Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-10-25
AN EDITOR ASSAULTED.

On Thursday afternoon, the 10th, O..
5. Long, Esq, editor of the Register,
was assaulted by Major J. w. Sweeney
OH the steps of the Post Office.
The particulars of the circumstance
are as follows, as far as our information
extends: AS is well known the Major
aspired to Legislative honors, and has
placed his name before the people as a
candidate for the seat made vacant by
the resignation of DR.. Hullihen. Yes
terday morning there appeared in the
editoria. columns of the Register an ar
ticle rejecting severely upon Major
Sweeney's personal character. Shortly
after II o'clock as Mr.. Long was as
scending the Post Office steps, he met
Mai. Sweeney coming out OF the build
ing. Sweeney at once approached him
and demanded the name Of the author
of the editorial mentioned. Mr.. Long
answered that he had written it, where
upon Sweeney struck him in the face
with his fist several times, eXclaiming
as he did so that that was The way he
replied to the article. Mr.. Long was
taken completely 10y surprise, and offer
ed no resistance whatever, when the
bvstanders interfered. He had one eye
severely bruised, and received several
slight cuts on his face.-Hhefli"g In
teiigencer.
Since putting the above in type we
have received the daily Inteligencer of
Friday. 1t thus narrates the sequel to
the first days tisticutf.
"About noon yesterday lively use
of the pistol was INDUCED in by Maj j.
w. Sweeney and Messrs. Lewis Baker
and J. st. J. Clarkson, Of the Register,
down in the Sth Ward.
Messrs. Baker and Clarkson were sit
ting in street-car No. 4, which was
standing on the switch near the end OF
the track, when Maj. Sweeney and an
other gentleman came toward the carln
Il buggy. When he saw Messrs. Baker
and Clarkson, Sweeney stopped his
horse, jumped from the buggy, and
walked toward the Car. In regard to
who commenced the shooting there are
conflicting statements. Mr.. Clarkson
says that Mr.. Sweeney fired several
shots into the car as he approached,
while Mr.. Sweeney asserts that MIR.
Clarkson discharged the first pistol.
The gentlemen mentioned were the only
persons in the car, and upon jumping
from the front platform they met Swee-
ney, who had followed them around.
The fact is clear that here both drew
their revolvers upon Sweeney, but for
some reason Mr.. Bakers weapon was
not discharged. Sweeney continued to
shoot alternately at them, and Clarkson
discharged his pistol four or five times.
Mr.. Bakers pistol being useless, he
sought shelter in a store-room near by,
and Sweeney was following when he
was stopped by Officer Adam Wernig:
Officer Baum at the same time appeared
and assisted in terminating the affair.
Mr.. Clarkson received slight flesh
wound in his right shoulder, and bull
let struck cane about two inches be-
low his left hand, SCATTERING it to trag-
ments. Mr.. Bakers right hand was
slightly scratched, and there is bullet
hole in the skirt Of his coat. Mr.. Swee-
new was unhurt There are six bullet
holes in the end of the car i'll which the
gentlemen were sitting. During the
shooting the parties were not more than
six or eight feet apart, and it is truly
wonderful that the result was not fatal
to some one.