Huntsville gazette., 1881-10-29
SHOT TO DEATH.
The Deadly Shotgun Closes With
an AWful Tragedy
he Last Act Of loves Career
Lanier Acquitted.

state of suppressed excitement con
sequent upon the reception by many
parties here of what purported to be
the wedding cards of d. L. Love
and Miss Ada e Johnston, the then
bride of Mr.. John f. Lanier. Upon
the back of these cards there was
printed Loves version Of the rela-
tions which had existed between him
self and the lady who had just be-
come the wife Of AIr. Lauier. The
explanation, was an assault upon
pure woman, SO brutal, coarse and
damnably insidious, that we are
panied that our public duty requires
us to allude to it, even in this way.
This infamous conception was mailed
freely to parties in this community,
and to insure the striking home of
this bitter and venomons SANDER,
copies were sent to this point to
private messengers, who, ignorant of
the contents, delivered them to the
lady in person.
4 The sentiment Of our people was
one Of wordless outrage, and indig-
nation. Mr. Lanier and his friends
acting with great self control, and
caution, gave no intimation of the
course they would take in such
trying emergency. Love had en-
gagged rooms here at the huntsville
4 Hotel for the tenth of this month
Whether Mr. Lanier believed Or
not, that he wonld return upon that
day we cannot say, but three days
thereafter, Mr.. Lanier accompanied
by lis father, BarrelI g. Lanier, Esq,
Hon. B q. Lanior, Jr., his brother,
Capt. VIM High, and Mr.. K. J, Har-
rison left for Yicksbnrg, Mississippi
IVe learn that the party failing to find
Love they returned to West Point
thence to Artesia, Miss. AM back
again to Yicksbnrg, where Lanier
saw Love in a crowded auction
room, and B. O. Lanier, Jr.. talked
to him at tLc wharf. Dat no oppor-
tunity was ;-fofd5y the outraged
husband to ayenee the honor Of his
wife That evening Love was seen
driving to the boat in a close carri-
age, The blinds are said TO have
eenb cljsely drawn, but he was
/. recognized by oneof Lanier's friends
as he looked cautiously out, in pass
ing the hotel. His destination was
discovered 10 be Greenville, Miss. 4
town Of some 5000 inhabitants on
the river above Vicksburg. John
Lanier followed on the next boat,
with the result as given in the follow
ing special received the day Of the
killing by The IadepeRdelt:
GRBENvILLE Mss. Oct 21-Love
came here several days since, and
was engaged in trying to get up
subscriptions. for cotton factory.
LanierSgot here from Vicksburg this
morning. He and his father, in go
ing to tile hotel, saw Love enter
livery stable on the opposite side Of
the street, apparently lot having
seen them. They crossed over, and
at the door saw him talking to the
stable proprietor in the rear Of the
stable. Lanier advanced, shotgun
In hand, and when about twenty
yards from Love, the latter turned
and saw Lanier, who almost imme
diately fired. Love was struck in
the neck and face, and turned to re-
treat Lanier fired the other barrel
as Love en- ntered buggy and mule
she'd Love fell, but got up, pistol il
hand. Lanier had by this time run
up to the mule shed aud opened fire
with pistol Love was now down,
but endeavored TO crawl away
through the stalls, but his strength
failed and he gasped his life away on
a dungheap, his mouth and eyes be
ing full Of it when he was turned
over. Love, who never fired, bad
fourteen bullet-holes in him Lanier
surrendered, and is now in chsrge
OF the Sheriff. He has retained Per
cy and Yerger to defend him. Pub
lie verdict is that Love was justly
Eslain.'
1 The day following the reception
Of the news from, Greenvilie party
of our prominent gentlemen, Col.
Holding, w. r. Rison (the banker.