The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-11-30
+ IPT o n, 10 W A:
tsTo Shoot, or Not to Shoot"

ITO Shoot, or Not to Shoot"
MEcHAMcsvILLE, Iowa, Nov. 2lth, 1865.
This was made practical question il
the streets of our village, last evening
and was hastily decided in the ahirma-
tive, to the serious dssrimens Of one o
the citizens Of this place, who CHANGED
to b passing along the street just in thu
nick Of time to receive tho ball discharg
ed from pistol in the hands Of q drunk
en-, infatuated ruf6an.
The circumstances which gave rise t.
this lamsntable, but disgraceful occur
renee, are substantially as follows: TIVE
brothers, 10 and Jack Scott, who have
long been noted for their pugnacious
preclivities, and who have distinguished
themselves in this community as rufianE
Of the Grst water, came to town yesterday
evidently determined on having riot
(Ies it be execratsd by all good men
were procured from one Leonard Beck
the proprietor Of one those miserable
eesspools of corruption and dens of in
fanny popularity known as Saloons" and
taken to another Of the same stripe, the
proprietor of which is one George Parks,
where quantity Of ale was procured, the
two mixed and drank BY the time all
was consumed they were well fitted for
their deyilish work Many respectable
citizens were insulted by them as they
were quietly passing along the sidewalks
or on the streets; others unable or un-
willing to defend themselves, were abus-
Cd. Though the old adagc did not fail
even In This case, "that there is no evil
wholly unattended with good" for Jack
made his way back again to Bsck's sa.
loon, where be smashed in his windows
and kicked open his doors (pity be did
did not pull down the miserable sink of
iniquity and tar and feather the proprie-
tor, and for this offence warrant was
issued for bis arrest and was served by
the proper officer, whom he resisted
Tho constable called in vain on certain
BY ISLANDERS for help, and being overcome
BY superior physical force was compelled
TO let 60 the ruffian, who on getting away
Immediately drew revolver and -four
ished it in the very face of tho officer,
rho, nothing dauntcd. determined to
Try him again, and as Scott was about
eavipg town in a wagon, tho officer
ordered him to halt, which he refused to
10, but threatened, as he had done be-
orc, to shoot any one who would attempt
o arrest him. The constable then fired
pistol in the air in the hope of fright
ming Scott into submission, but the
fleet was directly opposite, for he i'm
nediately fired two shot into the crowd, I
. it was dark and he could not sec who t
o aim at, one Of which took effect on
he person Of one Quigly. The ball en- :
cred little to the right and at the low I
y margin of thyroid cartilage, passed I
backwards and downwards, beneath the :
terno cleldo mastoid muscle, the COM :
non carotid artery barely: escaping inju-
y, and lodging in the posterior trispgu-
ar space, in close proximity to the sub. !
!.vian artery, second portion, where it
till remains. At the present writing
he patient is comfortable and will prob /.
bly, recover. But strange to say, the
Vould be assassin was allowed to make
is escape out of crowd of forty or
more men, not one of whom dared to
rrest him, all being unarmed, and he
folding his pistol in his hand ready to
boot the first man who should attempt
lis arrest. Up to this time he has not
'sen seen. 1t is thought he has fled the
country.
II occurred in this case as it often does,
hat some good comes out of much evil.
$ on the following day paper was cir
ulatod and received the signatures of
'early all our citizens, plediny them .
elves to prevent the sale, or giving ,
way of all intoxicating beverages, in. {
luding domestic manufactured wine,
idcr, ale and Bourbon Bitters. A notice
'as served on Beck and Parks to discon .
lnue their tiendish work at once or take ,
he consequences of prosecutions for past ,
fences. Beck at once signed the .
ledge: shedding many crocodile tears at
he sad circumstance Of the previous ,
light, Gall sham he wept at the down :
Ill OF Bachus literally wcpt his boots
uII,) and now is profuse in promises {
ever to engage in the business again
mt we fear he will break his promise. az S
70 has not Sufficient mental capacity to
orve tho devil to advantage in any other S
phere. Parks consented more reluct
ntly to the new arrangement of affairs !
he terror of the law brought him into
objection however, and his sorrowful
ountenance is doubtless faithful index
0 his grief stricken heart, as he contem.
latcs the probabilities Of being compel.
n N arm IN hapook l;,a1;bool