The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-07-18
s WIssissipni Rattle.


On Sunday last, miles west of this
place. says the Ripley, Miss AdUertiser,
at the Arbor near Bratton's School-house,
just after religious services were over, a
desperate ARRAY occurred, In which five
persons participated. J. s. Biggs, our
former sheriff, and his son in-law, George
/ Gray, fought against three of the Roach
rqtbers-Jasper, Jefferson and Matthew.
All the parties being resOlute and de-
| termlned men, and all, or nearly all, be-
ing well armed, the battle waged fierce
ly; the fight was 4 Eolty contested
one-pistols and knives being freely and
| unfortunately used, some fifteen or
twenty shots being fired. The result was:
BIggs and Grag were both dangerously
wounded, and their recovery is altogether
prOblematicaL Gray was shot in the
abdomen, and the ball did not come out.
BIggs received several pistol shot wounds
and also several wounds inflicted with a
knife, some of which are considered dan
gerOus. We are informed a pistol ball
entered the one side and came out at the
| other; he received 4 severe wound in the
neck; was cut in several places on the
back; and a knife blade penetrated his
skull some distance and was borken off
The only wonder Is, according to the re-
| ports Of the affair that some of the par-
! ties were not killed on the spot An old
| teud existing between the parties, it Is
| thought, was the origin of the difficulty.
Jasper Roach gave himself up to the
civil authorities, and Thursday last was
the day set apart for the investigation of
! the matter. The other parties, Mat. and
| JEFF Roach, had not been arrested.
We had reliable information from the
wounded men yesterday morning. Mr.
Biggs was reported to be doing very well,
bur Mr.. Gruys condition was not so fav~
orable.
Judge John Ferris, Of Davidson, IS out
in a card in which he says:
l would like to call especial attention
| to section >, 80 Of the Code, which says
every Justice Of the Peace shall give
! information to his County Court of any
orphan child within his knowledge whose
situation requires the interference of the
| Court, that the Court shall make such
! disposition Of said orphan children as
| the law directs"
! Section 1852 says: mo householder
shall conceal any orphan child, or hire
| him, without first obtaining leave from
| some Justice of the Peace, under the
IttIldlLJ OF l" eve lOlluGS anu Il uttII OF e
| half to the iniormer, the other to the
poor of the county" There is no law
/ in the Code to make allowances or ap.
/ preparations to the different orphan asy>
/ lums therefore, l must earnestly call
! upon every Justice Of the Peace of this
county to aid me in carrying out the pro,
visions Of the Code. First, to see how
many Of these poor little orphans there
| are in this district that are without homes,
and report to me, or get them good homes
| with some suitable persons themselves,
| and let said persons either adopt or have
the orphans appr enticed TO some good
| tIaie or calling. We have good free
schools, and every child can get liberal
/ education if whoever takes the child Will
| comply with the law, land | will see %
| that if l live and keep my healthy l
! can procure good homes for large num-
/ Der of children, boys and girls, and am
! doing it every day. Since my notice
| about the little boy last week | have had
great many applications to take these
! little fellows and adopt and appro n5ice
! them | get letters from all parts of the
country asking for these children. So
| hereafter when parties want to take these
/ children, they must make application
properly, and give the required bond
/ when apprenticed, and file the proper
/ Petition when adopted.