The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-01
for the Farn~ and Mechanic
sons OF the Old North State in
Other Lands.

y have found since writing nv las
letter, that | have undertaken an Her.
cuiean job IN pre- missing you sketches o.
prominent Tar Heels in other states
They are 10 be met with on every side
= 'Ilse question is not where shall | fine
my subjects. but which snail | select
IseIr ''numeroslty| is surprising. Since
l have begun To investigate the matter.
with the assistance of one OF two gen
tlemen well versed in the personal his
tcfy of North Carolina. | have found
eminent Tar-Heels not only here in
Kentucky to the extent of a dozen or
more, but scattered about promiscuous-
ly all over the country The fact cer-
tainly should afford food for reflection
for somebody.
Dr w. w Barnes. the gentleman OF
whose life | propose to give the readers
OF the +. & NJ. a short sketch i'll this
letter, lately figured in one of the sad
! lest and most unfortunate tragedies |
have ever known. A tragedy in which
the lite of a bright, handsome, and ex-
ceedingly talented young artist was lost.
in which, though done in self-defence,
the killing of fellow creature rests
upon the conscience of highly respect
/ ed and prosperous mah, and must ever
be source of regret to him. Some few
weeks ago telegraphic reports were sent
from this to the different papers of the
country to the effect that one Clarence
| Boyd, rising young artist city, had
been shot and killed by his brother-in-
law, Dr. W. w. Ban mes, a prominent
dentist, in difficulty growing out OF
| family troubles. Your correspondent
did not know at the time Of the occur
renee that DR.. Barnes was a North
Carolnian, but having recently ascer-
tanned that such was the case, / called
on him, and in an interview the follow
ing points were gathered as to his early
history. Mr.. Barnes was born in Will
son county, n. c., in 1852, and was the
Youngest of seven sons. Two of his
brothers were killed in the late war,
another, b. b. Barnes. is a prominent
lawyer in Memphis, Tenn. while the
three remaining brothers are still in
North Carolina.
Mr. Barnes lett his home for Philadel-
phia i'll 1873. where lie graduated at the
Philadelphia Dental College in 1875.
Both parents being dead, aud ''hariny
nothing specially to take him back to
NOrth Carolina" he came TO Louisville.
where he located, and where by ability
and application he rapidly built up Il
lucra tive business and an envlable repu-
,-tation. In 1877 he married Miss Jes-
sic Boyd. an accomplished Young lady
of an excellent family in this city. For
Il time their married lite was happy
one, but the bones soon began to as
sumo shape and form, which were a
last to RAISE such a skeleton on The
earth as TO cause a separation. This
separation came in May last. and the
bittei feelings thereby engendcred gave
rise TO the difficulty which resulted n
the death OF young Boyd. This youn.
man, handsome, genial, aud talented.
was a general favorite with all who
Nuew him. He idolzed hi. sister. and
blinded to the sight by his love, h. i'm
agincd her to he a MARTYR to the nius-
tee of her husband Fiery in temper
and impulsive in his nature. he h .d
more than once threatened the Doctors
| life. meeting him on the street on one
occasion he had bitterly cursed him and
trled III every way to engage him in a
difficulty. On the morning on which
the shooting occcured, DR.. Barnes was
III his otlice waiting on patient. when
young Boyd came into the hall and call
ed him out. telling him he wished to See
/ him. Barnes, knowing the nature oi
the man he had to deal with, as he lett
the room, put his pistol, which had been
laying on the mantle, in his pocket.
Immediately on stepping into the pas
sage Boyd, seiZing him by the lappels
of his coat, said ~ GU have been living
about me. and | mean to kill you for
| it, \ scutfie ensued. and the Doctor
seeing Boyd put his hand to his hip
| pocket as though to draw weapon.
pulled out his own pistol and fired
twice. both shots taking effect, one i'll
Boyd's shoulder and lung. and the other
passing through his abdomen. Boyd
was carried to his home, and Barnes
Immediately gave himself up to the off
GERS, and was admitted to bail. For
time it was thought that the wounded
man might live, but after lingering for a
day or two he died, and SO great was his
popularity that for a time the tide of
public sympathy turned overwhelmingly
in his favor, Notwithstanding that JUS
tice, law, and indeed everything but
sympathy was on the Doctors side
AT the trial. which came off in few
days. DR.. Barnes was honorahly acquit-
ted, as it was shown by witnesses who
saw it all. that his action was forced
upon him in clear self-defence, and now
that the calm clear judgment of the
public has been called into play unbias-
ed by the heat Of passion. the Doctors
friends find that he has lost nothing.
His business, as he showed me, has
rather increased than otherwise, and lie
is justified and upheld in all his actions,
both towards his wife and the after
louble which eliminated in the death of
her brother. by the best and wealthiest
people of Louisville, many of whom he
/ has among his patients. A beautiful
and Intellectual little daughter, and a
/ fair-haired handsome boy, three years
old. are the Fl uits of his marriage. and
both live with their father. who is pas
sionately devoted to them. Many of
the readers of your paper who were at
the old Atlantic Hotel at Beaufort in
1874. will doubtless remember the tall.
slender, handsome young Doctor, who
was there at that time. and who by his
quiet, gentlemanly ways. and genial
disposition, won the friendship aid es-
TEEN OF all who knew him. You who
knew that young Doctor will hardly be-
lieve me when l tell you that he is the
identical man. sketch of whose life
have just given you, and yet it is true.
N. G.
Mrs. Annie f Wheeler, Warreni on,
n. {. says Brown Iron BittcrS entire