The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-03

Gen. Leslie Combs has written letter Ia relation
10 the death Of his son, which find published In
late number of the Louisville Journal The General
states that about years since he purchased place
for his 30 "a, Just below the mouth Of Red fser 10
which Young Combs removed and commenced work.
A few months after near neighbor died and a man
named Blennis chased the place Of the deceased,
aud put some hands on II, but not his family. The
day before Young Combs visited Kentucky in July
last he bought a small strip of land yng between
him and o Blennis al pubic sale. O'Blennls de-
sired tins land, and each had endeavored 10 buy II
from the claimant, who refused to sell IL TO O'Blen-
mis- because he had first promised II to young
Comb.
General Combs continues:
After my son started home last November, ! re-
ceived letter from his agent, D.. Jacks, addressed
10 him. advising him of the bad conduct OF blennis,
during his absence in destroying his stock and espe-
clsly Of his cruelty towards his riding horse, 10
forcing hlm, with the aid OF Of his negroes, over
the river bank backwards into a bog, from which he
could not eHlricae himself and when found and
pred out he died. Shocked as | was by such inhu-
maniy To dumb brute became seriously alarmed
Tor the safety OF my son, and wrots TO him to be on
his guard-to have nothing personally to do with
OBennls, but 10 seek legal redress ioT any inJu-
rles he had sustained, IT, consultation WIN ms
friends, II was deemed advisable. This course he
adopted although after his return TO his place
a
mis- that the latter individual had offered TO pay hui If
he would kill my son, and thai o Bennls himself
was repeatedly absent till a late hour in the night
with double barrel gum loaded with buekshot-
My sou apprlI me Of these alarming circumstances,
and that of his neghbors advised hun TO leave
his place, but SAID that he chad rather die than De
thus driven d." In the mean time, however, he was
preparing, under my instructions, to wind up his
business as soon as possible and come of, Temporal
rlly at any rate, unul something could be done to
render his residence safe and but for his murder he
would have left early IN January.
Things remained IN this situation until the Goth
of December my son never having met o. Bennis
but once hich occasion he told him of his inlen-
ton to seek Legal redress for the injuries he had
done bin, AMI expressly discalmed all intention Of
any personal injury TO him. From this circumstance
aud that two months had nearly elapsed since his
turn and OBlennis had not executed his threats, my
began to think he merely boasIing, and, at
any rate that he would not venture to attempt any
open act Of violence upon him. On that day my son
vislling a friend in the neighboThcod, when
OBeDnis rode up To the front fence few steps from
the house, and seeing my ia the portlco, dis
mounted and came in without being invited so TO do
by the proprietor. Soon afierwards dinner was an
bounced and my son, seeing that O'Bennls had seat
ed himself at the table, declined eating brief alier-
cation ensued, when The host intertered and ordered
or desired O'Blenns 10 leave his house, telling him he
would not allow him thus TO insult his guest NV
remained all night and until one two o'clock
the next day. In the mean time, OPiennis had sent
of his slaves late at night TO nelghboring gro
Gerry for a gallon of whiskey, with a written order
very strangely woTded, showing that be had some
desperate deed in contemplation. The next morning
and during the forenoon, O'Blennis was seen by Sc
vera persons walking IN the pubic road sitting on
log by its side, armed with u double barreled gun
Along this road my son would be compelled to travel
in returning home. Although aware Of the difficulty
between them, they did not suppose he was contem-
plating attack, and, therefore, did not take the
trouble to notify my son of his danger that, at
about one or two o'clock when he started home ac-
companied by vouug gentleman, named Johnson,
far from intending erpecting attack he put his
pistol "a small siI-barre revolver) his saddle bags
unloaded and took neither powder nor ball with
him
When they arrived at OBlenniss plantation, they
him in the field near the road and bv the time
they had come opposite the house, he in the yard
Without speaking TO him, or hearing him If he spoke
to them, they passed on at slow pace. When they
had gone few hundred yards and were in the sight
of Frank Combs house, they heard horse approach
ing them in the at rapid gate and looking back
saw O'Bennis with a double barrel gun on his
shoulder riding at full speed. Johnson Immediately
said to my son: "O'BIennis is coming after you, to
shoot you" and he replied: 81 expect he is."-
OBlenns rode past fast he could but said moth
ing, and when he had got some twenty or thirty
yards, jumped from his horse and attempted TO hit h
him TO the fence, but failed, and Immediately leveIed
his gun at my son and approached him. he and
Johnson both jumped TO the ground and Johnson
said "MI. OBlennis don't shoot him" My son
exclaimed, raising his right hand without attempting
to draw any weapon: stop, O'Blenns, stop ~
O'Bennis made no reply, but still approached till
within a few PAGES, my son looking him right in the
face, and wholly unprotected both barrels were then
discharged SO nearly at the same time that johnson
thought but was fired, although several persons
at my sons house distinctly heard two reports. The
parties close together that the whole load he
first in my opinon) entered his forehead without
touching his hat, in circle not exceeding two inches
in diameter crushing the skull and lodging in the
brain. The second load must have passed over his
head as he fell there marks the fence where
several shot struck it, just behind where he stood.
Johnson, filled with horror at the scene mounted
his horse and started to look for help; just he did
so, he heard O'Blennis call HIM, and looking back
saw him standing near over the body of my son,
and heard him say something about his being armed
1t was MOI than an hour before Judge Black and Mr.
Hopkins reached the place, accompanied by Mr..
johnson. In the meantime neighbor was accden-
tally passing and saw man lying on his face by the
road side with his horse grazing near him. He sup
poses it must have been ten fifteen minutes after
the deed was done. He Immediately dismounted
and ascertainDg that it was my son, turned him on
his back his pulse still beating he groaned Sc
veral times and died. Whether he was rendered in
sensible at the moment he shot, was suffering
the agones of death all this time God knows.
O'Blenns was subsequently arrested and General
Combs concludes his touching account with this Ian
guage:
"My sons body is deposited temporarily in neigh
boris grave yard. shall bring it home with me and
bury him by the side of his mother The sod on
which his head lay when be died is still saturated and
red with his blood. shall dig it up and place il at
the head of his grave in Kentucky. IL be had been
bosterous, forward boy, do not think my heart
would have been so sorely bruised, but he was as
mild and retiring in his as he was brave and
high toned in bis feelings and principles"
The speech of the King Of the French, on the late
opening of the Chambers at Paris, delivered at
two o'clock in the afternoon, after which hour it wns
conveyed by express, to Boulogne, where IT was re-
ceived at three O'Clock on the following morning.