The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1881-04-30

time, and was defended by Hon. P.
II. Scruggs. Two Of the main wit.
nesGes are yet residing in this coun-
Ity. The Hindman family, as is
well known, was composed Of
brave, fearless, high strung men.
Robert and Thomas Q. were sg-
gresSive in the extreme, and rath-
ier inclined to be reckless, and, |
dare say, that no Drawer men ever
lived than those two brothers; and
1.-THE same may be said about the
old man Hindman, the father of
Thomas and Robert. The family
resided two miles east Of Ripley,
and up to the day Of the unfOrtu-
nate affair between Colonel Falk.
ner and Robert II. Hindman, the
most cordial relations OF friendship
existed between Falkner and the
Hindmans. They were all volun.
teers IN the same company during
the war with Mexico, Falkner be-
ling first and Thomas q. Hindman
second lieutenant, and Robert q.
q private. When the war ended
Thomas O. Hlndman commenced
the study Of law and was admitted
to the bar a short time before the
difficulty between Falkner and
Robert H., and made his maiden
speech against the defendant on
the trial, which, though very elo-
quent, was pregnant with bitter
denunciation. The evidence was
short, conclusive, and totally free
from contradictions, making out a
clear case Of ,self-defense, and the
jury, after being out ten minutes,
returned a verdict Of not guilty.
The proof showed that some mali.
cious tale-bearers had told Hind.
man that Falkner had made o
speech before the temperance Or
ganizatiOn against his (Hindman's)
admission as a member into the or
der, when the very reverse of this
was true, for Falkner instead of op-
posing his admission, had made a
mOst eloquent and feeling speech
in favor of admitting Hindman.
The meetings were held in secret,
and when Hindman was informed
that Falkner had made a speech
against him he flew into a passion
and publicly declared that be
would kill him, and calling Falk.
ner to where he was, demanded in
an angry tone to know why he had
opposed his admission. Falkner
denied having done so. Hindmau
replied, "Yon are a id liar" al
the same time drawing from bis
right-hand p~ants-pocket a small
revolver and attempting to shoot.
Falkner seized Hindman's wrist
with both hands and tried to take
the pistol away from him: Hind
man, being a very strong man,
managed to throw FaIkner back
against a house and ~extricated bis
wrist from Falkner's grasp, when
he presented the pistol within two
; feet OF the cOlonel's breast and pull.
ed the trigger, hut the weapon
failed to fire. Hindman then cock.
ed the pistol and again attempted
to shoot, but the pistOl again failed
to fire. Falkner then drew hi
knife, and as Hindman made thc
third attemptto shoot him, he stab
: bed Hindman, infiicting a wound
: from the effects Of which Hindmar
died Immediately. It does look al
if Providence had directly interior.
} ed in Falkner's behalf because /
Mr.. ]. r. Moores-tool
! the pistol from the ,land Of the-de
, ceased, who died with it firmly
: grasPed in his hand, and when thc
gentleman went to discharge Oh,
pistol the two barrels that had no
: been snapped failed to fire, bu
! when it came FouAd to the thre,
(, barrels that had been snapped q
: Falkner, every one Of the three ban