Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-07-14
A FIGHT FOR A WIFE.

A FIGHT FOR A WIFE.
Desperate Pursuit OF a Runaway
| SpOuse-Pisro1 Practice Between the
Husband and the Father-The Hus-
band Seriously, If not Mortally
Wounded.
From the New Albany Commercial.
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 60 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 60 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-
vately for a while, and then caught and
kissed her, saying, "Now you will go,
won't you ?" mo, will not, she replied.
Ablo Thor, cold & will +oI Won Had 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 father of the wife, told Able to let her
alone. Able drew his revolver 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 a
scuffie, 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 a run to over
take Hampton and his wife, swearing and
threatening her life at the same time. De
witt procured o revolver from Houston's
house, overlook the two Ables trying to
force his daughter upon horse, and she
resisting by pushing against the horse with
her feet and hands.
Able seeing Dewitt coming, told his
brother TO 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.
l., 4,-,,o
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
the hand shattering one of the bones in
dreadful manner.
Dewitt then returned to the house and
got rifle, and overlook the three, John
and Hampton Able and the wife, about one
hundred yards from where he left John.
John was on his horse, and Hampton had
hold of the woman, trying to put her on
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-
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, 81 say, John, let her 60" John
swore 'he would not, that he intended to
take her or kill her. Dewitt raised the gun
and drew bead at Johns breast, saying:
F'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 precarious situation. He will lose
his arm, and perhaps his life.
GENERAL BLUNT, of Kansas, the attorney
of the survivors of Creek Indian regi-
ment under his command during the late
war, has issued report to his clients in
pamphlet form, on the frauds which he
has discovered in the collection of their
back pay, pensions and bounties by the
claim agent whom they employed. The
derelict agent is Judge J. w. Wright, for
merly of Indiana. The offences charged
by General Blunt, and which he says are
supported by evidence on file in the Inte-
rior Department, are that Wright has re-
ceived the money due the Indians and has
withheld 1t for long time. He 1ntlmates
that large sums have been received which
were not paid to the claimants. The delay has
worked to the advantage of the agent,
Wright, by leading the Indians to discredit
the government and sell their claims to
traders at heavy discount, Wright HIM
| self being in collusion with the traders and
sharing the profits. The bond which
| IL
in the sum of 100000, and he was ap-
pointed by Mr. Harlan, when the latter
was Secretary of the Interior. The amount
of money paid to Wright by the govern
ment amounts to $500, 401. 12. General
Blunt asks the Interior Department to in
vestigate the case, and if a refusal is given
it will be brought before Congress. Some
of the Cherokee Indians, now in Washing
ton, believe that they have been cheated
in the same way, and ask that inquiry be
made into the matter.
SNAKE SToRY.-The Columbus (Ohio)
correspondent of the Commercial says:
At last we have genuine sensation in a
true snake story. For some time past an
| immense snake has been seen on the Chit
tenden farm, on the Werterville road, about
two miles from this city. Not long since
he was seen in a field, with a large rooster
in his mouth At another time he was seen
in the act of crushing a cat. The sight Of
the monster so frightened the man that he
ran away as quickly as possible, and report
ed the wonder. only to be laughed at. The
following day two boys in the same loeal-
ity, came upon the monster, who, with
darting fangs, at once gave chase, and did
not slacken his pace until he had travelled
half mile. The boys told their story, and