The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-08-18
FIGHT WITH PiTCHFORkS.

A desperate tragedy occurred on Friday,
July 80, about six O'Clock in the evening, on
the farm OF Mr.. Wore, in Nropsey township,
Illinois, i'll which John IL. Alnett WAS killed
and James Ingram was seriously wounded
The following facts Were elected in evidence
before IL coroner's jury
The two men were engaged in hauling
wheat to IA threshing machine Arnett pitch
ed and Ingram loading. Ingram seemed to
be dissatisfied with the manner IN which Az
nett pitched his wheat, and grumbled consid-
erably about 1t, when, IN their conversation,
Arnett said that he could pitch wheat as
good as any body in the field. Ingram told
HIM it was id lie. Arnett said he would
not pitch any more wheat for him. and
changed places with Mr.. John G. Swartzley,
who was pitching wheat to IA boy in another
wagon This was probably three O'Clock in
the afternoon. Arnett told one George Cam
eroh that Ingram got as mad as thunder at
HIM (Arnett) Il while ago, and told him he
had told a id lie, and that he wanted him
to take it back
Between the hours of five and six O'Clock
in the afternoon the wagons happened to
meet again, when the fuss was again revived
by Arnett saying to Ingram that he would
have to take back what he had said to him
Il while ago. Ingram said he would not,
and getting to pretty high words, Ingram
came down off his load of wheat and adyanc-
ed toward Arnett to fight him. Arnott be-
gan prodding at him with his pitchfork, tell
ing him that he should take it back Ingram
the while backing out, and holding his hands
up to shield himself the best he could Ar
nett making desperate thlusts but stopping
them before they would quite reach him,
Swartsley supposed more to scare than to
hurt him, Swartsley did all he could all the
time to get them quoted, and told Ingram to
take back what he had said, and he said he
would take it back, when they both stopped
for moment. Swarsley, surprising that it
was over for the present threw down his
fork and Went to Arnptt and took hold of him
with the intention Of taking him away, when
Ingram picked up Swartsey's fork and made
at Arnett, and said he did not take it back by
d-n sight.
Now both men being armed with a three
tined pitchtork desperate fight took place,
each one trying with all his strength and
skill to run the other through with his fork,
ingram having little the advantage his
fork being a foot the longest. While in this
desperate fight Ingram was severely wound
ed IN the breast, and Arnett was almost run
through with two tines of Ingram's fork, lust
below the ribs, from the right side towards
the left, one time grazing his body in front,
the othef Two entering on Il level rang ing
towards the back
AT about this time in the fight Arnett's fork
came out of the handle; he tried to strike a
few blows with the handle, but found he
could do no good with it, threw it down and
started to run to Swarsley. Ingram threw
down his fork also and picked up the handle
that Arnett had thrown down, and ran after
him and struck him a desperate blow on the
back of the head and his back Arnett GOT
to Swartsley and told him not to let Ingram
hit him any more, and sank to the ground
and said to Swartsley, Pm killed, and died
in twenty-five minutes.