Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-02-27
TnAespY IN CLARxs CouSrv.-At yer.

TRAGEDY IN CLARKs CoUNrY.-A Yer.
rible tragedy MAS enacted near wildwood,
Clarke county, on MonGsy week, the
10Th inst. whereby CITIZEN Of tina, coun.
" mel a sudden death, Frrn what we
can learn, q, elicae6 a, the C"roner's in
quest, it spPesrs that dvslag the after.
noon, Mr.. William Taylor Burwell, son
OF Mr.. Geo. Bur we'll. LEI, his residence
on foot. with the intention Of going over
20 The Til, Hammer Mil. Abou, sunset,
Mr.. B. was found dead. with a bullet
wound through his chest. In a 6sld, no,
more than three hundred yard, from his
residence, he came in contsc, with man
named Lewis Woods. when the bloody
encounter took place. Burwell's pistol
was found near him, with Two barrels
losdeJ. the hammer resting on a fresh
cap, With a quantity os tobacco in and a.
bout the muzEle. and perfectly free from
DO " der marks. causing doub, 10 the
minds of the gentlemen composing the in
quest whether his pistol had been dis.
charged in the encounter. He bore
wounds upon his head, face and hands
.upposed 10 have beer made by blows in
tic.ed BY Woods With the butt of hi, pis
tol.
Woods stor,y after made his appear.
once in Wildwood, badly wounded in the
stomach, and surrended himseli to the
proper authorities. His version OF The
affair is to the effec, ,hst when he and
Burwell met the later fred his pistol, in-
aicting the wound in the stomach he
says he then closed on Burwell. and fired
abe fatal shot.
TO reconcile the wounding OF Woods
with the theory that Burweli's pistol was
no. discharged. it is supposed Ihal Woods
accidentally di.charged his own pistol.
willis, beating Burwell. Nothing is pos
lively known. however, as 10 this, as the
deed had no human wi.ress. The reports
of the firing mol having been heard. a
The verdict of the Coroner's jury was
William Taylor BurwelI came to
his death by pistol ball fred from the
pistol OF Lewis Woods"
Wood. was sent TO Beryville and
logded in Jail. Ills supposed he will re.
cover from his wound. Both he and
Burwell were soldiers ir the Confederate
army 1t is asserted that a feud has ex-
listed between the parties, occssioned by a
difficulty between B. and tenan, named
Freeman, o bro,her.in.lsw of Woods, and
that thresls had been INDUCED 10 by both
side.. However, an investigation will
soon be had, when the facts in the case
will perhaps be arrived a.. Until then
publication OF rumors would be unjust 10
the living and The dead.
An incident OF al peculiar character in
this connection has been related TO us by
one cognizani Of the circu mslsnce. Du-
ring the gres, political excitement in Kan.
sas, Jus, before the admission OF sha,
Stale into the Union, Mr.. Burwell hsI.
pened in civ in that then Territory
where abollionism held full sway. and as
the "border war" was going 90, Soa'h'
ern man received very little comfort or
kindness from the people OF the city in
Question. lie was refused entertainment,
al the public houses. and private houses
MED him. In his hour Of hi, want old
John Brown. better known then as "Os-
sswattomie Brown" stepped up, po6er'
ed him the hospiIslilies Of his home, and
minis,ered to Burweps needs.
Some years later, when John Brown
was captured in The engine. house at h"r-
per's Ferry. he was severely wounded a.
bout the head and face. and begged tor
laudsnnn TO soothe his pain. In response,
Mr.. Nat. BurwelI, Called q, Manassas
a brother Of Wa. Taylor Bur~ell. igno-
ran, Of The kindness shown by Brown.
fastened to The druggists, procured the
l,udsnum, and was first To teuder aid to
the errstic old man =,
verily. "truth is stranger than hct'on'
-HInchssIer Times.