Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-11-20
[uG INTELI.IGENCEH VT I01
M u r p e r.!
Assassination of L. W. Esq.
Editor of tho lntelllgencer. h
A WHOLE COMMUNITY IN MOURNING.

Assassination of L.. ". Groves, Esq.
Editor of tho Intelllgencer. =
A WHOLE COMMUNITY IN MOURNING. 1
1t is viii n heavy pen We attempt to chronicle
ono of the suldest occurrences that has ever
in Lafa yet;e county. Before the deep !
grief which that occurrence has occasiOned the
voice of indignation even is dumb. and we have
heart for nothing more than simple detail OF
the n.orrnfui ructs attending it. Ga Friday At
ternoon, November the Sth, about o quarter to
) O'Clock, Lafayette W. Groves. Esq, senior
editor of the IyyELL,GESCEg, while returning to
the Office frcm up town, was waylaid and shst by
Edwin Turner, the publisher of the Register, on
the corner Of Main and Laurel streets, in this
city.
In its issue of October the cath the Register
contained - most uncallrd Tor and offensive per-
soual attack upon Mr.. Groves, charging him with
having deserted the Confederate army on the eve
of battle. Upon meeting Mr.. Turner. the nrst
time amer the appearance Of the article, in Mr..
YOuug's news depot, Mr. Groves demanded Of
him the suthors Of the report, Turner refused to
give them. Mr.. Groves then asked him If he
wrote the article; TO which he replied that he did.
Mr.. Groves then denounced him rs a dirty, cow
ardly dog, or words to that effect, to publish !
such an Infamous thing about = gentleman wiz
out any cause. There was no pistol or weapon |
Of any kind drawn. Turner made no attempt
to resent the abusive lansuager .ed towards him, !
only reinarking to Mr.. e.. '.I.at he mustn't threat
en- him. Mr.. Groves zen left and immediately
reported to his fr', nds what had occurred. Some
Apprehension were felt both by himself and his
friends hr.t the affair might take = more serious
turn. But day after day went by, the parties
Diet each other scorse oftimes on the street, and
not o single hostile demonstrations was made by
Turner. The election came with Its excitements.
and still nothing was said or done. Mr.. Groves
had dismissed from his mind the whole affair re-
gardins it US at an end. There had been some
little misunderstanding berween him and sheriff
Taubman, which, however, was arranged most
smicably and satisfactorily to both parties.
Wednesday and Thursday passed. The election
returns from the whole country were in, and the
result being known. everything was settling
down to its usual %quictnrs. Friday came. and
every one drew a sigh of relief that the worry and
confusion OF the campaign were at an end. no
one rejoicing more heartily tlncreat than Mr..
Groves himself. He had been worked down by
labor and harfassmcnts of various kinds, and
had arranged 10 leave for his faith r., residence
in the county ON The seven O'Clock train that eve
aing. where he cxpcctc,lt To- remain several days.
lie was moving about the streets all day talking
TO his friends, in company with some of whom
he passed Turner several times. 1t was about S
O'Clock that he came down Main street on the
south side towards his Office. lie WAS walking
lelsurely, and stopped now and then to pass u
word with n friend. He had passed YounS's
news depot above the city hotel, and was orpo-
site the grocery store OF + Easter 4 Co, when
Turner stepped from n doorway in his rear
with u drawn pistol, calling out to Mr.. Groves,
'.you called NE a dirty son OF II bitch; take your
hand OH that pistol ''and Immediately fired. Mr..
Groves had both hands in his breeches pockets at
the time. uhe manner In which he usually walk
ed), with u bundle OF cloth under his right arm.
Upon being accoaed by Turner, he turned par
TALLY around just As the drst shot was fired.
There is some difference of opinion rs to VIII. TIL
er the first was the fatal thot or not. We judge,
, however, that it did not strike him, simply pass
ing through his coat sleeve. Immediately after
the first shot, Mr.. Groves turned square around
facing Turne;, who fired ut the very instant Ofhis
turning, dropped his pistol and ran back through
Young's store up into his Office bv a back way
Mr.. Groves stool still u second, staggered slow
ly back of the pavement, with both hands yet In
: his pockets and fell dead in the street, the bail
having passed through the upper part OF his
heart. Mr.. Groves was not heard to utter Il sin
gle word, and died without making o sign. Tur.
ner was Immediately arrested by sheriH Taul.
man, and lodged In Jail. but WAS afterwards sent
to Kansus City, on account Of approximations thai
the citizens in their indignation At the outrage
would mob him. He is now in Jail in that city
in charge of the sl,erin OF Jackson county.
;, The excitement that ensued OH the streets was
intense. Men Aocked by hundreds to the scene
or the tragedy. full Of alnazrment aud horror Al
the CHASTITY spectacle. Tie nercest Indignation
! WAS depicted on every cOuntenancc, and the TX.
pressions of Misrepresentation were very strong ant
e bitter, but there was no attempt of anykind 4
violence. The corpse was taken to the rcsid-nc,
of Harrison Smith, Esq. q relative of the fami
~, where 1t remained during the night, watched
by q few fnithl II friends. A messenger was sen
to convey the mo.rnful news to his father, wh'
reached town about :wo O'Clock the uext morn
} Ing. The heart rendni3g Sriefs the old fathel
ut the sight of his eldest born ring there cold ant
. stiG in death, can be better ina Sined than des
cribed. A largely attended fl -ral ceremon!
I " IS held At the Methodist Church on saturda!
. morning., at eleven o'clock. Rev. Mr.. Bogg1
-, officiating. The remains Of the deceased ver'
then taken to the residence of his father, Abnu
: three miles south of Dover. At two O'Clock Sul
G day afternoon, Rev. Mr.. Shackelford preached
' most impressive funeral sermon to u lar, con.
: C'utre VI IieoHhc leoiNihS III III HeiSnD 'rfloou
: Several were in attendance from this place. II,
z was buried on the same day in the family gray,
i yard, but u few PAGES from the door Of his boy
hood home.
, Thus, in the full flush and prid> of manhood
has been cut OF without . moments warning
= and with no opportunity to defend himself, on,
! OF the most genial hearted and whole-soulst
gentlemen whom 1t has ever been our lot 4
I associate with. A gentleman by instinct. train
Ing and education, he could not have conceive,
the basencss oil such an attack, and was there
fore unprepared for 1t. That he hal . profoupt
contempt for Turner would DC but natural, bu
he had no misgivinss of being waylsid and assas.
sinated even by him.. for he had SPOKEN but
. few hours before of the great relief the close o
. the campaign had brought TO all parties inter
y estsd in it ; that he was ready to forget every Of
a fensivc thing that had been said in the heat o
4 the canvass against him, and did not wish t.
r. triumph over a be ,ten party in the county. II,
had met Sheriff Taubman that morning, anc
had agreed to do that gentleman iull justice Ii
4 any way he might suggest. ifth.re should be an,
sort Of reciprocity on the part OF the SHERIFF
friends. Hal even Turner approached him n
Mr.. Taubmnn did, any PREPARATION within tn,
/. bounds of reason would have been made, for b,
said he felt as il he could forgive all mankind.
or Mr.. Groves editorial ability, We nee,
hardly. speak. rs, for the last year and q half, h
has conducted one of the most successful ant
, popular newspapers ever issued In Lafayette
countv. In the past eighteen months nearly al
the editorials, general and locals L.. the Intel.
LIsEScER have been written by him, and W
say without hesitation that his superior as
newspaper writer has not been found In Lexing
ton since the war. A man Of good judgment
ripe scholarship, and = ready pen. his article