Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-06-19
CLUB AND PISTOL
VS..
THE PEN.
TTEMPT OF TIE RING
TO BRAIN THE EDITOR
OF TIE NEU'S.
"Gettin9 Rid" of the Press.
An charmed Editor puts his
two arme d Assailants to
flight and remains TIL G
Victor Of the Field.

At noon on last Friday the under
signed, Editor of the Bristol NCwS,
was, by Major James &. Campbell,
late Cashier of the defunct and eXplo-
ded Farmers Bank Of Abingdon,
sometimes and by some persons known
as the Bank of the Lost Key" AS
saulted with hug bludgeOn, while
DIR. Geo. Ben Johnston, the one hun
dred and eighty pound son Of u. S.
Senator John w. Johnston, stood,
with his hand on his pistol, in the
door Of the Editors apartment, and
there, as an armed sentinel, prevented
the Foreman Of the Office from his at
tempt to prevent my assassination.
The party, as has since been learned,
left Abingdon at an early hour on
horseba k, the object of their mission
being known in general way to their
friends, who in the afternoon craned
their necks from porticos and balco-
MES of the town until they exclaimed
there they come"
They arrived at the Virginia House,
in this town, few minutes before
noon, and ordered their horses to be
held, by the servants, aOith the SdddieS
on. They then stealthily approached
the NCUS Office and entered the com
posing-room, where they entered into
pleasant and jocular conversation with
the type-setters until they saw the
only grown compositor in the Office
put on bis hat and leave for his din
ner. This let the foreman, Mr. \. G..
Smith; very delicate and physically
feeble man, and very small boy as
tho only occupants of the composing
room. Thinking this to be their OPP
portunity they walked into the small
room, seven by fourteen feet, occupied
by mo as my editorial department.
They extended their hands in pleas
ant and customary salutation and ac-
cepted seats. DIR. Johnston took the
chair offered him and placed it in the
door and then sat down in il. Major
Campbell took "A seat Immediately in
front of me, and the ordinary inquiries
ms to health and news Were exchang-
ed. Every demonstration was Of the
most friendly and cordial character.
Major Campbell was about to occupy
high stool, but | suggested to him
that box just four feet in my frontand
touching the stool, was better seat,
and he accepted that. | commenced
taking from the chair on which | was
sitting a hair cushion for him TO use
on the box, but he remarked the seat
was quite comfortable, and l dsisted.
l was engaged in writing sentence
when they entered aud aked them to
permit me to finish 1t. When l had
done go and looked up Major Camp
bell had produced a copy of the Ncws
of the 18th inst, the address on which
showed that he had read it for nearly
two aud half years without paying
IA cent of his subscription for it, aud
pointing to the editorial article, which
read as follows;
"THE effort made for several years
past by the late Court House Ring to
establish branch ring In Bristol, has
proven IA disastrous "A failure rs some |
of its enterprises nearer home. There /
were but two men in Bristol foolish |
enough to fully entity themselves |
with this RUG, aud since sore disaster, |
the result of corruption, has lately |
crnshed the life out of that dIsreputa- /
lie organization, the chief study Of !
these two Bristol claquers has been
how 10 conceal the fact of their repre- ]
heusibla connection with the late /
hydra.headed despoller Of the nights F.