The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-03-20

lIoMlCIDE-A FATAL RENCoNrEE BE.
TWEEN Two IouSn ,!Ea GoIsG FKo.
Cuuacu. -lnteilsence reached this ciiy on
Sunday last hat young man named George
Sheets, aged about 10 years, had been killed
acar Mt. Pisgah Church. about 2 miles west
Of Mt. Sidney, in this county, GU Saturday
night, thes15th, by another youth, named W.
j.. Pates, aged about II years. The County
Coroner, i. NJ. Cushing, Esq. in company
with w. L.. Mowry, Sheriff, and w. A. Bur
nett, county clerk, Immediately started TO-
the scene of the occurrence: A jury OF lnr
quest was summoned composed Of the follow
mg persons b. NJ. Cushing. coroner, w A
Burnett. j. A Watson, JOHN Hawkins, Aliz
charl Hawkins. Win + Johhsrn, John A.
Critzsr, d -. tiyuv, S, p Watson. Jas: G.
NcClung. $ NJ. Crawford, Jos. Z. Slioeinaec,
and John w. Shunlake.
After the examination of several witnesses.
t;sc jury returned verdict that George r.
Sheets had come to his death by stab III ms
!ett SIDE, reaching 10 the stomach; made with
a knife, or other sharp Instrument, in the
hands of Vim l.. pates
The rencontre took place about nine o'cl'A
In the evening. while the parties were re-
turnin. from church, and souug Sheets died
lrolil thh ELECTS OF the wound, about seven o.
clsck Sunday morning latas was arrested
having made no attempt to escape, brought
to Stanton about II { clock Sunday night,
and lodged in Jail
GA M.,nday morning about 10 olclbek, an
examining trial took place before Jus,sa !.
L. Waddeil. The Commonwealth, was tetre.
sen'ed by Capt James Bumgardner. jr and
the prisoner hy Capt GEO., N Cochran; j..
DR.. ". NJ. Crawf,-d. an intel,gen, physi.
Siah OF the neiyhborhood, who had been call
ed to see the deceased AZ soon after the ibju-
~ was received as he could reacn hin, ties i
fed as To the Character Of the wounds There
we're TWO, cue a mere flesh cut over the ribs,
and the other just below the ribs pene,ra-
ting the stomach, from which internal hem
orrhage ensued, causing death DR.. Crav.
ford told young Sheets hat he could not live,
and asked h'ni who commenced tue fracas.-
lie Responded that he had commenced it.
Several witness were examined for the
Common wealth. aud three or four f,r the de-
fence. they all ugrred chat the difficulty e
riainated abont "a qiiaftgt Of dollar that
Pates had borrowed from Sheets; and which
ne refused to pay until Sheets brother paid
Il similar sum he owed Pates There Was
difference III the statcsments as to which Of
the parties commenced the fight, hut the pre-
ponderance of testimony went to show that
s. had followed Patcs some distance from the
church and made the first assault, pates evil
IDENTIFY seeking to avoid collision aud get a
way. Pates. however, was Knocked down by
Sheets, aud aitcf lie got to his feet again, T.
sel the knife. after which he ran, Sheets fol-
lowing Short distance. Sheets was not a
ware that be mad been stabbed Until some
minutes afterwards, when after climbing o.
yer fence, he felt the effects Of The wound,
aud commenced sinking. lie was gotten to
the house Of the widow Brown, where Ile died
az above stated.
The case was briefly argued by counsel.
and submitted to the Justice, who held the
accused to appear at April term of the coun-
ty court to answer a Indictment. and admit
ted him to bail III The siit., Of $500.
For obvious reasons. we havGreisained from
.iviu. the evidence in this preliminary ira,
10 detail.