Weekly Calaveras chronicle. (Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.) 18??-1874, 1867-12-21
CHRONICLE.
HUGHES VS.. WERLE.-On monday last

HUGHES VS.. WERLE.-On monday last
shooting scrape occurred near the Junction
the principal concerned in which is woman
Hughes and Werle are neighbors, thei
respective domiciles being but a few Yard
separate. For some reason, probably owing
to the natural depravity of the human heart
they are and have been for a long time, liv
ing in open and direct violation of the divine
injunction to Glove thy neighbor as thy
self" A description of their various quarrels
fights and law suits would fill respectfully
sized volume. Neither side has ever omitted
an opportunity of "falling out" with the
other, and the exhibition of spite, spunk,
strategy and endurance" is only rivalled in
the "war of the Roses" The paterual por-
ton of the Hughes faction has been employed
for some time past in Amador county, re-
turning home Sundays, leaving Mrs. Hughes
to defend the castle during his absence. The
events of Monday last conclusively prove
that although she is probably woman, she
Is possessed of all the attributes of mascu-
Unity, mentally speaking. For long time
the storm has been gathering. EXAMINATIONS
and recriminations have passed between the
parties. Chickens, and other such ''plunder'
have been missed by both, and 70 delicacy
or hesitancy exhibited by either in charging
the other with the theft. Werle has set his
dog on Hughes COW, and Hughes chickens
Monday matters eliminated. AS the par
ties swore precisely opposite to each other in
regard to the facts connected with the shoot
ing, we are at loss to determine which told
the truth, or whether either did but we
will lay before our readers as correct an ac-
count of the tragic affair as the circumstances
and the conflicting testimony will admit: 1t
seems that the recent storm had partially
demolished the fence between the beligerents,
and Werle says that he was trying to
"straighten it up" when the battle COM
menced. AS in duty bound Mrs. Hughes
swore he was not. Let that be as it may, it
is certain that Werle was engaged about the
fence in rather close proximity to the Hughes
chateau. Mrs. Hughes, determined not to
be taken by surprise" as became woman
appearance was the signal for the commence
ment of the strife. AS is generally the case,
'skirmishing prefaced the combat. Tongues
were the first weapons used, then stones,
ending, finally, with shot-guns. The social
standing of each was critically stated and
Enthusiastically defined. Werle's position in
society was forcibly expressed in two words
-"Dutch thief"-while Mrs. Hughes was
denominated a-something else. Next came
the stones. Who threw the first one will
probably never be known until the "last
day." Each swore that the other did but
what has that got to do with it AS mat
ter of course Werle got the best of the stony
portion of the fight. Who ever saw woman
who could throw a stone with the least atom
of precision, force or grace Overpowercd
but undaunted, Mrs. Hughes retreated to
the sheltering cover of the house to repair
damages and "get her wind" Rocks, as if
hurled by the arm of an Ajax. ratified vic
,iously on the roof Reused to an ungov-
ernable pitch of feminine fury, resolved never
to disgrace the noble blood of the Hughes
and determined to ado or die" she seized a
shotgun which was standing near, and with
a courage worthy of Joan of Arc, ventured
forth, needless of the storm of hurting
missiles which greeted her appearance. Rails
ing the weapon, she fred. When the smoke
cleared away. she discovered her opponent
lying PROSTATE on the ground. whittier he
had thrown himself to avoid danger. She
then fired the other barrel in his direction,
when he retreated, leaving her mistress of
the field. No one was injured in the melee.
Werle entered a complaint against Mrs.
Hughes, charging her with an assault with
a deadly weapon but failed to make it
"stick." The defendant was discharged and
went on her way rejoicing. We hope soon
to be able to chronicle another episode in the
Wezle-Hughes lmbroglio.