Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-20
Full Particulars of the Occurrence.

Full Particulars Of the Occurrence.
A bloody affair occurred at the market
house yesterday afternoon at five o'clock,
resulting in the mortal wounding of Col.
j. w. Lawless, Clerk at the workhouse,
who was shot by Policeman Henry Barr.
The tragic occurrence was the elimination
Of a difficulty which arose between the two
in consequence Of the arrest of Col. Law
less by Barr ashort time since, for walking
with prostitute. About eleven O'Clock
Wednesday night they met in front of the
st. Nicholas, on Cedar street, and Barr
demanded to know whether Lawless had
been saying that the arrest was malicious
az such a report had reached him. This
led TO sharp alteration, ending in a
fight, but Capt. Flagler drawing away Law
less, the affair ended without serious re-
suits, though Lawless declared that should
not be all Of it.
Capt. Flagler endeavored TO persuade
him to let the matter rest, and was with
him most of the time yesterday, fearing
some trouble might follow. At the hour
above mentioned, however, as Barr was
standing in the door at the south end of
the markethouse, Lawless saw him. and
advancing, beckoned 10 him, saying. {"
want TO see yOu." Barr replied, 81 don't want
TO have anything to DO with YOU" "Ain't
you az good a man as you were last night ?o
asked Lawless. Yes" returned Barr.
Then come on, said Lawless. At This,
Barr advanced, and the two engaged in
short conversation, neither appearing ex-
cited, and both separating without any diff
ticulty. Barr started toward the door at
the foot Of the stairs leading to the police
office, while Lawless started down through
the markethouse. As Barr reached the
door, he made a peculiar noise with his lips,
expressive Of contempt, at which Lawless
suddenly wheeled around, hand in pocket,
as if TO draw weapon. They were some
twelve or fifteen PAGES apart, and Barr,
standing in the doorway, called upon Law
less TO take his hand out of his pocket, at
the same time drawing large navy revol-
yer. Lawless quickly drew small Der
ringer pistol, and raising it, attempted to
fire, but the weapon only snapped, and be-
fore he could again raise the hammer,
Barr fired, and followed his first
shot with a second, one of them
striking Lawless in the right side. and
another glancing against brick wall and
piercing the ankle Of a negro who was
standing near. Another attempt on the
part Of Lawless to fire was more successful,
but the ball whizzed past Barr without
touching him, and on the instant he was
dragged into the hall by couple of police
men.
Lawless though terribly wounded, did
not fall, aud had started TO leave the place
when two officers came to him and con-
Quoted him up stairs TO the office Of Capt.
Sheridan, where medical aid was at once
summoned. A large and excited crowd
by this time gathered, and with that NOR
bid desire Of human nature to drink in all
that is horrible or revolving to be seen on
such occasions, pressed closely about the
doors, but were kept back by the police,
who refused admittance even to the re-
porters.
Drs. Menees and Plunket arriving, an
examination of the wound of Col. Lawless
was made, when it was found that ball
had entered his right side, just below the
cartileges of the ribs, probably wounding
the colon and liver, and passing ont pos
teriorly. The wound was believed to be
mortal. The negro was not seriously in
iured.
As soon as the examination was con-
cluded, Col. Lawless was removed to the
residence of Mrs. Jernigan, No. $50 North
Cherry street, where every attention is
being shown him, and his position is be-
ing rendered as comfortable as his suffer
ings will admit.
There is much diversity of opinion as to
which of the combatants fired the first
shot, several witnesses making statements
entirely contradictory. The revolver of
Barr was held go close TO the woodwork
of the door as to leave powder stain, and
the brick walls were clipped in several
places by bullets He is now in custody.
Col. Lawless is an Irishman, aud during
the war was Lieutenant Colonel of the
Fifth Kentucky (FedsraD cavalry. Since
the induction of the present city admins
tration, he has been Clerk of the Work
house. He is an unmarried man. Police
man Henry Barr is a Tennessean, and was
a Lieutenant in Stokes cavalry. He was
subsequently an agent Of the Freedmen's
Bureau at Springfield, Robertson county,
and has been a member of the Metropoli,
tan Police since its organization.
At two o'clock this morning Col. Law
less was still living, and under the inAn-
ence Of an opiate seemed somewhat easier.
Very little hope, however, is entertained
of his recovery His wound has bled very
little unless internally,