Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-07-08
THE WINCHESTER tvA.) rRAGEDY.
An Accident or q Crimer
widely Varying ccounts ofthc Amair

widely VARY ing 4 counts Ofthc AHair.
The citizens OF the vicinity at White Post,
Clarke county, Va, were thrown into Q terrible
state Of excitement by the report Of the killing
of Clinton Little by his brothers, Oscar Little
and Lyeurgus Little; also the wounding of their
mother and several other members OF the fam
lily, as stated In yesterdays STAR.
STATEMENT OF COLUMBUS LITTLE.
Mr.. Columbus Little, the oldest Of the six
brothers, who is q coachmaker on G, near 7th
street, in this city, a powerful man, about IS
years Of age, and who presided at the breakfast
table on the morning OF the fatal shooting. was
at THE STAR once too day. and says that the
accounts of the affair telegrsphed from Win
chester were gross exaggerations, magnifying
an accide Mt which plunged his family into grief
into a bloody crime. His account of the unfor-
tunate occurrence is substantially ~ follows:
HIS father Is Mr.. Franklin Little, former
resident of Washington city, and canal com
missioner under Mayor Towers. He moved with
his family, in 1857 to the farm, about seven
miles from winchester, where they have since
resided, the farm having been the property of
the family for over 40 years. Nothing has at
any time occurred to disturb the harmony of
the brothers beyond the usual bOyish quarruis
week or two ago Clinton Little. the second
son, (about 81 years Old, came to WashinI ton
and sold his horses, and his brothers, Column
bus, the eldest, and Walter, the youngest,
(who is drug clerk with MIR. Cropley,
in GeOrgetOwn,) accompanied him home,
to spend the 4th of July at the farm.
MI TdDkiln Little. the IALuGT. was UllSV SUPER
intending the erection OF a row of houses he
was having built on 10th street, near b, and re-
manned IN Washington. The six brothers were
reunited under the family roof tree, with the
wife of Columbus and a sister of the Litties
and one or two young ladies. On the 4th the
brothers were to have a shooting match at a
went to visit neighbor, Willie Lewis, and
they all went to picnic. Next morning (tbe
5thl they all got up early to prepare for the
projected shooting match, and were husilv
her
four or five pistols and ritle-whep thew were
called in to breakfast by their mother. II being
her rule to require prompt attendance at meal
times, the brothers suspended operations and
all laid down their arms except Oscar, next in
age to Clinton) who put his pistol in his pocket
and Lycurgus, (about twenty years old } who,
shot, took his weapon, large navy revolver, TO
the table with him. After trifIng with it
awhile he laid 1t across his lap, the muzzle
pointing towards his mother (next to HIM AMI
Clinton beyond. The ladies Except Mrs.
Iittle) had not yet come to the table.
The pistol, 1t seems, was cooked, for while they
across the lap of Lycurgus-and the ball passed
through the thigh OF Mrs. Little, and into the
body of Clinton. Columbus Little positively
states that this accidental shot was the only one
fired in or out of the house. Mrs Little had
no artery touched or bone broken and was do
ing well when Columbus Little LETT the farm
this morning. Clinton Little was terribly
wounded. and died in the arms of Columbus at
II O'Clock noon or Saturday, about IL hours
after the shooting. Mr.. Columbus Little says
that there was very naturally great excitement
in and about the house, and that the WinctIes.
ter repor tiers or correspondents took dow the
tale as Il was told by gossipping country neigh
bOTs. lie says that the examination of Oscar
and Lycurgus will prove the great injustice
done the family by the published reports OF the
affair.
THE OTHER SIDE.
notwithstanding this, the Winchester people
still stick to their account of the affair.
Another account in the Baltimore Sun OF this
the facts are these: Clinton Little had aston
TO take several horses to Washington, u. G.,
and make sale of them, and on Saturday morn
ing, July 5th, as Clinton Little, his mother his
brothers and several other members OF the fam
lily were sitting at the breakfast table, they
were surprised by the entrance into the room of
the two brothers, Oscar and Lycurgus Little,
who. locking the door, walked up to Clinton
Little and made a demand for half the money |
that he had received from the sale of the horses
stating that If he did not hand over they would |
murder him. Suiting the action to the word, |
both brothers, Oscar and Lycurgus Little, pre-
scented their pistols and commenced firing on |
their brother, who fell mortally wounded. |
Whilst on his knees he was beaten in thS face |
and temple by one of his brothers, whose pistol |
failed TO fire. During the firing the mother was
seriously wounded by pistol-shot in the thigh. |
The room was literally covered with blood, as |
seen by several witnesses After Clinton Little |
had been killed, the two brothers, Oscar and |
Lycurgus, attempted 10 escape, when younger |
brotherp ,nr up me au;sc,nsrged IL az ms
his leg, and the remaining brother fred a shot |
at him, and wounded the one firing the ride
Inc whole result was the killing OF one brother |
and wounding of the mother and two brothers. |
The two murderers are now confined in the |
Clarke county Jail at Berryville, Va
winchester correspondent of the Baltimore |
Sun writes as follows MIR. Little, ST., father of |
the family, is engaged in Washington city, and |
fastened home Saturday evening on lear ming |
the news of the terrible affair, which is now tho
great the me of conversation in this whole sec |
ton of the country. As yet all the facts in the
case are not known beyond the account of the |
desperate struggle which has been given. Oscar |
Little is druggist, and Is generally called Dr.. |
Little. Some time ago, 1t is stated, he and LIZ
curgus secured what they were entitled TO- or |
would be entitled to, from the family estate, and
went west, but spending their property re- |
turned, making other demands, which were r5- |
sisted by the three other brothers and the mo- |
ther. In the fight Oscar Titles pistol snapped |
several times, and proved worthless as a weapon.
Lycurgus, at the first fire, missed his brother
Clinton and shot the mother, and fired again,
giving Clinton the mortal wound. In the sub
melee Oscar and Lycurgus we're over
powered, disarmed and driven out Of the house.
Columbus, one of the brothers acting on the
defensive, Is a very powerful man, and Gilbert,
who fired the rife, is very delicate. They were |
both badly cut and injured about the head by
the attacking party with the but-ends of pistols.
A Afterwards, il is alleged, Oscar and Lycurgus
again returned to the house. the former with
rihe ball in his leg, and took a large dose of
which, however, did not have the de-
sired effect. Finally Oscar and Lyeurgus were +
placed under arrest and conveyed to the county
all of Clarke county.
A "BoB-TAILEp PoL1rIcIAv"-Patrick
Henry once called Governor Giles, of Virginia,
a "bob-tailed politician" Giles demanded an
explanation. Henry responded &c do not
recollect having called you "bob- tailed poll
tician" at any time, but think it probable /
have. Not recollecting the time or occasion
cannot say what did mean, but If you will tell |
NE what you think meant, will say whether
you are correct or not" Giles subsided.
20 Justice Hyatt, of White Plains, New
FORK, was called a liar by lawyer. aud he
descended from the bench and put an alpaca
band around the lawyers eyes.
@NIr 49,. - q, NJ. P. for Derby thinking
hat for some things water il better than beer,
has built two swimming baths for the use of |
Ien and boys of the town.
~Keep your temper. a man in perfect /
health the other day in Nashville got into 1T |
'f passion which speedily changed to a fatal
,pasm OF cholera.
cy-r'." ~ '0ri'fns at West Point have en-
tered an iutCID.,, against the cadets lOaning
their sashes and other military adornments TO |
young ladies, and great is the force of feminine
nd gnation.
R-"Scratch Russian and you will find |
Cossack." Scratch professional politician, |
n no is Offering himself TO the a pnlft-