Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-01
The Shooting Of Col. Aston.

At the u1al In Atlanta, Ga, yesterday, f3r
the murder of Col. Aston, State Treasurer Rel
froe testified that Aston was ia the treasury
when witness returned from dinner la com oary
with the clerk Murphy. and Howard the pu.-
chaser OF the Gordon interest fn the convict
lease; they left soon after Aston departed I'M
med ately saying to the messenger sent to h m
from Cox 10 go and tell Cox that he {Ais1on)
mad reconslcered the matter and would not
meet .9 MN; TO tell Cox to go hts way and he
(A!StoD) would go his as ft would do neiJaer
any good to Kill the other; Aston was gone
eight to ten minutes; meantime Cox came hur-
r rtedy IN ~, with , MS hand on pistol halr
was not there and went away; Aston passed
on the street and came back almost I'm
m % a after Cox left; witness asked Aston
is awful to have man hunting you Ike
tn1s;;'' witness asked AlstOn Didn't you lust
meet Cox" Aston replied ono, he has gone
up stairs hunting me now" Peter, the colored
porter, said, there he comes down the stairs
now" Aston told Peter to close the ve5tibule
docf; Cox showed past Peter and entered, ex-
clte0, stlll With his hand on the pistol: Aston
rose with uplifted hands and went to meet Cox
az the inner door and said, "Cox, let up stop
To tni s 90 not want you TO kun me nor do want
ston had not met him as promised: witness tod
them not to have any difficulty there; as tney
took Aston by the arm and said"Come outside
and settle it, Aston pulled back and went and
sat In chair; Cox closed the inner door, keep.
Ing his right hand on the pistol and watching
Aston over his shoulder; witness insisted on
their not having difficulty; Cox apologtzed for
closing the door and said: "But this matter has
got to be settled here and now" Nelms,
here entered and witness appealed to
him to prevent difficulty. Aston said to Cox,
81 VIII not have any difficulty with you unless
am forced to-" Cox said, 'Then, will force
you;" some demonstration was made by Cox;
witness heard Aston say twice, 'Cox, are you
going to shoot me?" ''Cox, are you going to
shoot me now" Did not hear Cox's reply; Ais
ton rose from the CHAIR and with head hung
crossed the floor; Cox crossed q little behind
on parallel line. Aston suddenly wheeled and
drawing his revolver presented It; Cox mad mis-
In hand ready; they fired at the ssme moment
Aston fired self-cocker twice rapidly; OF three
shots neither took effect; Aston fired again.
stepping to the right at each fire, Cox lodging
toll; Aston's fourth shot hit Cox In the mouth: az
his sixth effort the pistol snapped, when
Cox rose, took long step forward,
fired; Aston reeied and fell; Cox laid down H1
the pistol, remarAng, "We are both dead
men," Aston was calm and conciliatory, Cox
more excited aud determined in manner.
Aston did not show that he had pistol until
he drew and fired: witness just before the firing
thought the Tight was about abandoned; the
pistol Aston had belonged to witness and clerk
Murphy; Murphy and Howard were interested
DEFENDANTS counsel were severe In their
cross-examlnatton, developing also that part
conspiracy to kill Cox; they would prove that
Murphy furnished Aston with the pistol and
that Murphy and Howard, during the fight,
ury ONCE coming out Immediately after, and
Murphy securing the pistol used by Aston, and
that Howard asked at once that nothing be said
the defence is that Cox was hunting Murphy
on lease business and not Aston; that Aston
drew and fired without q demonstration from
tnnate In saving his own life by taking Alston's
in self defence.