Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-06-14
The Bloody Day at Osborno's
Ford.
Fun and Accurate Particulars,
and u VmdiCatiOn OF poor
Alex Osborne.

OsBoRNE's FoRD, SCOTT CoUNTY,l
VA, June 9Th, 1881
Editor Bristol Nc,gS,
In your issue Of the 3lst May, OBJ
serve in your article headed "Quintuplo
Homicide in Scott County" among 9TH
er matters ii is stated that four Young
men differed with Jas. Baker about some
pastWNge--that they rushed upon Baker
who ran between two houses and then
escaped to the road down which the four
followed him 4 distance Of 100 yards and
finding that he was about to be OVertak-
en-, he whirlcd upon them, drew his pis-
tOl and killed the entire qunltGtte-that
first came Alexander Osborne, q wild
reckless fcllOW-One of the killed, Sc.
So far rs regards this statement, no
part Of it is true, except that Alexander
Osborne was shot and killed, not by JAS
Baker, but by Samuel Patton Baker,
The said Osborne was my brother and !
feel that it is my duty to vindicate his
character from the false charge made
against him without imputiug to you,
however, any wrong design. lie is
represented, in the article referred TO, rs
being lcila and reckless; this assertion
is wholly unfoundGd. None in this COM
niunity has borne Il better character from
infancy than he, for being peaCeablc, or
derby and law abiding, to which all of
his neighbors can bear testimony. As
regards the unfortunate tragedy the facts
are these: At the voting precinct ut Os-
bOrnc's Ford, Samuel II. Riner had some
words in reference to a slandcrous re-
port which Riner had been informed Ba-
kcr had circulated against him. In the
alteration Baker called Rincr liar, and
fight between them being likely to
arise, mutual friends interposed and sep
aratcd them. Baker was taken down
the road some Is or 30 steps, in the
meantime John II. Riner came up and
appealed to his son Jacob to quiet him
self and drop the matter, when the son
informed the father that Baker had call
ed him liar; the father then became
excited and called on some one to hold
his son and he would go and kick the
scamp (mcaning Baker,, OF the ground,
Baker hearing this, twisted out Of the
hands Of his friends, jumped up and pull
ed Off his hat and turned back on Rincr
both approaching each other, but before
Baker and Rincr met some spectators
say that Baker fell back Il few steps, pre-
sented his pistol and snapped; others
thought there was no retreat on Bakers
part before he presented his pistol and
snapped, or ifany, thatit was very slight,
and some couldnot say whether he snap
ped or not, but that the pistol WAS pre-
scented all agree. I'm the meantime
young Rincr exclaimed that his father
would get hurt by Baker, aud wrested
himself out of the hands Of those who
were holding him, and he and the peo-
pie generally rushed up to the expected
conflict. After that Baker presented his
pistol he rctreated some steps, perhaps
Sor 10, when he fired and Killed my
brother, the bullet taking effect in the
abdomce. After firing the first shot Ba-
kor rctrcated again some S or 10 steps
turned and fired upon young Riner, the
ball taking effect IN the shoulder The
wound is not considered mortal. When
my brother WAS shot he wa, some dis
lance to the lett of iincr and further
back No weapon Of my Kind was In
the hands Of either Of ihc liiueIs or my
brother, and NO difficulty had been
known to exist between my brother and
Baker. Bakers two brothers were pres
cnt, all young and stout men and quite
equal In manhood to the ltiucrs.
II Is proper to say that The Rincr3 are
peaceablc and orderly mon, My BROTH
cr was an industrious, hard working
man, aged 32 years, and has left Wild
ow and three small children to mourn
his loss.
Hoping you viii insert This IN your
next Issue, remain &C."
JAMES y. OSBORNE.