Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-13
Correspondence of the Chicago Times

Correspondence of the Chicago Times.l
LAS VEGAS. N. NJ, March 9.-Las
Vegas had but barely settled back in q
quiet. eve way when the community
Was again startled by one of those hor-
rIble shooting affairs which csuss one to
shudder and the blood to almost run
cold. About 10 o'clock . terrible Gem.
motion was noticed about the St. Mich.
elss Hetsl. and, fastening to the place,
discovered that it was caused BY an
other fatal shooting affair, that Of Jas.
Morehead, in the Office of the hotel, BY
James Allen, one of the dining-rosm
walters. Mr.. Morehsad came here last
Saturday. and 1t supper called for fried
eggs. Allen told him the cook vas too
busy to fry them And such is the trivial
beginning of such . sad subsequent dis
aster. Morehead took it as . good joke,
and nothing nor was said until, on
going in to breakfast late Tuesday morn
ing. he asked Allen if the cook was too
busy to Try him some eggs then, and re-
ceivsd some such surly answer a. be.
fore. But all passed. of. and while sit
ting in the Offices little while after, hav-
ing bis boots blacked, Allen went
through, and Merehead made q Joking
remark that 1.-The cock would sosn be
always too busy to Try b~eststeaks."
Allen, who is quite qu,ck-temPersd, took
this as an insult, and Immediately few
int a passion, when = few hot words
passed between them. and the two men
olinched. Morehead. being much the
larger. SOC gave Allen . severe pound
ing. after which Allen got up and rush
cd into the kitchen. and quickly return
ed with q seven-shooter.
Now" he says. get down on your
knees, you d s. b. and
BEG NY PARDON THREE TINES"
leveling his revolver 1t him But More
head, who was an old-tImsr himself, re.
fused. and attempted to knock the re-
volver away. when Allen shot, the ball
entering the left side. passing through
the stomach. and nearly out on the
other side. The colored p .rter, who had
hsen blackIng boots. ~endeavored to in
trriere. but was tsld to get out OF the
way or he would receive q dose himself.
The colOred c"ok rushed in after Allen
shot, and grabbed him. and took him in
Il" the dlning-rOnm. where he sUan Com
rnencrd lay ing the plates for dinner, it,
"h "a "rcnp 'tion he was arrested. Un-
Ultimately. thr proprietor and genera
manager had Just stepped out aud IT,.
porter WAS the only WitGess OF the NC
rurreuce. Murehead was helped up
stairs to his room. and began sinking
rapidly. PLY sicians were called. and
everything possible d ne tor him. He
retained Consciousness up to Q O clock
in the evening. when he Tell INTO a light
doze. tren which he never awoke, but
passed into eternity with hardly a
struggle. During the day he was isk
ing about the fight, and once said:
''1s this tho way you treat your friends
when they come out to see youP It's
rather hard. ! think" 9
MR.. 4oREHEAD
was a large, robust, heslthy-looklng
man of about forty years OF age. though
his gray moustaohe and hair made him
look much older. He was formerly Of
the wholesale liquor firm OF Morehead.
Sellar & Co., OF St. Louis, Mo-, but OF
late represented the liquor house of
Derby e. Day, OF St. Louis. He WAS q
genial, w~hole-sonled fellow, had an OK
tensive acquaintance among the large
business men OF the west, and was one
of the most popular men that ever came
into this country. His loss will be
greatly felt. not only in the country but
In St. Louis, where he had a large circle
of friends. Indignation ross to its high
est pitch, and lsud and strong vas the
demand for lynch law. Officers arrested
Allen and placed him in Jail without
,rnuhIo. vet the excitomouf ron an hiok
another lynching seemed inevitable.