The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-04-19
LOCAL MATTERS.
Shooting ARRAY I'm q Main.Street
Newspaper Office.

NeWSpdper Otncc.
On Saturday afternoon about half-past
3 O'Clock difficulty occurred between
Colonel John Il. Popbam, proprietor OF
the Southern Mteitigencer, and Mr.. Ro-
bert Agee, bis business manager. just be-
fore the difficulty occurred the two gentle
men went together from the corner OF
Eleventh and Main streets to the InteHigen-
Ger office, near the corner OF Twelfth and
Main. While on their way to the office they
talked over matters of interest TO the paper.
and seemed 10 be on very peaceful terms.
When they reached the office. however, Mr..
Agee, who had been drinking, says that be
asked Colonel Popbam for q check for some
money. II was not given to him; wbereupon
angry words passed between them. Finally
Colonel Popham drew a Derr;nger from his
pocket. Agee, on seeing the weapon. said
10 Pcpham: You id coward. you; do
you draw pistol TO frighten me? am not
afraid Of it"; and then made towards
him. POpham cooked The pistol and
fired at Agee. Just as he fired Agee
caught hold OF the hand which held the pis.
tOl and raised it. At the very instant he
did this the pistol went of, and the ball
graZed the left side OF Mr.. Agee's forehead,
and, glancing upward, entered the wall one
foot above his head. The two were then
separated by The printers. Agee, having
been slightly wounded, walked down stairs
to the next floor, but returned in few mo-
ments. AS he reached the place where the
shooting occurred Mr.. Agee fell to the floor
in an insensible condtIon-the result OF
shock from the wound--but recovered in
very short while, and coDversed freely with
those around him.
Officer Sweeney, who was near by at the
time, went in where Agee was lying, and
was told by bgoe "t0 arrest Colonel Pop
Fam and take charge OF him." The officer
found Colonel Popham standing at the foot
OF the steps on the second floor OF the
building, and carried bin TO the Second
police station, where he remained until he
was bailed.
DIR. Brock was sent for to attend Mr..
Agee. Mr. Agec's forehead was burned by
the powder, and his nose bled freely for
short while.
Colonel Popham, on reaching the station
house, delivered up pair OF Derringers 10
the officers in charge, one being empty.
He was bailed in the sum OF $1,000 for his
appearance at the Police Court this morn
ing. Postmaster Forbes going his security.
Mr.. POpham represents that after they
had had some angry words together, he
said TO Agee, Gas far as your salary Ia con-
cerned. you have taken Just what you
pleased -; that Agee tbereupon demanded
to know Of him If he meant by that that he
had stolen any OF his money. to which Mr..
Popham replied, "NO"; that lie meant
that he had taken for his salary what be
considered his services worth. Mr.. Pop
ham says that Agee would not understand
him in the sense that he Intended him to
understand him, but insisted upon cons.ru-
ing his remark into an imputation OF theft.
He says that Agee advanced on him, and
that he retreated out of the door OF the
passage into the prnting-room. and that he
felt sure that he saw Agee pick up a short
iron bar that lay Oh the floor; that he ad-
vanced on him ill he was cornered against
one O. the tables in the printing.roOm, and
that he then fired because he believed his
life was in danger. j. NJ. Shelton, printer
in the office, says that he heard the angry
words in the passage-roOm between Pop
ham and Agee; that he heard Agee
rush at Popham; that he heard Pop
ham call to himself to come there
and keep Agee off him; that POpham
rereated into the prnting-room till Agee
had got him by the beard and forced him
| against q table; that when in that situation
Popbam fired pistol in Agee's face. He
over bis head, and that the shot was intend
ed to frighten hgee rather than to hurt him.
Clyde Saunders, boy in the office, makes
the same statement as Shelton.
Agee was somewhat stunned by the ex.
plosion, and Popham at once moved off and
went down to the next floor. Shelton
seized Agee, and there was considerable
scuffie between them, which resulted in
Agee frt eing himself and pursuing Pop
ham. He was finally somewhat calmed and
taken off. Blood was flowing from the side
OF his forehead, and il was at first supposed
that he was seriously wounded. An eX-
animation disclosed the fact, however, that
the ball had missed bls head entirely. aud
that the blood came from wounds made in
his face by the grains OF powder that were
driven into his flesh. The bali struck the
wall near the ceiling.
Mr.. Agee expresses the creates; regret at
the occurrence, and hopes Mr.. Popham will
not be molested. Mr. Popham also eX-
presses the greatest regret, and both de-
clare that there was no malice upon The part
OF either toward the other, and that 1t was
one OF those unfortunate occurrences that
will happen from violent and excited
tomppr