Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-07-06
Fatal ARRAY in Clay County.


in this State, in which OLIVER, HARRISON and
ALBION BARkEn, formerly residents of this
County, and well known to many Of our Cit
izcns, were participants. We were shown q
few days since letter written to the father
of the above named gentlemen, Mr.. JOHN
BARKER, who lives at Horscneck, in Butler
Co. about 18 miles west Of this place, and
from it we gather tho following particulars.
OLIVER BARKER, who made claim in Clay
County some two years since, left It last fall,
and spent the winter at home in Butler Co.,
and on returning to his claim this spring
found it in possession Of one Sitter, who was
occupying his house, and refused to give
possession. Mr.. B. went away, but soon re-
turned with his brothers, ALBoS and HAR.
RIsoS, and commenced putting up new
house, near the one formerly built by him,
and then occupied by Sitter. He was an
noyed in many ways; his rails were stole
from his fence, his cattle driven of, his yoke
burnt, etc. yet nothing like personal col.
lision occurred until one day as the brothers
were engaged in putting up fence, when
SLlrER, accompanied by two men named
TAYLOR and LEWIS, came up and forbid them
making any more fence. Here we quote from
the letter the particulars Of the affray: q
"They stripped their coats and swore he
must leave. One Of them brought club,
and the other took fence stake and stopped
them from putting on more rails, AMI said if
they did not leave they would make them
HARRlsox had revolver and knife buckled
around him, and one of the men stepped up
to him and told him that If he would lay Off
his belt he would fight him. HARRISON took
off the belt and handed it to OLIVER. HAIR
RIsoN and LEWIS then clinched, when OLIVER
walked up and hit LEWIS on the head with
the revolver. Sitter then knocked Oliver
down with the club and TAYLOR, the third
man, cllnchcd OLIVER with his left hand and
with the other had hold Of the revolver
About the time OLIVER fell to the ground he
cooked the revolver, and when TAYLOR grab
bed it the revolver went of, and the ball pass
cd through TAYLoR's neck, not deep enough
however, to do much injury. TAYLOR then
cried out, DIN him kill him, he has shot
me through the ncck' About this time HAIR
RIsoS and LEWIS came to their feet, Sitter
knocked HARRIsoN down with club and
kept him from assisting OLIVER and ALBoN,
while LEWIS went to the assistance Of TAYLOR
In the fight OLIVER shot twice more, one ball
passed into TAYLoR's bowels, and the other
into his right breast. TAYLOR then got off
Of OLIVER and walked a few steps and fell
dead. LEWIS who was helping TAYLOR
grabbed the revolver and tried to shoot the
brothers, but did not succeed shot once at
OLIVER and once at IIARnrsoS, but did not
hit them.''
The BARRIERS were arrested, -OLIvER for
the murder Of TAYLOR, and ALBox and HAIR
RIsoN for aiding and abettihg, The cxamin-
alton, which took place before Justice, &C.
cording to the statements in the letter above
referred to, was conducted in very partial
and one-sidcd manner. HARRlsoN and AL
BON BARKER were not allowed to give in any
evidence, while LEWIS and Sitter were allow
cd to testify; and also that the evidence Of
the latter did not agree with the facts of the
case, nor were their statements similar
OLIVER was sent to Sioux City to Jail, while
HARRISON and Akron were held to bail. The
deceased left wife and five children, one Of
the latter but week old at the time of his
death. The correspondent thinks that when
the matter has fair and impartial trial before
the District Court, that the brothers will be
cleared, as they only acted in self-dcfencc.-
Though We were not acquainted with the
Mcssrs. BARKERs, we are informed that while
residents Of this County, they were consid-
cred pcaceablc and honest men, AMI many
will hear with sorrow Of their present con-
dition.
FUsIoS.-From the Geographic reports VIC