The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-10-26
A TRIPLE RENcoNTRE.
Thos. o'conner and the Two Nab
rsys all Killed at Knoxville.

/
The most terrible rencontre in the
whole history ofhomicides occurred
on the streets of Knoxville last
Thursday morning in which
I hos. O'Conner killed Jos. A. Nab
~, ST., and Jos. A. Mabry, jr., and
was himselfkille by the latter-all
three of them being dead in two
minutes, and six other men, bystand-
ers, wounded. Last Christmas
Dan Lusby killed Will Mabry and
after that while upon trial was killed
by these two Mabrys, who were &C
quilted of murder only a few weeks
ago. Mabry, ST., conceived the
idea that O'Conner inspired the
killing of his son and they were al
so at outs over a lawsuit. On
Wednesday at the fair ground Nab
ry approached O'Conner and sought
difficulty but was repealed by the
latter telling him he was not armed.
and that was no place for such an
affair. Next morning sent word to
him that he would kill him on
sight. At 10 clock Mabry and a
lawyer named Steele came walking
down Gay street and as they passed
the Mechanics Bank, of which
O'COnner was president, on the op
posite side of the street, he stepped
out with double barreled shot gun,
took deliberate aim and shot Mabry
and after he fell shot again, putting
twenty-siX buckshot in his body.
He fell forward dead. Mabry, ir.,
was about half block away trying
a lawsuit and when he heard the
shot he rushed towards the sence
and as he came up he drew his pis-
tol and aimed it with both hands
and shot O'Conner trough the heart.
O'Conner turned simultaneously,
having had another shot gun handed
him out of the bank, and shot
young Mabry, both dropping dead
at once. Neither of the three
spoke after being shot and all were
dead within two minutes. Mabry |
shot again after falling but without |
effect. 1t was also thought some |
one shot out of the bank. The |
streets were Immediately thronged |
with excited people and the widest
CONSERVATION prevailed.
Thos. O'Conner was 46, was born
in Virginia and came to Knoxville |
a poor lad and worked at the bar
ness trade. He was q lieutenant in
The Confederate army and after the
war followed his trade in Atlanta,
where he accumulated some money.
He then came back to Knoxville
and entered upon a trading and
speculative career that has no pa
-allel in the south and soon made
him the richest man in Tennessee.
He was one of the penitentiary les
sees. was president of a bank owned
arge railroad and iron interests,
and was building an immense for
June. His is one or the most re-
narkable careers on record. With
)ut education or experience, he
shot up like meteor and became
he most progressive citizen of Ten
lessee.
Mabry, ST., was 55. He was a
ash, intrepid man. He was ric h too
and was a bis-hearted, pushing
nan, but misfortunes overlook him
Ind losing his property he grew mo-
rose apd reckless, and it is claimed
that his mind was unbalanced. His
son was not connected directly in
The difficulty but came in only
to avenge his father. He was a
high minded, noble young man. So
Der and steady and greatly liked.
The affair is lamented everywhere,
as to Maj. O'Conner, who
was more widely known and was
doing more to build up southern
industries than any other man in
The south. His loss is a public ca
Iamity.
He was q member of the national
democratic committee and came
near being placed on the ticket with
Hancock for the presidency.
The three were buried Saturday.