Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-10-28
BUCksHOT IN TENNESSEE.
THREE PROMINENT MEN KILLED.


in the heart of Knoxville last Thursday
morning Three prominent citizens
were almost Instantly killed, two were
wounded and halt dozen others had
their clothing perforated by buckshot.
The dead are General Joseph A. Mabry,
his son, Joseph A. Asbry, Jr., and Ma
ior Thomas O'Conner The Mabrys
were a family of fighters, and score of
men have lost their lives at the hands
of the male members of the clan. The
triangular duel this morning, however,
ended the lives of the last two men of
Mabry line in this section. In August
General Mabry quarreied with neigh
Dor named Moses Lusby about horse.
They separated, each vowing vengeance.
A day or two later General Mabry and
his son Joseph met Moses Lusby and
his son Daniel. The elder Lusby asked
the General if he was liked" which
inquiry referred to the possession OF
firearms. The General replied Yes
and drew navy revolver, an example
which was Flowed by his son. The
Lasbys also drew and began firing first
A dozen or more shots were fired. Both
the Mabrys were slightly wounded and
the Lusbys were killed. The Mabrys
were arrested, released on bail, tried
last week and acquitted on the ground
that they were acting in self defense
when they removed old and young Lus-
by. While the fatal quarrel between
the Mabry and Lusby families was said
TO have originated about horse, it was
generally believed that the Lusbys were
killed out of revenge, Dan Lusby hay-
ing shot and killed General Mabrys
son, William, at a merry making last
Christmas.
TIE FUED BETWEEN MABRY AND CONNER.
Some months ago General Mabry and
Major O'Conner. president of the Mer-
chants National Bank OF that place,
disagreed about the settlement OF a
claim which grew out of the transfer of
a tract OF land once owned by the Geu-
eral. Mutual friends prevented duel
aud soothed the angry men into quietude
The time of the Mabrys was so taken
up with the settlement OF the Lusby
affair that they did not reopen the quar-
rel with Majo: O'Conner until Wednes-
day afternoon, when the General met
the Major at the county fair. Mabry
publicly upbraided O'Conner aud de-
clared that he had not treated him (the
GeneraD as one gentleman should treat
another. Major O'Conner replied that
it was not gentleman's place to settle
private differences il public. The Gen
eral then told O'Conner that he should
not live. Mabry was armed, but o.
Conner had no weapons. AS Mabry
was about drawing his revolver friends
intertered and they were taken away
from each other. An hour or so later
Mabry sent word to O'Conner, who was
at home with his family, that he in
tended To kill him on sight.
TIE DEADLY DUEL.
Between nine and ten o'clock Thurs
day morning Major O'Conner stood in
the door OF the Merchants National
Bank, on Gay street, smoking a cigar.
Down The other side of the street walk
ed General Mabry, arm-in arm with
friend. OConner, who was awaiting
the coming OF his enemy, stepped into
the bank, picked up one of two double
barreed shotguns that stood by the
door ana came out on the steps at the
moment General Mabry came up. See
ing O'Conner, General Mabry stopped
and reached for his pistol as his com
pauion stepped back. Before Mabry
could draw his pistol O'COnner took
deliberate aim and discharged one bar
rel into Mabry's left side. The Gener-
al reeled, shook his fist at his murderer
and fell dead upon the sidewalk. OCon-
ner, fearing that the General might re-
vive again, raised the gun and sent an
other charge of bucksho; into the dead
mans lett thigh aud body. In an i'll
slant after the firing the street was
crowded with people running to the
scene of the tragedy. OConner pushed
bis way through the first arrivals, en-
tered the bank, picked up the other
shotgun and came out bareheaded up
on the street. About this time Joseph
A. MaJry, the Generals son, who had
heard the shooting and suspected who
was doing il, came rushing up, revolver
in hand.
YOUNG MABRY AND o'CONNER KILL EACH
OTHER.
The crowd scattered right and left as
yourg Mabry advanced, and OCOnner,
who was greatly excited, did not catch
sight of him until they were within
forty feet Of each other The major
raised his gun, but young Matry was
quickest and the shot from his revolver
entered O'Conners right breas: and
came out of his back. O'Conner fired
almost at the same instant aud young
Mabry fell corpse on the pavement.
His side and breast were literally rid
died with buckshot, no less than TWEEN
ty wounds being found in space but
little larger than mans hand. A sec
ond after young Mabry tell Major o.
Conner dropped dead upon the steps of
the bank. The whole tragedy occurred
within two minutes and not one OF the
three principals spoke from the time the
firing began. General Mabry had more
than thirty buckshot in his body and
his son had greater number still. One
by stander was shot in the thigh and an-
other received three buckshot III the
arm. The affair has caused more ex-
citement than anything that has oc-
Cured here for years. The dead men