San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-04-20
TO THE DEATH.

fSpecial to the 81. LOUIS UlODe-Deihocrttt'I
RICHMOND, VA, March 30.-Intelli-
gence has just been received here of the
desperate and fatal recontre on the
eastern shore. 1t occurred at Eastville,
the county seat of Northampton Coun-
ty. on the eastern shore of Virginia, land
one well known and highly respected
citizen lost his life and another is ex-
pected hourly to die.
THE PRINCIPALS
in the fatal rencontre were Major Sid
new Pitts, second son of the late Judge
E.P. Pitts, and Mr.. Alfred P. Thorn, q
prominent young lawyer of the county.
The former was killed outright and the
latter fingers in an insensible condition.
Some two weeks since Mr.. Pitts had an
nounced his intention of going to St.
Louis, and being indebted to the estate
of Mr.. Elijah Birmingham, the late Post
master of Eastville, of which estate Mr..
Thorn was curator, that gentleman
took legal steps to hold him to bail as
an absconding debtor. The County
Sheriff being sick, the writ was placed
in the hands of Mr.. Colonna, the Jailer,
to serve. Mr.. Colonna followed Major
Pitts to the Baltimore steamer,
at Hunters Landing, and, aided
by several parties, including
Mr.. Thorn attempted to arrest him. He
refused to be arrested; claiming that the
Jailer was not the properly authorized
officer to serve the process. The Major
then proceeded to Baltimore. A few
days ago he returned to Eastville, and
on yesterday 9a.... ,: ,r.
DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION ~.
from Mr.. Thorn, in the street, near Tay-
lor's Hotel, for what he considered an
insult in attempting to have him arrest
ed as an absconding debtor, calling him
ga liar and a scoundrel." Mr.. Thorn
then drew navy Colts revolver, and
the firing commenced with deadly earn
estness. Each party fired two shots.
Major Pitts fell to the ground, shot
through the left breast, and died almost
instantly, and at the same time Mr..
Thorn fell, shot through the face and
neck. The ball having passed through
the right cheek, carried away a number
of teeth end portion Of the jaw-bone,
and buried itself in the neck.
A Coroner's inquest was held few
hours after, and the verdict was deliv-
cred in accordance with the above
facts.
THE SAD AFFAIR.
has cast gloom over the whole COM
munity around Eastville, where the
young men were well known and re-
spected. The body of Maj. Pitts ar
rived in Norfolk tonight for burial. 1t
now turns out that both parties went
armed, and that they expected that one
must bite the dust. Thorn had seven
inch barrel Colts Auted navy revolver,
and Pitts five shooter, Hopkins and
Aliens make. On the evening previous
to the shooting Pitts went to the under
taker in Eastville and told him to take
his measure for burial case, as he eX-
pected it would be required next day.
AT THE FIRST SHOT
Pitts was wounded in the right wrist,
which disabled him from cooking his
pistol, and he went up to the corner OF
a house and pried the trigger up, during
which time Thorn coolly waited until
his adversary was ready, when the two
fired simultaneously, each falling at the
same moment. Both principals were
Young men. Pitts was in his 22d year,
and a nephew of Senator Dennis OF
MARYLAND. Thorn was aged "a, grad
uate of the University of Virginia, and
the final orator of the Jefferson Society
two years ago. Here the romance IN
this sad affair comes in.
A STRANGE ROMANCE.
AT the University Thorn met and won
Miss Loulon Massie, the acknowledged
belle of Virginia, who has had more
suitors than any other belle in the State,
and who has been called the peerless by
scores of students at Virginia's great in
stitution of learning. They were to have
been married this winter, when the
beautiful girl was stricken down by a
fearful malady. As a last resort, to save
her life, the surgeons knife was rcsorted
to, and for three weeks she has been
lowering between life and death in Rich
mond. Young Thorn, her affianced, has
been here for months,