The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-04
HOMICIDE In BLUE EARTH co.
A Man Kills Another in Self
Defence.

A man named LEVI MATTHEWS shot
Mr.. JOHN GILL, in Medo township, Blue
Earth county, on the Goth inst, with
shot gun, the charge taking effect between
the stomach and abdomen, causing instant
death. 1t is alleged that Gill was chop
ping wood on land Claimed by MATTHEWS,
and that the latter, with several of his
neighbors, went to the woods to warn him
off: We copy the following account of
what then occurred from the Mankato
independent:
When they arrived on the spot they found
Gill hard at work chopping down a tree. His
son-in-aw was about ten rods away loading q
log on his sled. He had got the log on and
was fastening it with chain: When they
belonged to him, and that he couldn't take it
away. They went to work and rolled the log
off the sled, and told the man to put on his
chains and start his cattle of. He made no re-
sistance, but went few rods. stopped his
team, and then followed the party who had
gone to where Gill was at work. About this
time two gentlemen from Danville, who were
passing, joined the crowd And Mr. Matthew'S
son, a lad about twelve years of age who had
been out hunting nearly all day. came up un-
observed, and stood a rod or two off, Mat
thews told Gill he was chopping on his claim,
and he wished he would leave and not take
away any of the logs. Nash and Stebbins al
so told him that the timber was on Matthews
claim, and he had no right to it. Gill first said
that he had intended to take the timber and
pay the Governments: but afterwards said that
as SO much had been skinned off, he intended
to take it any way, and he did not care how
many men Matthews brought with him. Mat
W = what N
His answer was, that it was none of his bllsi-
ness; and he should take the logs at all haZ-
ards. He kept on chopping until the log was
cut off, then started with the axe in his hand
for the cattle that were standing a short dis
tance away. Matthews and others told him
that he could not take off the logs; and that
he had better take his cattle home or they
would have to do it for him. They had come
there to protect each others claims. Gill paid
no attention to this but drove his cattle round
and so placed the sled that he could load on
the log. He and Matthews were standing ON
the West side of the sled. the cattle heading
toward the South, and the remainder of the
party on the same side rcd or two distant.
None of the. party were armed except Mat:
thews' son who stood about two rods Off and
had with him a light shot gun, with which he
had been hunting squirrels. As Gill attempted
to put the log on the sled, Matthews struck the
off OK light blow with a small whip he had
in his hand. In an instant Gill turned upon
him with his AK, and aimed a blow at him.
Matthews turned suddenly to run, and the
ground being slippery, he partially fell, and
the blow from the AK, which struck him in the
back. brought him nearly to the ground. Be-
fore he could get away, Gill struck him a sec
ond blow. Matthews startediand ran indiscrim-
inately back from the sled and snatched the
gun from his son. Gill was close behind him,
and had the axe raised to strike him the third
time Matthews had not time to turn and get
the gun to his shoulder, before it went off, the
contents hitting Gill, passing into his bowels.
He fell to the ground and expired in few
minutes. Thev placed the body on the sled,
and took it to Mr.. Terwilligers, and from thence
to his home. Soon after Matthews started for
Mankato, where he arrived ABOUT dark the
same evening and gave himself into the hands
of sheriff Middebrook He then went to
Attorney Pitchar and requested that the matter
be investigated. =,
Matthews was not acquainted with Gill. and
does not remember that he ever saw him be-
FORE +
No one supposed, while on their way to the
timber. that there would be any difficulty,
and that it would only be necessary to forbid
Gill cutting logs on the claim.
On Saturday night twelve men from Dam
Vile went to Matthews house and hung around
until three o'clock in the morning, looking for
him. They intended to take the law into their
own hands, had they found him.
The Senate has confirmed Peter Page
Assessor of the Internal Revenue for the
lst District of Illinois.