The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-29
MOB o Coed shot--A Lnsierous shoot.
ing as>safray and AN imaginary pss-
/ fTrpy Timesl,

tsArpy = lmes 2
The most lndierous shooting affray tina,
welhaYe ever been called upon to chronicle
occurred Sunday morning Id Archie Chap
mans saloon, on Third street Chapman;
Samuel McCombs, Of Ida Hill; Robert Smith,
residing ON King street, who sometimes tends
bar for Chapman James, opNeil, and John
Magnor, bad been drinking pretty freely and
their frequent potations had been iepliyened
BY numerous songs. I Finally McCombs was
asked to sing YORKSHIRE ballad, which
he refused to do. Chapman had some
words with him, and ordered him out of
the saloon. He refused to go; whereup6n
Chapman went to the door and blew
policeman's whistle, which whistle fhe
had no business to- have. Three police
men responded, but refused to arrest Nc
Combs, who had gone out, on the ground
that they had not seen him act In disorderlY
manner. Chapman went into the house, and
q few minutes atterward MEG Combs returned
and asked Chapman what he was going to
do. McCombs stood about seven feet from
Chapman, and the Young man Smith was an
equal distance from McCombs. As soon as
the latter entered the door Chapman raised
hisreyolyer, pointed 1t directly at him, and
fred. The bali struck Smith, and he imme-
dlately fell forward on his face, exclaiming
I" I'm shot," DR.. Camp was summoned,
and upon examination decided that the bali
had entered Smiths abdomen, as. a wound
was plainly visible. He dared not probe it,
and it appeared to be evident that the bullet
had lodged somewhere in his stomach; in fact,
Smith insisted that it was there, as he felt
something warm In his bowels. DR.. Camp
put plaster on the wound and advised Smith
to keep quiet. The victim was put in bed.
in Chapman's house, where he remained
until yesterday morning, when he felt so
much better that he was placed in carriage
and taken to the corner of Eighth and Jacob
streets, where he has friends residing. He
complained Of feeling bad, and refused to
walk. a singular circumstance was that no
holes could be found in Smiths coat, vest,
.pantaloons, or shirts, but the wound was
visible; and how it came there remained for
a time mystery. Now comes the ludicrous
portion of the story. Yesterday at o. CLOCK
Captain Quigley went with DR.. Camp to the
house where Smith had been taken to see
him. The Captain did not know but that
IL might prove to be murder, and thought
the coroner should be notified. DR.. Camp
was shown the wound, large fiaxseed poul-
tice having previously been put upon it !;
and be was also informed that no bulet-hole
had been discovered in the mans under.
clothes.
The Captain took the pants, made of heavy
cloth, and after q close inspection found
where the bullet had penetrated, in direct
line with the wound. The hole was small
one, and was only visible when the cloth was
pulled apart, but the mystery was increased
by the fact that no hole could be found in
the lining Of the garment. Another and
closer examination resulted in finding the
bullet between the cloth and lining. 1t had
not penetrated the flesh, but had simply
struck against The lining, merely breaking
the skin on Smiths body in such a way that
the mark resembled bullet-wound.
Smith, supposing be was seriously injured,
was nearly frightened to death. He lay in
bed, pale as the sheets, and apparently about
to depart from this life; but the above dis
coyery acted like magic upon him. He in
stantly jumped out OF bed, and proved by
bic actions that be was perfectly well. It is
remarkable that Chapman's shot should have
missed McCombs, who is very portly. Chap
man was arrested and taken to Jail. He al
leges in defence of the shooting that Nc
Combs attempted to "run the place." Smith
says the shooting was accidental, and that
Chapman was not to blame. The charge
against the latter-assault with deadly
weapon-was preferred by MeCombs. 1t is
said that the commencement OF the quarrel
between Chapman and McCombs was caused
by woman.
Chapman waived examination this morn.
ing, and was remanded to Jail. He subse-
quently gave bail to await the action of the
grand jury before Judge Strait.
McCombs states that Chapman, about q
year and half ago, fred two shots at him,
and never hit the mark