Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-04-26
A TRAGEDY.
Seduction and Murder.-The Old Story Re
peated I'm ClarksYille.

Seduction and Murder.-The Old Story Re
peated i'm Clarksville.
Roy L.. May, Familiarity knowr
as "Bud" May, was shot and killeC
by John Il. d. Wood, Thursday
evening at o'clock. The tragedy
occurred in the parlor of the board
ing house kept by Mays mother on
the corner of Main and Second
streets. The difficulty grew out Of
the alleged seduction of girl nam
ed Belle Rarick, Woods wife's sis
ter, by May. Wood had been liv-
ing i'm Texas for some time and re-
turned to GAINESVILLE about three
months ago. 1t is said that the in
timacy between May and Miss Bar
lex has existed for more than a year.
He claimed that she allowed other
men the same privileges she did
him and in conversation with some
of his friends on the subject he gave
that as an excuse for his conduct.
1t is said that Miss Rarick and her
mother called ON May Tuesday and
begged him to protect Belle from
disgrace by marrying her, and that
on his refusal to do SO they threat
ened his life unless he complied
with their request. Wood was seen
about the city Thursday armed
with a shot gun, but May, having
heard that he was on the war path,
staid closely at home. Thursday
afternoon May received note, pur-
porting to come from one of the en-
ployes at the Wheeler & Wilson
sewing machine Office, where he
worked, asking him to come down
town. He knew the signature was
not that of the person it purported
to be, and he didn't comply, be-
lieving it was decoy to get him
on the streets. An anonymous
note was found on Mays person
after he was killed informing him
of Woods demonstrations and adj
vising him that 'a good run was
better than a bad stand"
A few moments previous to the
killing Thursday evening, Wood
went to Mrs. Mays house and in
quired for "Bud." Mr.. Edleman,
one of the boarders, met him at the
door, and anticipating trouble, told
him Bud was not at home. He
paid no attention to this and pushed
on into the parlor where young
May was with his mother. He in
sisted that May should go away
with him. Both Mrs. May and her
son replied that he couldn't 60 that
night but would go next morning.
Wood remarked that he must go
then or one or the other of them
would die. May got up and stood
behind his mother, leaning on her
Wood then drew his pis-
tol and fired at May. May also
drew and returned the shot when
Wood emptied the remaining
of his pistol. May fell to
the floor dead, two balls having
pierced his brain. One shot entered
his left temple and the other just
over his left eye. Wood ran out of
the house Immediately and was
met in the hall by Wallace Weston
berger, who seemed to have been
waiting the result outside. Wes-
tenberger is a step-brother of Miss
Rarick. Wood made his escape but
Westenberger is now under arrest.
The affair is very deplorable and
1t seems to be the un-
written law of this country that the
seducer must die at the hands of
the male relative of the woman he
has injured. We don't propose to
discuss the merits of that law now,
or say whether or not it is applica-
BILE to this case. But we do say that
the thirst for vengeance Wood dis
PLAYED, and the brutal manner in
which his purpose was carried out,
lends additional horror to his
crime. To think of an only son be-
ing shot dead almost in the arms of
the mother of whom he was the
stay and support is too awful to
contemplate.