The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-07

An ARRAY occurred on Wednesday last,
in Somerville, Fayette county, Kentucky,
between William Reeves, prominent
young lawyer of that place, and Nat
Word, young gentleman who was en-
ployed in Tremble's store in that town, 10
which the former was shot and killed by
the latter. An eye witness to the whole
affair states that about half past eleven
o'clock of that day, Mr. Reeves having
just finished an argumentin case then on
trial in the courthouse, stepped out of the
door just as Word and friend were pass
ing. He looked at them for a moment or
two, and then calling Word by name, said
he wanted to see him. Word stopped and
waited until Reeves came up, and then
they conversed together in low tone for
few moments, when Reeves suddenly
raised q little stick or cane that he held in |
his hand, and began striking Word.
As soon as Reeves raised bis stick, Word |
commenced retreating until he had been |
struck three distinct blows with the stick. |
when he drew his revolver and fred at |
Reeves three times. All three of the shots |
took effect on Reeves, two of them striking
him in the legs, and the third and last
shot hitting him in the back, and ranging
through the body, passed near the heart,
killing him instantly.
As soon as Word commenced to fire at
him, Reeves drew his revolver, but only
fired one shot just as he was In the act of
falling, after being shot the last time by
Word. His bullet, fortunately for Word, |
struck the thumb of his right hand, nearly
severing it from his hand, and thereby
saving his life, as the deadly messenger,
after going through the thumb bone, i'm
bedded itself in his coat very near the re-
gion of the heart.
A party of Reeves friends just then
coming up, Word broke and ran, with
them in close pursuit. He ran directly 9
for the store in which he was employed, !
and getting there first locked the door and :
made his escape by the back way to his t
boarding house, short distance away. h
The sheriff in the meantime hearing of the f
shooting, summoned posse of men and a
started to look for Word, whom they found b
quietly waiting in bis boarding house. 1
Word refused to give himself up unless the I
sheriff would promise him to keep Reeves q
friends away from him and not allow them b
to hurt him, and upon the sheriffs max
ing the required promise, Word gave him
self up and was marched off to the jail n
where he was placed under a strong guard. 7
The occurrence naturally caused great n
excitement in the community, where both :
Of the young men were well known and
highly respected. There are conflicting =
rumors concerning the cause of the alter (
cation which led to the shooting One is
hat it was an old difficulty between the
TWO, concerning the alleged bribery of a
voter at the last election by Word, and for r
which Reeves had him arrested and bound ]
over to await a trial; and that Word, 81
,xasperated at the conduct of Reeves, ba
made some remarks concerning the q,
conduct of the latter. which he re- :
used to retract, when Reeves began beat L
ng him with stick. Another is that at Gu
he time of the shooting, Reeves had in tr
lis pocket cdpias for the arrest of Word at
lgain, for something in relation to their az az
election difficulty, and that Word used i
lbusive language to him, and was then =
struck by Reeves. 4
A hearing of the case was had before sn
Justice Of the peace, and Word bailed in By
heavy sum for his appearance at the Cir Of
,uit court 80,