The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-11-16
ANOTHER TRAGEDY.
Mr.. T. c. Thurston, Editor Of the
Advocate, Shot Down in the
Streets Of Platte City.
A Probably Fatal Quarrel Growing out
of a Hot Political Contest.
The Statement Of Eye-Witnesses Of
the Shooting, Together with
0a'nall's Story of the Affair.

Inc Statement OF eyewitness OF
the Shooting, Together with
Da'nail's Story Of the Affair.
For some lime past there has been . hot
political fight raging in the neighboring
town of Platte, Just across the river, and
which eliminated last Saturday afternoon
in q shooting ARRAY between Mr.. I. c.
Thurrton, editor of the Platte City Aduo-
oUe, and r. T. Dzrnall, in which Mr.
Thuston was shot in the face, just below
the right eye, inficting painful but not
necessarily fatal wound.
CAUsE OF THE SHOOTING.
The Democracy of Platte county has
been divided during the past three months,
into two factions, which we're denominstsd
as the ring" and "aoti-rina" parties, each
one Of which ran its candidates for the
tied the Advocate in the interest of the "an-
firing" party, and has been both bitter
and incorporating in his attacks upon
| fight the contest rapidly deg-nerated into q
personal one between Mr.. Thurston upon
the one side and X T. Darnal' and Geo
Cartwright, two citizens of Platte Civ,
upon the other. Thurston charged that
Cartwright had come TO this city and
while here had, in company with noto-
riou- character, induced a an OF The
town 10 make a statement impugning the
chastity OF his (Thurston's) vile, and that
the same had been circulated upon the
| streets Of Platte City by Cartwright.
Last Monday, Thur-ton Came over to this
city. and hndirg the woman WIZ had m sd-
this statement, b I'd her appear before u no
tary public, where she made aft "avit that
the story was false in ev ~ particular.
Upon his rturn 10 Platte Civ, Thursron,
according TO published ST .rement 10 the
AdUooatc, met Mr.. Cartwright upon the
street and told him to draw his pistol and
defend hi as. II !; Cartwright, however, ran
la the same is-ue OF hrs paper, Thurston
spoke In terms more f,Icible than compli
m-Btary of Darnal and several Others of
the ring" which had the eff, CT f further
widening the breach between the parties |
cucerned.
THE SHOOTING.
The hdu cafe was issu d on FRIDAY, and |
tn :o.l"sIng day, shortly after 3 O'Clock |
In the Afternoon, Ihs Tag.u. occurred. Ac- |
cOrding t. the mot reliable statements |
which can be procured, il would seem thai |
il was a most deter mined effort on III. part |
oil Daruall to kill 1nur-iou. The common |
aud CURRENT report IN regard 10 he shoo,- |
Ing Is, that Saturday, att.rnoon about a |
quarter past three, Thus-ron came our OF |
>nIthIs drug sore Just as ID rnail was pass |
my down the side~.lk Without giving |
rotice Of his Intentions, DarnaIi struck |
Thur-ton under the lett ear, knocking / in |
down. Mr.. Marion Todd then in,erfer.d |
al this iuncture, and took Thurston's pistol |
irUm hun DarnaIl had in the meantime |
Il ed one shot at lhur-ton. The latter |
then took another pistol from his pocket |
and fired at Ddrnsll, missing him.
Darnall Ia N shot again at burston from
over Todd's shoulder, the latter hav
ing hold of Thureton's hands at the time,
The bullet striking him in the face, just be-
low the right eye, and passing downward,
lodged somewhere near the back of the
neck. After being struck, ThuTston fired
twice and then fell Dsrnell then rushed
up to him, and Thurston, desperately
woundtd, Vet game TO the last, cooked his
pistol for the parting shot, when Darnall
grasp, and pressing it close TO the head of
the last sinking man, was about 10 fire,
when Todd sgain interfered and took it
from him. Tnurston was taken TO q room
in the Virginia House, where his wounds
were examined. The physicians expressed
the opinion that if inflammation did not set
IN, the chances we're decidedly in favor of
his recovery, otherwise there was no hope.
TUE rycrrryr~r
upon the streets subsequent to the tragedy
was intense, and fifty pistols were drawn
upon the instant, riot being threatened
Things, however, gradually settled down
and no more blood was shed Darnsll was
arrested but was subsequently, released up
on bail.
DARNAIL's STATEMENT:
Mr.. Dornall was in the city Yesterday
and registered at the Mansion House
Shortly rfter dinner TINES reporter learn
ing that he vas in the city, sought him out
snd obtained the following as his version
Of the affair: 81 was walking down the
street Saturday, afternoon between three
and four O'Clock, when saw Thurston COM
ing ont of Smiths drug store. AZ passed
him he made a motion if TO draw his
pistol, and TO prevent him from doing this
i caught hold Of him and pressed him to
the sidewalk. Some one then interfered
ard parted Us. When he got up he dre~
his revolver and fired at me, and in sell de-
tense l was forced 10 do the same. He was
behind IN awning post when shot him
He fired three shots in all and | fired
five"
From the description given of the
course OF the ball after it entered
Thurstons face, Darnall must have fred
from considerable elev ,tinn, so that the
report that the shot which struck the
wounded man was fired from over Todd's
shoulder seems the more probable. In
view OF the statements OF eyewitness,
which We publish below, Mr.. DsrnaIls
story Of the affair seems rather improbable.
The better class of the citizens of Platte
county uphold Mr. Thurst N in this mat
ter, as has been cl, arly demonstrated, and
1t is the opinion of all the residents Of the
county that the men who were the getters
up OF the story regarding his wife are not
fit to reside in respectable community.
THE ADVOCATE" EXTRA.
Late on Saturday afie noon the Plstte
City Aduocote, Mr.. Thurston'. paper, issued
the folinsing extra, giving the statements
OF Mr.. Walker, an eyewitness TO the trag-
edy:
''Our streets have been again stained with
blood. I. C Thurston, editor of this pa
per. was shot by r. T. Darnail The ball
entered his cheek, Just below the right eye,
and ranged down, lodging somewhere with
in. Mr.. Thurston now lies in q critical
state. 1t will be recollected thai war has l
been going on through the papers, between
these gentlemen, and the ARRAY grew out of
The incorporate language used BY the par {
ties That the public excit-men may be
allayed, We append the statement of an eye
witness.
VIM WALKERS STATEMENT. Q
/ was standing jue above Smiths door,
on Saturday, at BIS O'Clock. when Thurs