The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-13
WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREED
A Physician Attempts - Asasinaas His Profs.-
ional Brother witA Kails-A Desperate
struggle for xits-Prsfsssional yeal-
ousy tho Alleged Cause OF
tho Murderous Attack.

soo numerous Attack
N - ftRPfXt
HOr SPRINGS, Ark, Sept. g. 1871
On Saturday. August 81. 1872 an alleged ATTEMPT
was made to assassinate DR.. O. W. Lawrence. Req
dent Physician at Hot Springs. BY Dr.. n K Stare
OF Little Rock The facts are said to be as lolows;
On Thursday last DR.. Amon Brooks OF this Mace
sent for In great haste from Little Rock to stteu1
to his friend DR.. Starke, who was said to be dying
There was great noise In the village, and every
body was duly informed Of the fact that Dr. Brooks
had been summoned sixty miles to Little Rock to
attend to the chief physician at that place. Away
Brooks sped in hack to the aid Of his frlend only
to return with him early Saturday morning, he net
being, as appears dying but just recovering from
the effects of 'gO0d time" On arriving at the
Springs Brooks took Starke to the Hot Springn
Hotel, where he spent the morning. and towards
noon Dr.. Brooks had him In consultation on .
case. Several times at breakfast and elsewhere
Dr. starke, 1t ia said. made threats against
the life of Dr. Lawrence, one of them t.
the proprietor Of the hotel. DR.. Lawrence
had no intimation Of his alleged Intentions until
near one O'Clock. Between twelve and one, four
friends of Dr. Lawrence were In his private Office.
and 1t being near dinner time they were preparing
to leave when DR.. Starke entered the private olce
through the antero0m without knocking ana ad-
vanced into the middle OF the room. Dr. Lawrence'a
friends thinking that 1t was a patient babe the
Doctor good morning and left the office. DR.. Starke,
on arriving opposite DR.. Lawrence, said, 'Is DR..
Lawrence In S' The Doctor answered 81 am he.w
Starke then said II am Dr. Starke, Of Little Rock"
The Doctor said .If you are DR.. starke, OF Little
Rock your mission here cannot be friendly one 70
me- after the unprofessi0nal conduct and abuse yo0
have heaped on me-" They were then standing 20
close to each other that Starke 'A
SEIZED THE DOCTOR BY HIS BEARD
and made lunge with weapon he had concealed
In his hand at the Doctors carotid artery and jugu-
lar vein, perhaps with the Intention OF severingN
and killing the Doctor in that way. DR.. Lawrence.
on seeing the knife insrinctivey threw up his arm
and crouched MS neck to save his throat. He sue
| ceeded in doing that and received stabs on bic
wrist and one ON the angle Of his law, cutting the
facial artery the moar teeth arresting the progress
Of the knife towards the tongue, which, II It had
quail arteries would have been severed. The Doc
! tor then dealt his assailant q wel-directed blow
sarke was FIVE feet INTO the cor
ner. Feeling that his life was at stake Dr. Law:
Ruffi ntS es a shocking
room, after having received an additional
wound In his forehead. All this while starke was
e To- MS lis saSs a Dr.
struggle to the front entrance, Dr. Lawrence using
his arms against starke's knife During all the
struggle not word was uttered. This whole scene
only occupied minute Or so. The noise of the
| scufhe was heard by the gentlemen who had Just
hs s4ssaS9: Us! 'Ssss 4ss Bsxss Ss
Of Pine Bluf, observing the deht and Seeing Dr:
who was one OF the party, my God! Joe, CONS
| here.
He being In delicate health could render no as
stasSs ,, Mr. Turner approached and struck
ward in the opposite direction from that I'm which
the Doctor was driving him. After striking him
once one Of the gentlemen said Don't strike him
Doctor, at whom lie ferociously continued stabDing
DR.. Lawrence Immediately thumbed the artery to
for. Dr.. b. +. Dlckenson, of Memphis Immediately
attend to DR.. Lawrence's wounds, which were
bleeding profusely. Mr. Vance, sherir Of Hemp
next came on the. scene. Dr.. Lawrence said
to him. II want that man put under arrests
must protect myself would regret the necessity"
Mr.; Vance Immediately made Starke his prisoner,
sharae Of aePa s was who took
responsible for this" lie was taken at once to his
ESo Brooks wssrS dS FgSs Hs
assaulting DR.. y. A. HObsOn, DR.. Lawrence's former
partner ara afterwards taken him e visit patient
and Immediately after the visit starke made the
murderous assault already described Colonel Jack
Whaton, Of the New Orleans Bar, volunteered as
been both residents of Baltimore before the war;,
and attended to the prosecution. The arrest was
made for
AN ASSAULT WITH ATTEMPT TO MURDER,
and bail demanded in the sum of $4,000. This after.
noon Starke was baied by his friend Dr.. Brooks,
and now Is stopping at the Hale House. Here COM
ments are unnecessary. great deal of feeling has
been excited by this attempt at murder, and o
great deal OF calmness was necessary to prevent
the numerous friends of DR.. Lawrence from met
ing summary justice to his assailant. Some people
go as far as to allege that other parties impl-
Gated in the affair who unwilling to assume the
responsibility OF getting rid of their professional
opponent but who had arranged it and produced
willing actor. The facts giving rise to the enmity
which eliminated In this dastardly act are
related by the friends of Dr. Lawrence to
be as fOllOws:-Dr G. W. Lawrence, Resi-
dent Physician at Hot Springs for thirteen years,
and Drs. o. A. Hobson and p. H. Ellsworth, on the
application OF Dr. AlmOn Brooks of this place, for
admission into the Pulaski County Medical AssO-
ciation made charges against him for conduct I'M
becoming In physician and gentleman. On thy
strength OF these charges DR.. Brooks was re-
lected June /, 1872. The charges were fOll0ws:-
Tamperng with the patients of other physicians,
using unknown tongues In his prescriptions and
having paid agents at the various cities South and
West at hotels, railway stations and ON convey
ances. After the regular meeting Of the Assocfa.
ton
SNAP CALL MEETING
was held by friends OF DR.. Brooks, and though I'M.
they tried to justify him by publishing q series
OF resolutions, which resolutions are now Brooks
circular for professional advantages. The regular
meeting taking place on Saturday, June 1, and the
call meeting on Monday, Starke being member
OF this association and friend Of Brooks, great
deal OF ill-feeing was generated which increased
day by day, as the association saw no way OF ad-
Inn hivra< a Avx~eA