The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-16
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Fort Griffin (Tesas), Echo Of May 3 /,
rThc rack Ha pistol was heard on |
Our streets Tuesday evening at about |
o'clock, and soon the news passed from
mouth 10 mouth that II soldier was shot |
An investigation of. the matter ELECTED |
the following facts.
Charles McCallroy, private of COM
pany a, I'D Infantry, which company
arrived here HAT morning, was down in
town, drunk. lie used grossly insult
ing language Toward Captain Lincoln
OF the 10Th Infantry, which Captain
Lincoln was disposed TO overlook from
the fact that the man was under the in
fluence of liquor, and further the cap
tain was OH the eve of leaving the post
and state. The insult was offered in
Conrad IL Raths store. AicCatirey
asked where to find the garrison, when
Captain Lincoln took him by the arm
and marched him out of the store, at the
same time remarking: "Come with me
and will show it to you" AS they
reached the edge of the sidewalk in
front of Conrad & Rath's ware room,
McCaflrey struck Captain Lincoln q Sc
we're blow on the chin with his fist,
knocking him off the sidewalk, where
upon Captain Lincoln drew his pistol
and fired, the ball taking effect on the
left side of the neck. McCafIrey was
taken to the hospital and attended by
Surgeon Powell, who did all he could
for the wounded man, but he lived only
twenty-five hours and died Wednesday
evening at 8 O'Clock. A post norton
examination revealed the fact that the
ball passed around the body inside of
the breast bone and lodged in the back
bone. Immediately after the shooting
Captain Lincoln was arrested by the
civil authorities, waived examination
and readily gave bonds to appear for
$4,000 if wanted. After the post-mor-
TEN coroner's inquest was held, and
the following verdict was rendered:
owe, the jury, find that the deceased,
Charles McCafIrey, came to his death
from pistol shot fired by s. II. Lin
coin, and we further find that the said
s. ii. Lincoln did wilfully and feloni-
ously kill and murder said Charles
Mccartney without any lawful provoca-
ton"
A warrant was Immediately taken
and placed in the hands of Lieutenant
Arlington, of the Frontier Battalion,
for service, who soon started out to
overtake the captain, who was with his
command en- route to Fort Wayne,
Michigan.
1t is not for the Echo to say whether
OF not Captain Lincoln did right in
shooting the man, but it does not hest
tate to say that the large majority OF
the army officers would, under similar
circumstances, have acted as he did.
That the man was under the influence
of liquor no one denies, but that did
not license him 10 insult and strike an
officer.
Early in the evening, Lieutenant
Bottsford placed Mccartney in charge
of the sergeant of the guard with in.
structions to confine him in the guard
house for drunkenness, but he made
his escape from the sergeant, came to
town and in her own house offered a
gross insult to an estimable married
lady, and, we are assured, had her hus-
baad been at home, Captain Lincoln
would not have had occasion to fire the
fatal shot.
Mccartney enlisted only few months
ago and had proved good soldier.
His home was in Burlington, Vermont.
The Free Press says:
There can be scarcely room for a
doubt that the Charles McCaffrcy,
whose untimely death is thus recorded,
was Burlington boy, we'll known to
many of our readers. He was the sec
ond son of Mr.. James Mccartney, a re-
spectacle man, long resident of Bur-
lington, having in former years been
employed about the old Lake House,
subsequently at the American and later
in the lumber yards. The oldest son
works for Shepard IL Morse, and there
is still another son and two daughters
in the family, who, with the parents,
are thrown into the greatest sorrow by
this sad news. Charles McCaffrey was
formerly (some two years ago), in the
employ of Col. Il. S. Peck as a clerk,
and was very bright and active, but
sometimes reckless boy. A year ago he
was in the employ of ID. A. Wells, at
St. Lawrence Hall, in Montreal, and
subsequently found some other occupa-
ton in that city. His parents have not
heard from him in six months, but sup
posed that he was still in Montreal.
lie was very Young to be in the army,
being not over II years old al his
death.
Capt. Lincoln is well known among
Vermont soldiers as brave and gal
liant officer, having been twice wounded
in the army. lie has always been re-
garded as very competent and reliable
officer and as courteous and worthy
gentleman. He must regret his hasty
use of his pistol, though under great
provocation, and, as he probably
claims, in self-defehce-a and he will
probably have to answer for it to the
law. There is some doubt as to wheth-
er this is the real Charles McCaffrey,
but as there was but one man in Bur-
lington by that name, we fear that it
will prove too true.