The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-13
COUNTRY QUARREL,

DESPERATE ASSAULT AND DEADLY DEFENSE.
A correspondent of the Greensburg Stand
ard gives a clear account of an aggravated
fight near Alert, in Decatur county: On the
night of September Goth, about one mile
southeast of this place, quarrel occurred.
in which Eve men were engaged, which re-
suited in shooting one and cutting another
badly. The cause is supposed to have been
an old malice. On the night above
named the young men and ladies
of the neighborhood had assembled
at Mr.. Bowan's for the purpose of having an
apple-cutting. About p NJ, two men from
Jennings county, by the name of Black
and Cain, came into the house and made
their way toward the fire, when some ofthe
young men came up to them and COM
menced talking to them. When one
Horace Skater spoke to them, Black said,
"I'm the best man in the house, by God;'
when Shafer replied, az know you are
good man." Black again said, "By God, Pm
the best man in this house." upon which
Shafer left him without replying. Soon after
the two men above named, left as though
they were going home and in about one
hour returned with another man named
George Pike. From the time they came
into tine house until the close of the party
they watched Skater very closely. Some
two or three times Skater tried to make
his escape from the house, but
when ne would go to one door they would
go to the other for the purpose OF meeting
him, and so continued until the party
closed, which Was some two hours later.
A short time after they returned, ac-
companied by Pike, two men by the
names of Kelly and Thomas ceft the party,
| fearing there would be quarrel At the
close of the party Shafer started to
accompany a young lady to her home in
company with Abe Herrin and sister TO
the young man Black When but short
distance from Mr.. BOwen's Cain commenced
quarreling with Skater, when Shafer told
him that he did not want to quarrel but
wanted to go home, when Cain told him that
he was going to whip him, and now was as
| good time as any, upon which the
| QUARREL COMMENCED.
Shsfer began to back out Of the crowd up
the road toward the house of George Pixies
father, when Pike told Cain to follow him
for they could not hurt him, for that was
!. the road they were going, when Skater said
if that was the case he would go the other
way. When ne started to change his course
toward his house Cain struck at him but be
lodged il, he started to run
when Pike struck az him and also
missed him, and as Shafer succeeded in
getting past Cain and Pike, Black stopped
him and they surrounded him, when Shater
in trying to back out ran in the corner o.
the fence, with one above and one before
the other in front of him, when Shafel
says Cain drew his revolver and said t
him, "Shoot, God dam you, shoot" wher
Shafer drew his revolver and shot him
Cain stepped back and said, "BOys,
am shot," Shafer then ran down the roaC
toward his home, Cain ran after him fol
some 90 or 100 feet and fell, when he fell th'
report of another pistol was heard not like
the report of the first, but much louder
, which proved that it was not the SAINT
, pistol, but was a shot aimed at Shafer bu
, missed him. As Shafer ran down the roaC
, the lady whom he had started TO escort t
her home ran after him as fast as she could
while the three pursued as fast as they cOul'
f but did not catch them. Sbafe
: had but one friend in the crowd and tina
4 was man named Herrin, when Black saw
! that Shafer had escaped he turned and sail
f to him that as Shafer had escaped, that b
q (Herrin) would have TO pay for it, where
"a upon Black struck him, and as he stsggere
, backward he received another stroke on To
back of the head which staggered hiI
forward, and as fast as he coul
. recover his steps he ran dow
4 the road. He says that he saved his life b
q running, as he could run faster than th
: others. The physicians We're summone,
q and on examination it was found that Cal
was shot through the left side of his ABIDE
men. Drs. Wiley and Mcleod who state tn;
the wound, it is supposed, will prove fata
The ball did not pass through his body, bI
lodged in the back part of This spine. II
I was carried to Mr.. Pixies, where he still n
l. mains.