Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-07-15
A FIGHT FOR A WIFE.
Desperate Pursuit of a Runaway
Spouse-Ptstol Practice Between the
Hus band and the Father-The Hus-
band Seriously, If not Mortally
Wounded.
From the New Albany Commercial.

ffOm the new AiUaly COnmerclal
A shooting affair took place at Anderson
City last week, which has caused much ex-
citement among onr citizens. One John
Able, living in Dubois county, and mar
ried the daughter of Patrick Dewitt, some
two years ago, the girl being about sixteen
when married. After living together two
years, the wife became dissatisfied for
some cause, and left her husband.
Able. the husband, pursued her, and on
going to her fathers did not find her there.
The father told him he would go with him
to where his daughter was, and if she was
willing TO go back and live with him, all
right, but he was not willing that harsh
means should be used. So they started,
Able having procured Hampton Able, his
brother, to help him in his emergency
They proceeded to the house of Thomas
Houston, in this town, and there found the
wife.
The family of Mr.. Houston invited them
in, and when they entered, John Able
solicited his wife to 90 home with him.
She refused to go. saying she was afraid of
her life. Able still coaxed, but the wife
refused. Able then told her that he wanted
to talk to her privately. They stepped
outside the door. He talked to her pri-
u
kissed her, saving, "Now YOU will 90,
Able then said, ''I will take you, dead or
alive" Upon this she sprang into the
door.
Mrs. Houston caught hold Of her. Able
dragged them both out of the house into the
the yard. Upon this, Patrick Dewitt the
the fssher of the wife, told Able to let her
alone. Able drew hisrevolver on Dewitt, and
snapped it at him. Dewitt knocked him
down. Able got up, and was again knock
ed down by Dewitt. They had quite
scuffle, when Able called to his brother
Hampton to take the wife and start with
her.
The brother seized her, dragging her, and
she screaming for help. Able then got loose
from Dewitt, and started on q run to over
take Hampton and his wife, swearing and
threatening her life at the same time De
witt procured revolver from Houstons
house, overlook the two Ables trying to
force his daughter upon a horse, and she
resisting by pushing against the horse with
her feet and hands.
Able, seeing Dewitt coming, told his
brother 20 make haste and get away with
his (Able's) wife, and he would fight Dewitt
back; and on Dewitt approaching, Able
told him to stand back or he would blow
his id brains out, presenting the pistol
at the same time and swapping the trigger.
Dewitt drew his revolver and fired two
shots at Able, and, having one load left,
deliberately revolved the cylinder till the
remaining load came under the hammer,
and again fired, one of the shots taking
effect in Able's left arm, near the elbow,
the ball passing down and coming out near
hQ nd ohof of ha
dreadful manner.
Dewitt then returned to the house and
gotta rifle, and overlook the three. John
and Hampton Able and the wife, about one
hundred yards from where be left John.
John was on his horse, and Hampton had
hold If the woman, trying to put heron
the horse behind John. The woman at this
time was completely saturated with blood
from head to foot from the wound on her
husbands arm.
Dewitt, on seeing Hampton have hold of
his daughter, raised his rifle to his shoul-
der, and was just in the act of shooting
him down, when he threw up his hands
and begged Dewitt not to shoot him. De-
witt said: "D-n you, take to the bush, or
I'll shoot you dead on the spot" Hampton
then ran away.
BY this time John was off his horse, and
had hold of his wife again. "Now," says
Dewitt, II say, John, let her CO." John
swore he would not, that he intended to
take her or kill her Dewitt raised the gun
and drew a bead at Johns breast, saying:
Now, this is the last time I'll tell you; let
her go, or will shoot you." Abel then re-
laxed his hold, got upon his horse, and gal
loped away. Up to the last accounts Abel
was in a precarious situation. He will lose
his arm, and perhaps his life.