The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-10-05
FIGHT IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY.

FIGHT IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY.
We find n long account of u fight at Fort
Calhoun, Nebraska Territory, in the Chrome.
tpye, published at the city of Council Bluffs
n portion of which we give below. Mr. Goss
who ia mentioned MS being killed. was formerly
citizen of this (McMinn) county, and has
many friends and relatives living here who
will he panied to learn of his untimely and
bloody end:
Il seems, from the account, that n company
had laid out town plot, aud erected n log
house on the nite of the old fort some twenty
miles above Omaha, in the Territory, and had
been at considerable expense to secure the
claim and render it valuable. Mr.. John $.
Goss one of the company, and the son of the
one who had first made selection Of the claim,
had occupied the house for some time making
improvements, and expanding both labor and
means to secure u comfortable home. During
his absence, on visit 20 his parents, or on
business TO This sile--hc having left his furni-
ture and other property at the clnim-a man
named Chas. d. Davis moved into the house,
and took unustifab!c possession of it and
goods belonging to Goss and tie company
Davis was ordered to leave the premises, but
he refused to do So and informed the ctmra-
nv that when they proved their legal right
to the claim, he would quit il, Int not until
then. Previous TO his jumping the claim, Mr..
T.. II. Clark had been engaged in erecting
hotel on the town plot, and thereafter Davis
entered suit of trcspass against him, and nc.
tually got judgment of one hundred dollars
damages by partial proceedings before the
petty court Mt DeSoto. This affair enraged
the Calhoun company, and trusting no further
to the law, Davis was warned to quit the
premises before set time or he would he
thrust out of the house. DAVIS wns undopbt
eddy an nggrcssor. hut he felt confident his
party was the strongest and that the judg-
mcnt rendered him was feasible plea, and
he was determined not to give up possession
On Wednesday last, (2ath ult.,) party of
mea, numbering some twenty, and nearly all
holding interest at Calhoun, left this place
and Omaha, for the ayowed purpose Of re
moving Davis, ms Others have before been re-
moved from claims Illegally dumped"
portion of them were armed, and n few who
had apprchended 10 very serious difficulty
were entirely without weapons. Davis, APP
priscd of their coming, had prepared for them,
and upon their arrival they found party of
about their own number ready to NEE; them
armed and prepared for hostilities The sup
porters of Davis were mostly from DeSoto, n
town some ten miles above Calhoun, and of
well-known jealousy. Ii has been tnted mat
the DeSoto company urged him in the first
place to seize upon the Calhoun claim, and
assured him OF their Assistance in holding il.
one ct the party ron this place, A. Coch-
ran, WI" was nnarmcd, was appointed to in.
form Davis to the effect that they wished no
violence, hut had come o remove hin-pc:ce-
ably, if they could, furcbly, if they must
that he was trcsrasser ON thcir property,
aud must leave the claim. lie Of course, re-
fused to do SO, and thereupon firing immedi.
ately commenced. We depore the result Of
this procedure, and presume that such rash
ness might have been avoided, had there been
less Of dogmatic pride and stubborn will to
sacrifice. 1t is difficult to learn with any
kind OF certainty which party was the first
to fire; but to that party, even at this june.
ture, belongs the greater guilt. We have
heard many partial statements. from one in.
terest only, hut we are confident that the r.t
shot proceeded from the party inside two or
three of whom, with Davis, stood near the
open door at the time. The fire was return
ed, and II second volley from the house, now
closed upon the party, resulted in the death
of Mr.. Sherman Goss, the father of John :,
highly esteemed and worthy citizen of this
county, and in wonnding Mr.. H. C. Purple
very seriously. Mr.. Goss was penetrated by
two bullets, very near the centre of the breast,
and died almost instantly One or two 9th.
ers were wounded, but not seriously or fatally.
1t is stated that the son of Mr.. Goss and one
or two Others We're fired upon from the house
while carrying away the dead body of the
father, in violation of the truce that had
been granted for that purpose; but we do not
vouch for this, notwithstanding the utter
recklessness displayed by that party. Mr.
Goss was brought to this place for burial, and
it was n sad sight to see the manly form that
had left our city but a few hours before, full
of life and energy, and vigor, n mutilated,
cold and rigid corpse lie had many friends
in this community, and his loss is deeply la.
mented.