The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-11-25
from tho Nashville Banner, 10th inst.

An unfortunate newspaper controversy
between Allen A. Hall, editor of the
Nashville News, an Opposition paper, and
Geo. q. Poindexter, editor of Che Union
and American, Democratic paper, which
had assumed personal character, termi-
mated yesterday morning in the death of
Mr.. Poindexter, 1T the hands Of Mr..
Hail. As all the circumstances connected
with the affair will be sought for with
avidity, and are liable to misrepresenta-
ton, we will endeavor to give them cor
rectly and succinctly The Union and
American has recently produced in its
columns some extracts from the Nash
vile Republican of 1884, of which paper
Mr.. Hall was then editor, a paragraph
published during Mr.. Halls absence in
Washington city, which seemed to favor
tho idea of incorporating in the State
Constitution, Convention to revise which
was about to meet, provision for the
gradual emancipation of slavery. The
object Of the reproduction of this para
graph was understood to be to make the
impression that Mr.. Hall entertained such
sentiments now, and was therefore in a
position to unite with the Black Rcpubli-
cans. Mr.. Hall repealed this, and char
ged the conductors of the Union with
being "unscrupulotrs,' dnd guilty Of ''dis-
fepntabis",practices'in their discussions.
This brought DIT from Mr.. .Poindexter
the following paragraph, which appeared
in the editorial columns of the Union of
Thursday morning:
''The charges and insinuations against
this paper, contained in the eadidg edi-
torial article in the Nashville News of
yesterday, are utterly destitute of truth.
We cannot consentto carry on q newspa-
per controversy with an editor who ut
tiers calumnies against contemporary
trusting to the supposed privileges of
age to shield him from responsibility"
Mr.. John II. Hall, son of the editor of
the News, aooosted Mr.. Poindexter on
Thursday morning in front of the St.
Cloud Hotel, and demanded to know if
he was the author of the above paragraph.
Mr.. p. replied that he was. Whereupon
Mr.. Hall denounced him in the scverest
terms, which denunciation Mr.. p. resent
ed by attempting to strike Mr.. Hail.
| The two clinched, but were immediately
separated, Mr.. p. remarking in substance
that the affair could be settled IN a more
appropriate place.
During the morning Mr.. Hall received
note from Mr.. Poindexter, and cor
respondence followed, of the merits of
which we are not sufficiently apprized to
be able to state its substance. The diff
Guilty, however, was still pending and UNI
settled as we understand, on Thursday
morning, when the following Card APP
peared in the News of yesterday morn
ing:
A CARD.
Yesterday morning there appeared in
the Union and American the following
paragraph:
"The charges and insinuations against
this paper, contained in the leading edi-
torial article in the Nashville News of
yesterday, are utterly destitute of truth.
We cannot consent to carry on u newspa-
per controversy with an editor who ut
tiers calumnies against q contemporary
trusting to the supposed privileges of age
to shield him from responsibility"
The Charges" l made against the
Union and American in the article of the
News above referred to, l established by
undeniable facts then and there adduced.
made no 'insinuations."
The assertion that trust to the priyi-
leges Of age to shield myself from respon-
slbility for any statements | make is false
and calumnious. lie who made the as
sertion trusts to the pistol to shield from
exposure the Misrepresentation and false
hoods of the journal with which he is
connected. That is the plain English of
the matter. The shield he has selected
will prove insufficient for his purpose
| shall 60 on, as | have begun, with a
thorough exposure of all mis-statements,
misrepresentation and falsehoods which
may appear in the Union and American,
and which may deem worthy of notice
fully able and prepared to protect my
person against assault and to punish the
assailant. ALLEN A. HALL.
Early yesterday morning Mr.. Poindex
ter called, in company with two friends,
at the Counting Room of the News, and
asked for Nh. Hall. He was informed
that that gentleman had not yet come
down. The call was repeated, and Mr..
Hall had not yet arrived. Soon after the
second call, Mr.. Hall came in, and was
Immediately apprized Of the fact that Mr..
P. was seeking him. A few moments af-
ter he was farther apprized that Mr.. P.
was advancing towards his office from the
corner of Deaderick street. Mr.. Hall
Immediately took position in front of
his door, and as Mr.. P. advanced, he
commanded him twice to stop in loud
voice. Mr.. P rather quickened his pace
and at the second command made
movement as if to draw weapon
Thereupon Mr. Hall leveled double bar
rel shot gun, charged heavily with buck
shot, and fred. Mr.. p. fell upon the
pavement about fifty feet from Mr.. Hall,
and died in few moments without artic-
ulatng a word. His pistol fell by his
side. His body received five buck-shot
either one of which, in the opinion of a
physician who examined the wounds,
would have proved fatal. In addition
his left arm, in which he supported an
umbrella, was badly broken. The UNI
brela shaft was also broken.
Mr.. p. was Immediately carried into
the Office of Mr.. Childress. He gasped
as he was laid upon settee, and ex-
PRED.
Mr.. Hall Immediately sent for an Of
ficer and deliyered himself into his cus-