Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-10-20
TERRIBLE TREBLE TRAGEDY
ENACTED ON GAY STREET YES
TERDAY.
GEN JOS. A. MABRY AND JOS. A.
MABRY, JR, KILLED,

GEN. JOS. A. MABRY AND JOS. A.
MABRY, JR, KILLED,
With a Shot Gun, in the Hands of Maj
Thomas O'Conner,
Who is Shot Dead by Pistol Shot from
Joe Mabry, Jr.
A Day of Most Intense Excitement in
Knoxville's History.
The bloodiest, most fatal and most La
mentable tragedy that has stained the an
mails of East Tennessee's history for many
years, was enacted on Gay street yes
terday forenoon, in which Maj.
Thos. O'Conner, Gen. Jos. A.
Mabry and his son, Joseph A. Mabry, jr.,
were all three killed instantly. The brief
details are about these:
General Mabry and r. A. Steele, who has
been his bosom friend and almost constant
attendant for months past, came off
of Market Square and around
by the Office of Alex Allison, Esq, thence
out Clinch street to Gay, turned Ritter's
corner and passed down on the west side of
the street. When they were in front of
l. E. Barry's confectionery store, Maj. Thos.
O'Conner was seen to come out of
the door of the Mechanics Bank on the step
in front, which is on the opposite side of
the street, rather angling to the north, draw
double barreled shot gun and level at
General Mabry, who was then about sixty
feet off, and fire. At this fire General
Mabry fell and Mr.. Steele went rapidly into
the Peoples Bank, a few feet distant,
and said that General Mabry was shot
Major O'Copner fired a second shot, which
also took effect in Mabry. He then ex-
changed his gun for another,
which was gotten out = of
the door of the bank and appeared to be
taking aim again. 1t was thought that this
time he aimed for Steele, but he remained
inside the bank. At this instant, Jos. A.
Mabry, jr., appeared in the middle of the
distance of about 80 feet from
Major O'Conner, drew his pistol, took de-
lberate aim and fired, the ball taking effect
i'll Major O'Conner's right breast, near the
arm pit, and penetrating to the heart.
Major OConner instantly wheeled, and,
with the shot gun lowered in his hands,
shot Joe, and both fell almost instantaneous
ly. Joe rather struggled to his knees and
ON rad fo 10 OF Oh,
but fell back, and the treble tragedy was
enacted, and the three men dead in less time
than it takes to tell it.
Joe Mabry, jr., was at the Office of
Ea1r,;-a a liiss--, -1---~ away, engaged as
an attorney in law suit, when the first
shot was heard, and he instantly dropped
everything and ran with all his might to the
spot from where he fired.
1t was raining at the time, and the streets
were full of men passing back and forth.
Everybody was struck with CONSERVATION at
the first alarm The most intense excite
ment prevailed and great crowds
gathered about the scene of the tragedy.
This occurred about 1920 a. M
The dead body of Maj. O'Conner was re-
moved into the rear room of the bank, and
the bodies of both General and Joe. Mabry
were taken into the auction house
of Mr.. E. A. Akers Coroner
r. Il. Hood was summoned at once, and
empanneled the following jury of inquest:
Jno. I. Burchell, A. Haws, D. S. Sinclair,
W. S. Smith, VIM. Lewis, JAS. McAffry, G.
Fraser.
The inquest was held first over the re-
mains of the Mabrys, in Akers' store, and
then over Major O'Conners remains, in the
bank, the same jury being used in both,
the transaction and testimony being the
same in both cases.
| The evidence of about dozen witnesses
was heard, corroborating in the main the
above detailed facts.
The jury then adjourned till o'clock,
met at the court house, and agreed upon
J the following verdict:
f'That Maj. Thos. OConner came to his
death by pistol shot fired from pistol in
the hands of Jos. A. Mabry, jr., in the city
of Knoxville, County of Knox, State of
Tennessee, on the 18th day of October,
1882"
THAT Jos. A. Mabry, sr, came to his
death from gun shot fired from the hands
of Thos. O'Conner, in the city of Knoxville,
county of Knox, State of Tennessee, on the
18th day of October, 1882"
'That Jos. A. Mabry, jr., came to his
death by gun shot, fred from a shot gun,
IN the hands of Thomas OConner in the
city OF Knoxville, county of Knox, State of
Tennessee, on the 18th of October 1882
The friends took charge of the body of
Maj. ooonner, ia the bank, procured the
services of the undertaken, L. G. Shepard,
Esq, and they were encased in burial
case in the bank, where they were viewed
by very large number of per
sons, and hundreds were unable to
gain view About 5 O'Clock
p. m. the remains were conveyed in a
hearse to the late residence of the de-
ceased, in West End. There was only the
one wound (aboye mentioned) on his per-
son.
The bodies of General and Joe Mabry
were taken charge of by friends in Nh. Akers'
store, who closed his business and showed
every curtesy and attention. They were
dressed and laid out by Louis Ruckart, and
were viewed by vast number of people.
Late in the afternoon they were encased in
burial cases and conveyed to the family res.
idence, east of the city.
On the body of Gen. Mabry were found
thirty five wounds from shot of various
Sizes The shots were in the left breast
abdomen, left side and leg. On Joe Mabry
were found 20 shots, also of various sizes
from buck to duck shot, ON the right side
+ and arm.
The origin of this lamentable TRACED,
| oI- IL,