Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-09-07
The Clark Feweii Tragedy In Virginia
-Dxing Declaration

detailed account of the shooting on
Saturday morning last of James F.
Clark, the alleged seducer and abductor
of Miss Fanny Fewell, while lying in
his cell, by Rhoda Fewell, brother of
the Young lady, who went to the Jail
for the purpose, sought the cell of the
prisoner, and fired upon him through
the bars A dispatch to the Alexandria
Gazette from Brentsville gives the fol
lowing additional particulars
About five minutes before the firing
commenced man was discovered Dy
persons sitting on Mr.. Kinchloe porch'
stealing cautiously toward the front door
of the Jail and observed to enter ; 'hese
persons paid no attention, Supposing
him 10 be the brother of the "a lor III
q few minutes the firing and cries were
heard and Major Thornton and Mr.
Lipscomb. deputy clerk, both hurried 10
the spot. aid on entering the door the
maior. who was the first to get there
saw Frwcll with a pistolln each hand IN
,bo oct of firing through theiron-g grated
Jnor at Clark. who had been taken from
,Le debtors room in the upper story OF
the iail and placed in acell on the ground
floor, the door of which opens on the
rjoht As YOU enter from the front door.
Fewcll states that he went direct to
the debtors room, and not finding him
there examined all the cells up stairs,
then came down and found Clark lying
ON the bed in that cell Jewell had
shot three times before any one arrived,
and was in the act OF firing his last shot
when Major Thornton seized him and
attempted to take him away, but did not
succeed, owing to the fact that Jewell
had his left arm bent on the inside Of
TIE door. with which he fired his last
shot. then walked to the door and cs-
capped in the direction he came. On
opening the door of the cell there was
GREAT confusion. Clark evidently had
used every means at his disposal to de
teui himself; pitcher, in>tand. and a
heavy glass salt cellar were all in num-
hcrlcss fragments about the door he
chen used a table Is a shield, but to no
effect. Clark, after he was shot, got on
the side OF the bed, was perfectly ration
al. and requested that somebody would
stand outside and guard the window,
that "he was afraid Rhoda would come
back and shoot him said lie was shot
Ia the breast. and on examination Of the
wound it WAS discovered that the hall
had passed on the left side of the heart
and in close proximity To it and lodged
in the back bone. Upon subsequent
examination the physicians found anoth-
er wound in the back, the second ball
having penetrated short distance INTO
the flesh, which DIR. Simpson extracted,
and which proved to be- navy ball.
\ warrant was Immediately issued
for FcwclrS arrest. but before it was
drawn up by the magistrate Fewcll APP
prarcd in our village, jumped i'll his ia
thcr', carriage and drove 10 Manassas
with Mr.. Narnes, who, at the solicita-
ton of RhOda's father, who mad heard
from the conductor on the morning
train that he had gotten off at BriStoe,
came oycr TO BicutSyilIc to stop any at
.r,upt that Rhoda might make, but AZ
rived here Icu minutes too late. When
'htv reached there Rhoda gave himself
up to Mr.. Butter, J. =. Clark's condi-
ton at one time was supposed to be eN-
trcmely critical by the medical men IN
attendance upon him, whercupon his
statement OF the affair was taken before
magistrate as his dying declaration.
He states rs follows:
II WAS lying ON the bed about half
asleep; was aroused by hearing the
room door open; on looking | saw Il
pistol pointed through the inside door,
in Rhoda FcwelIs hands | jumped up
and ran to the corner on the right hand
side OF the door; rs WAS going to the
corner he fired ON me and missed me {;
| ran TO the corner on the other side of
the door, he shot ut me again ; ! saw
him Joke the pistol AGAIN through the
door and grabbed it it was about
the size OF 4 navy pistol | tried to
,,r,>t !. rom him but failed; he then
drew a smaller one and with that one
shot ne in the breast; just before he
fired the last shot Major Thornton came
and ,ndeayorcd to stop him from firing.
About > o'clock on Saturday evening
Rhola Fcwell WAS brought over here
in custody of the sheriff, aided by other
officers he desired to obtain bail by q
writ of habeas corpus. but his friends
advised him to 20 to Jail and await the
resuh of Clark's wounds. Judge Sin
clair. commonwealth attorney, bad a
guard Of eight men placed around the
Jail. Fcwclis examination will proba-
bly, take place on Monday next.
On Sunday Clark was still living, but
thought to 6c worse. Five physicians
have seen him and report variously up
on his condition, whilst ali concede that
it is a dangerous wound. and that Symp-
toms of varied character may develop
themselves at any time in the course of
few days. Clark was removed yester-
day to the debtors cell, aud every as
sstance rendered him. Fewell is con-
fined in the same cell he shot Clark in.
p. S.-Clarll died of his wounds in
iail OH Monday evening. His remains
were buried oh Wednesday at Chappa-
wamsic. Jewell is confined i'll the same
cell in which he shot Clark, and on
Tuesday seemed very anxious about
CLARK 5 fate, and when told that he was
dead, asked if they would LET the
corpse stay up there all night. lie
ly,t