The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-09-25


Wednesday evening. between . and 3
o'clock, the usual quiet OF our young city
was broken by the report OF pistol shots
fired in rapid succession on Aain street.
The police were promptly Oh hand and sue
ceeded in stopping the difficulty before more
blood was she'd.
The principals IN tlse affair were Col.
Thomas I.ipscom and Col Fitxhugh. and
the scene OF the encounter was Riley 'Sdrug
store.
The testimony taken in the inquest is
entirely too volumin0us for publication, but
the substance of it allis to this effect:
Henry Riley had bought of Waterman,
We'll & Star an account against Col. Fitx-
hugh. and had levied on Fitzhugh's gun FOR
the same. Col. Fitzhugh, wien informed
by Riley 81 the same, denied owing the frm
of Waterman, We'll & Star anything, and
went 10 see the firm, when he learned that
the account was for CLOTHES bought by Col.
Fizhugh's son.
Col. Fitzhugh returned To Riley's drug
store and told Riley that he had no right to
| lsvyupon his property for debts contracted by
other parties Col. Thomas LipsoOm who
was at the time in the rear part Of the storc,
said to Col. Fitzhugh that il was debt cOli-
tracted by the Fitzhugh Bros. Patrick Fitz-
hugh who was near his father, said Fltz-
hugh Bros, did not contract the debt. The
evidence here is that Riley then handed
LipscOm pistol, and Lipscom replied "a
/ Patrick Fitzhugh that it was lie, and drew
his pistol and said come on, am ready for
you. Col. Fitzhugh said he did not wish
any difficulty. Lipsoom commenced firing
his pistol at Fitzhugh. Fitzh1gh then drew
his pistol and returned shot simultaneously
with Lipscom' 5 second shot. Lipscom retreat
ed into the rear yard, firing all the time n
j Col. Fitzhugh and his son. Col. Fitzhugh fol
lowed him up with a derringer pistol in one
hand and knife insthe other. When Lips
com fired the last shot, before he was ar
rested, Patrick Fitzhugh called out, Il am
shot, " and fell backward in his brothers
arms. Iipscom and Fitzhugh were ar
rested and disarmed in the yard. Col
Fitzhugh SAID, ''my son is dying, let me 90
To him, - and went into the store to the side
Of his dying son.
DR.. +. ID. Sandford was called and ex
amined the wound The ball entered tn,
body on the right side between the lowel
rib and groin, ranging upward severing an
artery, which caused death by internal hem
orrhage. This examination was confirmed
! by Drs. Field and Cooke. After young
Fitzhugh fell he spoke but a few words and
died in less than an hour.
] An inquest was held Mt a late hour and
the verdict of the jury was as follows
'tWe, the jury, find that the deceased
came to his death by shot from II pisto
in the hands of Thos Lipscom, in Il melee
which occurred in Riley's drug store, in tho
city Of Dcnison, about the hour Of 5 r. ",
on this, the seventeenth day OF September
A. d. 1873.
II. TONE, Foreman"
In this we have tried to give brief and
impartial statement OF the testimony, and
we have only to add that the testimony j:
to the effect that Col Lipscom had made
public threats that he would kill both
Fitzhugh and his son on sight. Col. Fitz
hugh says, he armed himself with a small
derringer, the same he fred when attacked
| by Lipscom. Col. Lipscom and Henry
Riley were arrested and lodged in Jail Il
await examination.
This is very sad affair and the bereaved
family have our coincidence.
Patrick Fitzhugh was young man well
known in the city, and leaves wide circle
OF friends to mourn his untimely fate