Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-04-17
Crime in Vicksburg---One Prom
inent Lawyer Shoots Another
Down in the Street i'll Broad

OT1Mc LII vlCHSOMk OAAA-
inent Lawyer Shoots Another
Down in the Street in Broad
Day.
The Vicksburg Herald gives the follow
ing account of probably fatal affray be-
tween two prominent lawyers in that city
on Wednesday afternoon
cit appears that Capt. W. r. Spears had
been searching for Mr.. Robert J. Miller
throughout the entire day ; that he said to
him in the forenoon, Bob, | want to see
you When will you be at your office p
Mr. Miller replied that he would be there
directly, and walked on. Soon after 6
carriage in front of Mr.. Miller's law Of
flee and sent the driver up stairs to see if
that gentleman was in. The driver was
scarcely out of sight when Capt. Spears dis
covered Mr.. Miller walking along the pave
ment near by, and called to him. Mr. Mil
ler walked up to the carriage window, and
as he did so Capt. Spears drew his pistol
from the seat beside him, and leveling it at
the head of his intended victim, fired, the
ball taking effect in the centre of MI. Mil
ler'S forehead, and telling him to the earth
apparently lifeless.'
"Capt Spears then leaned out of the win
dow and taking deliberate aim fired three
OF four successive shots at the PROSTATE
body. every one Of which is supposed to
have taken effect. After the shooting Con-
stable Adams jumped into the hack and or
dered the driver to proceed to Squire
Ipwenberg's office, and from there Capt.
Spears was taken to the county Jail. Mil
ler was removed to an apartment over
Hardaway's drug store, where his wounds
were promptly attended to, and all. that
medical skill could suggest brought into
requisitiOn Upon examination it was
found that he had been five times wound
ed, the first ball, which felled him to the
earth, taking effect in his forehead, as men
toned above, but making only slight i'm
preston, comparatively. The pistol was
SO close to Mr. Miller's head when this shot
was fired that the powder burned his fore
head severely. The ball was extFicaSed
without difficulty. The other wounds were
in the chest, and one ball is supposed to
have lodged in the lungs, though the ply
sicians in attendance say they are not nee
essarily fatal. The wounded man, how
ever, seemed to think otherwise, and ap-
peared to consider his death a foregone
conclusion. He talked a good deal while
his wounds were being dressed. He said
to those around him; I have been most
foully murdered. | know l will be sland-
cred. and that I will have no chance for
yindication 1t was the most cruel muir
der Lever heard of. He gave me no chance
of defense, but shot me down like dog,
without a word of explanation The
wounded man appeared to be certain of an
early dissolution, and after giving express
sion to several apparently incoherent sent
ences, some of which he repeated several
times he turned to his brother-in-law, Nh.
Crutcher, and gave some instructions as to
the settlement of his private affairs, men,
tioning, among other things, thescollection
of an insurance policy for $4,000. The
cause of the shooting is, so far as we know.
enveloped in mystery, though there are
vague rumors Of an old grudge, of domes
tic difficulties, and a thousand floating
speculations that may have no coloring in
truth. We have tried to learn something
concerning the causes which led to the
shooting, but without success, and proba-
bly, nothing definite will be known until
the matter is investigated before the
courts. Capt. Spears and MI. Miller have
heretofore been regarded us friends, and
until the shooting yesterday nobody as far
as we could learn, seemed to have any
knowledge of any disruption of that long
standing friendship, Both gentlemen were
members of the bar, and were more OF less
prominent in their profession"