Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-12
SHOT FOUR TIMES.
A Notorious Bully Of Fayette County
Riddled with Bullets, Fired by
T. G. Tate.
Tragic Fate Of w. Scott War;. Well
Known In this City-A Thrilling
Story.

News reached the city Yesterday OF the
killing the day before of W. Scott War;, a
saloon and grocery keeper of Rossville,
thirty miles out the Memphis and Charles
ton railroad, byT. G. Tate, a merchant of
that place. The details in full are given
below:
About five months ago War; was forced
to pay some money, for ginning, due
Tate, and openly made threats to kill
him. He went into Tate's store armed
with pistol and walked back toward the
rear, where Tate stood behind a desk. The
latter's little son saw War; with the
WEAPON IN HIS land
and called to his father to look out.
This was the first intimation Tate had
Of Wars presence, and, seizing a pis-
toll which lay in an upper drawer,
he leveled it in his face as he
turned the corner OF the desk. War;
was so completely in his power that
he had not a word to say, but quietly
handed over his pistol when Tate de-
manded it, and walked out the store. The
affair came to the knowledge of the grand
jury, which
FOUND A TRUE BILL
against War; for carrying concealed wea-
pons and making an assault. On We'd
nesday last a capias was given the
officer OF the grand jury for exc
cution upon War;, who was obliged
either to give a bond or 90 to Jail.
His own brother, DIR. A, V. War;, a
wealthy citizen of that county, refused to
go bail, and the constable agreed to wait a
day or two to give the prisoner opROrtu-
nifty of finding some one else during the
day.
On the evening of the same day War;
went over to Tate's store and asked him
if he could not go before the court and
swear hat
HE WAS RAJ
when he assaulted him. Tate replied
that he certainly could not, as he believed
him to have been in his right senses. "If you
don't do as l ask" said War;, 81 shall kill
you before the week is put" This he
repeated several times, emphasizing his
threat by calling the attention OF DIR.
Lipscomb to it. Tate also called Lips
comb bear witness that if War; ever
darkened his door again he would kill him.
He then turned to War; and ordered him
to keep away from him and never again to
cross his path. War; went back 10 his
saloon, and in the presence of half a dozen
men put a pistol in his pocket and
DECLARED HIS PURPOSE
to go at once to Tate's store and kill him.
His saloon sits about 100 yards from the
raliTOdu WIFI the sue 10 Jne Irdck, Willie
Tate's store fronts directly on h railroad.
War; went out at once and walked to the
edge of the platform in front of Tate's
door, when the latter leveled his gun at
him, and he turne and walked back. He
spent the balance of the day sitting in his
door shooting dogs and chickens as they
passed. Next morning he resumed his
post and his pistol practice, varying the
monotony by
cURsING AND ABUSING TATE,
whom he could see sitting in his door.
Tate paid no attention to this, though he
armed himself and determined to kill
War; should he make another attempt to
carry out his threat. Yesterday after
loon War; again avowed his intention of
Immediately killing Tate. r. n. Thomp-
son., who has a store near by, attemptedto
dissuade him from his purpose, telling
him if he went to Tate's store again he
would surely be killed. He laughed at
Thompson, and, with his pistol in his
pocket, walked across the intervening
space, and was in the act of
STEPPING UPON THE PLATFORM
of Tate's store when the latter's little boy
cried to his father to look out, War; was
drawing his pistol. Tate Immediately
fired both barrels of double-barreled shot
gun. One charge struck Tate full in the
breast and passed entirely through his
body. The other struck him in the left
breast, but still he did not fail, and Tate
seized another gun. At the crack of the
first barrel War; fell, and as he careened
over the other charge was emptied into
his body, which was literally riddled.
Tate gave bond before a magistrate for his
appearance to-day, but it is presumed
THE TRIAL
will no n mora mottar Of form as Narr'S
threats to kill Tate have been openly
made. War; dies without a tear. for his
memory. He was universally execrated
and a perfect terror to Rossville and the
surrounding country. His business
amounted to almost nothing and was grad
ually diminishing every day. He had a
disagreeable habit of shooting firearms
from his door, and a few days ago amused
himself by perforating a water-tank within
two inches of the head of a little darkv
whom he saw standing there. Another of
his sports was to shoot dogs and
HANG THEM IN A ROW
on nails driven into the side of his house.
Two or three days since he threw some
corn upon the ground, and calling the hogs
roaming about the streets of the village
killed them IL by one as they came up.
Half a dozen fine turkeys belonging to his
brother fell a prey to hin not long since,
and last week he caught two fine cats be-
longing to Tate, Drained one and chopped
the other to pieces with al ice-pick.
Wars record is a bloody one. He has
killed two men in the past six years.
The last, a man named Crofford, stood
within three feet of him when he fired.
The powder from Wars pistol burned
Crofford's beard, and as the
BULLET ENTERED HIS NECK
quarely in front, he fell fialt on his back.
Not satisfied with having murdered him
War; leaned over the PROSTATE body of
his victim, firing one bullet squarely into
his left breast and another into his right.
He figured in the courts here about two
years ago, when he was convicted of an
assault to murder a slatternly and exceed
ingly frail female at the establishment of
Blanche Curry, then out Jefferson street.
He travelled
ALL ovER THE NORTH
and East with the woman, spending several
thousand dollars in railroad fare, hotel
bills and jewelry. He had 5000 of his pile
left whenh he reached Memphis and this the
woman took from him, as she said, to take
care of. He believed she intended to APP
propriate it and leave him, and drawing
his pistol, attempted to shoot her. In
court, however, the woman declared that
the shot was accidental. He was, never
theless,
SENTENCED T A E.
and was also found guilty of carrying con-
cealed weapons and fined $50. Powerful
influence was brought to bear, all sorts of
promises were made, and he was finally
allowed to go on promise of leaving the
city never to return. He went back to
Rossville and frequently came into the
city notwithstanding his promise, but was
never molested.
He was about twenty-seven years old
and a widower. In person he was about
six feet two or three inches tall, slender
but well proportional, and very athletic.
lie was always a very hard drinker. His
family is one of the best in this part of
the country. T. G.. Tate is q brother of
the members of the firm of Tate Bros,
this city, and a nephew of Col. Sam Tate.
He is a live, energetic man, quiet and
inoffensive in his manner.