The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-09-23
Particulars Of the Tragic Affair at
Goodman, Miss. .....-
From the Goodman Star.)

Mr.. Phil. Raiford, his brother Ed. Raj
ford and Mr.. Green, all citizens of this
county, came to town on Monday even
ing. They took, perhaps, several drinks,
and doubtless some of them felt their
drinking to a limited extent; about 8
O'Clock at night the party began to make
preparations to 90 home. Mr.. Ed. Raj
ford drove his buggy up in front of the
hotel. and Mr.. Phil. Raiford led his horse
up ready to mount; Green seemed lit
tie disposed to linger and manifested
some disposition to be noisy, but by no
means annoying. Ed. Raiford got into
his buggy and he and his brother told
Green to get into the buggy that they
might all 90 home. just at this mo-
meiit, Bowen came down from his room
i'm the second story Of the hotel building.
and assuming to be a magistrate, order
ed several persons present to arrest the
Raifords and Green, accompanying his Or
der with such denunciatiOns of tie Raj
fordS and Green, as: You are ID set
OF scoundrrels, liars, etc Mr. Phil. Raj
ford said to Bowen, that none of his par
ty had done any thing to be arrested for.
and that they were starting home, and
that they could not be arrested unless
they had done something to justify it.
Bowen, with his pistol in his hand, under
his coat, continued his denunciation of
the Raifords, until Mr.. Phil. Raiford said
to him that he was acting the fool and
had better so to his room and go to bed,
and that they would go home. At this
point, Bowen. who seemed to imagine
that the pacific conduct of the RaifOrds
was indicative of cowardice, became
kccnly severe in his denunciations. These
denunciations were repealed by Mr.. Phil.
Raiford, denouncing Bowen as a liar.
The words had not fallen from Railroads
lips ere Bowen fired, his first shot taking
effect in the left breast of Phil. Raiford,
from the effects Of which he died in one
hour. Bowen's second shot took effect
in the abdomen of Ed Raiford, and was
fired just as Ed. Raiford was jumping
from the buggy TO rescue his brother.
Bowen fired two additional shots into
the general crowd ofhuman beings pres
ent, not seeming to care who he killed
Having completed his bloody work, and
while the crowd were standing in mute
establishment, not knowing exactly what
had been done, he fled, and on Tuesday
morning boarded the upward bound
train, ut Pickens station. When the
| train arrived at Goodman, search was
made, and Bowen was discovered, and
captured by the law abiding citizens.
The Custom OF GOING INTO MOURN.
ING.-There is gradually increasing
demand for reform of the present
method of announcing TO the world
that one near, dear, or known 10 us,
! is dead. . Dol. ..r..... .r -rsf o..
Mourning costumes, say the agita.
tors, are useless, expensive, and OBJ
jectionable in influence. They are
often an inexcusable tax upon the
poor; they thrust the petty thoughts
of personal appearance into those
hours when, more then in any other
we should be thinking of widely dit.
ferent matters. 1t is Il scandal to oui
name as a civilized people, that, what
with our pals, our hearses, and fune.
raj robes, our children can hardly
grow up without an unreasonable ter.
ror of death and the grave.
Mourning costumes answer but one
| good purpose. They guard the wear
ers in their grief from careless intru
ders. But a modest badge, like thu
scarf on a mans hat. may just as wei
answer this simple purpose. W.
know not few good people who
have laid their families under loving
pledges not TO follow these expensive
fashions, when they surrounded theil
grave and their example may wei
be copied by all.