The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1871-04-29
A Card.
SHOOTING OF MURDOCH.

PANoLA, Miss, April "a, 1871.
Ed. STAR: Having been one of the
parties to the above affair, of which
so much has been said and printed
that was untrue, it makes it a duty
to myself to make a statement also.
| do SO, because | have been placed
in very wrong and unjust light
before the people, the good opinion
of many of whom, / do not want
withdrawn. For this very reason,
then, | make this statement, the
truth of which | pledge myself as a
gentleman-saying nothing which !
would deny upon oath,--and as
gentleman l hold myself personally re-
sponsible to any one whom / may
contradict:
| have been employed for about
three months as clerk for Sheriff
Ozanne, and sometimes acting as
Special Deputy | was summoned
by him to go with himself and Small
to Batesyille to capture Murdoch
| did SO. We came upon Murdock
in front of the Batesville Hotel, and
forthwith commenced q skirmish,
which for noise, would compare fa-
vorably with the skirmlshes of the
armies of N. Va. aud the Potomac.
Sheriff Ozanno and Small doing all
the shooting. This brings me at once
to that part Of Ghoriff Ozanne's state
ment which deserves my particular
notice. lie says;e"I must say that
| Small stood firm and true, and fought
| nobly and bravely." Now he hav-
ing said that he.was accompanied by
Moore and Small, the question arose,
and very naturally suggested itself
to all who read the statement. where
was Moore? This question am 60
ing to answer and answertruthfully:
| (Moore), was there, and near Sher-
if Ozanne and Small. ] did not
fire, however, and even If had, hay-
ing small pocket pistol, could have
done nothing more than add to the
noise and contribute to the confusion
Of storetcepers and clerks in that
neighborhood.
] Murdock turned the corner, OF
rather bis horse did, for Murdoclz
seemed disposed to stand "irm and
true," which, if his horse had allow
ed, he would no doubt have "fought
bravely and nobly." lie had gotten
some hundred and fifty yards up the
road towards the school house, when
he turned his horse and started back
towards Batesville. lie fired down
the road in the direction Of the Sher-
if's party, and Small having been
ordered to summon posse, he went
over to the depot house, and the
Sheriff's gun getting out of fix, at
this critical juncture, he stepped into
Greenwalps store. Mnrdock fired
two more shots; | (Moore) was stan
/. ding in the road, about opposite
GreenwalPs store, and for the first
time during the engagement, heard
a bullet from Murdock's pistol.
called to the Sheriff that he bad bet
ter do something, as Murdock was
coming. lie came out and told me
to go for Small and the posse, and at
the same time firing upon Murdock
who turned his horse and rode off,
4 left the scene Of action for the first
time, going over to the depot where
| found Small, but nary posse. Posses
!, In fact, seemed to be scarce. ! ther
went back, and on up the road K
where Murdock was lying. Tht
Sheriff ordered me to 60 back to Pa
nola for a conveyance to take the
body to panola. i did 80, and sent
one from Panola.
The above Is the truth, and # i
clashes with other statements ! carr
not; but will maintain the same q
all times and under all circumstan
COS.