The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-30
son-jn-law Kills Son! James
Christmas, Of Warrenton,
Shoots the Son OF Mrs.
Gen.. Gaines.

Mr. General Myra Clark Galne-,
whose career IN many respects l. Tue
,n,st motel Of any American
living or dead. whose whole lie ha>
hem spent 10 the civil courts, l, nov,
IN her old ,ge. to suffer the unhappy
puhlicity of a long trial 10 the criminal
courts. aud possibly the unnatural attl-
tnd- of witness for her sou IN law, IN
defence of the killing of her son !.
Alas for the sixty years OF hardship,
suffering. and trial. To obtain a fortune
which has broughs with 1t a contlnual
harrassnent by money oeggers, and al
the last a fearful tragedy /,
Many readers of the Furmer ana
NechIntc are aware that Mrs. Galnes
had a son by her first husband named
whitney and a daughter by General
Gaines. The latter inherited her moth
ers ) 0 q will, and married MIR. ).
Christmas. of Warren county, y. y.
very much against the mothers wishes.
4 period Of enlargement followed but
ON Mrs. Christmas becoming sick, the
mother fastened TO Warrenton, and
soon learned to love her daughters
family, probably more than anything
else in the world. The death OF Mrs.
Christmas, a year or 50 ago, was a great
shock to her and after a time her al
f~ections seemed to be cllnglng to the
grand children as was natural under the
circumstances.
She returned to Washington and col
lected her little family, son, son ln-laW,
and the children. at the noted Ca~tacaZy
mansion the old Russian minister :
residence where alSo several Southern
people boarded among others Mrs
DR.. Wheat. the mother Of Prof. Leo
Wheat. well known in North Caro- ina
Here She seemed to take a new lease
of lie and became quite youthful,
though past 20 years of age; and
though continually beset by all sorts OF
persons. \ lady friend told Us of be
ing on a visit to Mrs q. when at least
six tranger called, most of them wo
men, to beg Tor money, etc.
Christmas and Whitney she started
in Il mattrass factory. But they did
not prosper. The following is the
Washington paper accJunt OF the re-
cent tragedy
Christmas was not engaged in any
business, but, at the urgent request
her daughters children, he remained
in the house, but recently had made
arrangement to 20 to South Carolina,
where he had a farm. Whitney was
a drinking ma and had u very violent
temper, and the difference between
the two men increased in intensity until
they became such bitter enemies that
they did not eat at the same table. Be
sides the business differences between
the two men, Whitney became jealous
of the attentions which Mrs. Gaines
showed to Christmas children when
be was under the influence Of liquor
would accuse Christmas of trying to
defraud Mrs. Gaines out of her money
rhis state Of affairs reached a crisis
Saturday morning 10y Whitney telling
Mrs. Gaines in a threatening manner
that the next time he ran across Christ
mas he woald let daylight through him.
Christmas was warned ofthis threat by
Mrs. Gaines. At five O'Clock, as
Christmas was escorting Mrs. DR..
Wheat, a venerable lady, eighty years
of age, down stairs to dinner, Whit
ney entered the front door and "a
him going down. He followed him.
and, overtaklng him about midway on
the staircase, struck him on the back
Of the neck. A short tussle followed
and then Christmas broke away and
hurried down the stairs. When he
reached the loot he turned and fired a
pistol at Whitney, the ball taking effect
in his heart. He tumbled down to the
foot of the stairs dead. CAPTAIN Christ
mas exclaimed: i've killed him send
for an officer - He then lit a cigar
and went to his room until an officer
arrived. The shooting created i'm
mense excitement IN the house, but
Mrs. Wheat was the only witness. The
Others, however, heard the p~rofane and
abusive language of Whltnet Christ
mas was at once arrested by officers
McCluc and Grant, and removed to the
Fifth Precinct Station. He was quite
quite cool and collected, and sem for
MIR. w. A. Cook, with whom he had a
conference. He claims to have done
the shooting in ~self-defense.
Coroner Patterson male a commit
ment, and the prisoner was then taken
to Jail in the police ambulance. He
was accompanied by two of his chill
dren. who reluctantly parted with him
at the gloomy structure.