniously and OF
malice nforethousht; that Whitfield killed
Cowper IN self defence, and killed the ne
gro by accident.
Ia haste, your obedient servant,
THOMAS j. KILBY,
Coroner Of Nansemond county.