The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-07-01

cd before His Honor Mayor POWELL
on Friday June Esd charged with
the killing of Mr.. George Matthew'S
an engineer of the N. o., st. l.. &
G. II. r., on the 22d ult. Fri
day, Saturday and Monday were
occupied IN taking the testimony,
and tho morning of Tuesday was
taken up by counsel, in argument
The evidence elected tho fact that
on Tuesday afternoon the 10th ult.,
an alteration took :place between
Matthews and the accused in which
no weapons were used by either
party and in which both came out
about even. Gu Thursday the ed,
about q o'clock in the afternoon,
Capt. Turk saw Matthews standing
at the depot conversing with some
friends and approached him with a
stick in his hand, and when oppo-
site to him struck Matthews, who
lodged his head and received the
blow on tho shoulder. Matthew'S
then ran, pursued by Turk, and
passing around the north cast corn
err of the depot to the east side, enter
cd the hall. What Matthews did
while in the hall no living soul,
positively, knows, though ono wit
ness says he stopped and made an
attempt to draw pistol, and we
doubt not that be did do so. While
Matthews was in tho hall, Capt.
Turk reached the door and fired his
pistol twice, and Matthews IN q mo-
mcnt afterwards was seen stagger-
ing out OF the west door on to tho
platform where he was caught in
the arms of his friend Miller, and
was afterwards placed on bed in
the building. Capt. Turk surren-
dered himself to Capt. r. J. BOSS,
the Sheriff, Immediately after the
shooting and entered into a bond
of 1000 dollars to await the result
of Matthew'S wound. Matthews
died that night and Turk was re-ar
rested, and on Friday the investiga-
ton began, resultingin the committal
of Turk, to Jail without bond, for
his. appearance at the next term of
our Circuit Court, 4th Monday in
September, to answer TO the charge
Of murder, His Honor, Mayor Pow
ct! being OF the opinion that the Of
fcnse was not 4 bailabIe one. The
trial WAS an unusually interesting
one, the court room being crowded
daily, with spectators. Capt. Turk
had many sympathizcrs, so also did
the deceased and his afflicted fami-
iy. The prosecution and defence
were ably represented. George Har-
vey Esq. and Judge Thomas Shack
leford appeared for the state, while
Messrs. Senmes & Foote, Single.
Ton & Campbell and Judge J. ".
Downs represented the defence.
After Mayor Powell's decision, steps
were Immediately taken, by the
counsel of the accused, to procure
his release, upon bond, by ,orit Of
haLe0s corpus.
This tragic affair is to be deplor-
cd, and VIC earn estly hope will be
the last orc we will have the pain
of chronicling. Both THO accused
and the deceased have many warm
friends who deeply regret the sad
occurrence that caused the taking
away of the life of the one and the
liberty of tho other. Capt. Turk &C.
cupics high social position in our
community and is universally es-
tecmed by all who know him. Mr..
Matthew'S, though not a resident of
this place, had number of friends
hero. He was an engineer on the
railroad in the esteem and conf
Ndence of his employers and has a
vito and large circle of friends at
McComb City.
The origin of the difficulty was
about a sum of money, borrowed
by the deceased from Turk, and the
indispositlon and refusal of the for
NOR to repay it, though repeatedly
asked by Turk to do SO. After the
first alteration, Turk was Undue
ed to believe, from remarks mad g
by Matthew'S, that he, Matthews
would renew the difficulty at an
tearly day and had reasonable
grounds to apprehend danger. In
30 far rs the judgement of Mayor
Powell is concerned, we must say
we believe His Honor fully appro.
ciated the great responsibility rest
ing upon him, and also found it q
most painful duty TO be obliged to
meet out to the accused the full
measure of the law 1t is due 10
His Honor that we should state that
we believe lie was governed by q
conscientious desire to discharge
his official duty faithfully and moth
ing moro.
For our part, what we have
written here has been prompted by
no dosire fo Dreiudice either side