Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-06-28
A TRAGEDY.
Three Desperate Men.
One Killed, One MORALLY ana One
Very Seriously Wounded
Aullyille In Mourning.

Aullville In Mourning.
A terrible tragedy occurred in Aullvilie,
this county. last Wednesday ~evening-sucb
an one as Is oftener read of in sensational
novels than enacted in real life.
Aullville is a village of about five hundred
inhabitants, situated eighteen miles south
east of Lexington, on the Lexington and st.
railroad. 1t was. at one time, rather
4 rough place, where carousing, quarrelllng
and shooting were too common for the pub
lie good. This was win to the fact that .
umbero of reckless men who had figured In
the war made it their headquarters, and
other gentry too fond OF other peoples
horses lived IN the vicinity. The good peo-
pie Of the locality stood this state Of affairs
as long as they well could, and at last organ
lied for their own good, and put a stop to II.
since which time few communities have en-
greater exemption from crime,o lone
a more generally thriving business. The In
habitsnts OF the town and vicinity are a
church-goiDg orderly ndindustrlou
people, who condemn lawlessness of all
kinds; but, ss In every community, there
are men who persist IN taking the law into
their own hands. and the unfortunate habit
OF carrying deadly weapons Is INDUCED III
to the detriment OF good order.
The men engaged in the rsncontrs Of which
we write were Burt. e. Wren, Richard 8.
and Robert Taylor.
D,,e uyr.o . F.,,,or vk,o xur N xoru
good farm upon which he lives, situated
II miles northwest Of Aullville. He
Is a man about thirty-five years OF age, full
six feet high, of well developed physique,
good looking, a little Wild, but gen.
orally considered a ''good fellow.'' His wife
IS said to be an admirable lady and they have
three children. They moved to this county
from Montgomery county. Kentucky, In
1870. Wren has had one or two difficulties
prior to this me-, as to which public opinion
was somewhat divided, except upon the
point that he displayed u%ndaunted courage.
Richard and Robert Taylor were brothers,
born and reared IN Cooper county, no.,
nephews of Col. Robert McCulloch, the sher-
i'll Of that county, and removed to this coun-
ty seven or eight years ago. They were both
In the Confederate army. Richard Taylor
was q man about 40 years Of age, we'll built.
nearly as heavy as Wren. married, and had q
wife and four children. Robert is some
years younger, and IS not quite so large =
man, though we'll proportioned. The two
brothers were farmers, renting the place
known as the "Morgan FARM" near Wren's
home.
The origin Of the feud which resulted so
fatally dates back some months. The Tay.
lors and Wren had q Misunderstanding re.
garding a hedge fence, and the right of the
Tayiors to pass through Wren's place. Early
in March Wren and Richard Taylor met in
the public road about q mile north of Aull.
willie and got into a dispute which resulted
in blows. The two men fought desperately,
and a club or stick cut a figure In the fight.
whether first used by Wren or Taylor Is moi
known, but the contest ended IN Wren's
getting the better Of his adversary and Civ
Ing him a very severe beating. For this
through the urgency Of the Tsylors, Wren
was indicted by the grand jury at the March
term of the criminal court, for '.feloniou.
assault" He gave bail and the case was
continued until the regular term OF the cour'
next October. Since this difficulty a man
named Bowers, a laborer living in the neigh
borhood, and other busy-bodies have beer
fomenting the Ill will between the parties
and it appeared in testimony at the coroner:
inquest that Bowers had told the Taylors
that he had heard Wren threaten to kill them
on sight.
Matters were IN this condition when OF
Wednesday evening last, June 25th, Wrsr
went to Aullvllle to purchase some grocerie'
| which his wife had desired hin to buy. AT
ter getting what he wanted at the store o
Grove Young, Esq, he started to go home
Meeting some friends at the store door b.
halted to speak to them, and becoming in
terested in the conversation seated himsel
on q box, which was at the outer edge OF tn
sidewalk, facing the store with his back &
the street, and north, the store fronting
north. Before seating himself he says b
saw the Taylors on the opposite side of tn
street, but thought nothing OF their beinI
there. 1t may be as we'll to say that On tn
west side OF Mr.. Young's store, and nea
the front there is a horse-rack, about ten fee
from the house, at which there were severa
horses hltched. The hour was between
and 7 o'clock. Wren and q friend were sill
ting Upon the box together talking, in tn
position we have above described. WreI
had his head turned west, toward the pei
son whom be was addressing, when til
Tsylors, who had passed down the stree
since he had seen them, approached hill
from the east, on the side walk, unseen b
him. When very near him they waived th
person sitting near Wren away, and one {
them placed his pistol to Wren's head an
the other presented his at Wren's abdome
and both fired. This was the first intim,
ton that he had Of the attack, and he stas
gered to his feet, stunned, no doubt, by th
shot In the head. AS he expresses it, 6
felt my head going. and l tried to keep u
with it," He started to go around the CO
ner of the building, and as he passed tt
front door he fell sgainst the west windo
breaking one of the glasses. At this m
msnt both the Taylors fired at him agai.
neither ball taking effect, one of them golr
through a pane of glass into the store ar
the other burying itself In the window ca
Ing. Wren Immediately recovered hir
self, and succeeded in running around Il
corner Of the house. Here tue Taylors 10
their advantage. Thinking that Wren wou
fall dead, according to the statement OF Ro
! srt Taylor. they slowly followed him, on
: to lind as they turned the corner that Wr,
{ WAS standing on the pavement between Il
horseback and the store, his eyes flashing fir
= with a pistol in each hand. which he Ii;
succeeded in drawing as he ran. Richa
Taylor passed to the right of the horse-rac
aud INTO the street. Robert Taylor pursue
u AS soon as the Taylors appeared Wren b
gan firing, with his right hand at Robe
Taylor, and with his lett hand at Richal
: The two Taylors keeping up their fire up
" Wren. Wren passed under the rack betwe
the horses, and Robert Taylor passed ba
6 around the end OF the rack, and out to
c opposite side OF the street, the three nj
g then forming a triangle. At Wren's seco
= shot with the right hand Robert Taylor +,
u with q bullet In his side, his lower pa
paralyzed. In the meantime Wren b
planted three bullets In the person OF Ri,
ard Taylor, who had gradually passed do,
the street, south. When Robert Taylor f,
Wren, seeing that he had disposed of hi
Vi turned toward Richard Taylor, and COO
said, "Ah, Pve got you now, Dick" q
!" fired the fatal shot. the bullet taking eff
In Taylor's neck, dlslocating it. Tayl