The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-02-12
Fsrnandina Mirror. Feb. 81
a Terrible Tragedy.

TWO FAMILIES NAps pRsolAfK 1T ONE RASH ACT
On Thursday afternoon, about halEpast five
O'Clock, Mt. T. j. Eppes. conductor on the FLORIDA
wounded Major r. C. Suhrer, the manager of the
Mansion House in this city, on the porch of the no
tel The shot was fred from . small pistol and en-
tered over the right breast and lodged In the body
Homes were at FIRST entertained that the wound
might not prove mortal, but death occurred about
eight or ten hours afterwards
Nsjor Fernando c. Suhrer has resided in FernaD-
dina for many years. He held various offices OF
public trust during that period, having been at one
time postmaster, member OF the Councli ana az the
time of his death was President of that body He
served during the civil war as AN officer OF the mon
army. He was about fifty years of age and leaves
surviving him widow and five children. He has
been manager of the Mansion House for several
wears and was regarded as a very peaceahe, polite
and agreeable man in his social department.
Mr.. T. J. Eppes, who fred the fatal shot, is quite
a Young man, recently married, and had been board
ing at the Mansion House for several years until
very recently. He was native of Jefferson county
in this State, and son OF Judge 1. >. Eppes OF
Monticello He surrendered himself to the sheriff
seon after the shooting, and was committed by
Magistrate Schuyler.
OF the causes which led to this terrible tragedy
there various reports. cOrouers jury was
empanelled yesterday morning, and after hearing
the testimony of several witnesses ADJOURNED until
this morning for further evidence post mortem
examination showed that the ball had passed
through the left lung, and produced INTERNAL heih-
orrhage.
The most important testimony given before the
coroner q jury WAS as IOllOWS.
G. A. Key, sworn, says About P. NJ on the eth
February 1854 was sitting in the reading room of
the Mansion House heard noise OF the Shutting
Of feet; looked from my paper and saw two men
graphing with each other heard a voice, which
recognized to be that Fernando c. Suhrer say,
What does this mean." saw the flash OF pistol;
saw Fernando G. Suhrer etagger; then went to the
door Mr.. T. j. Eppes then standing with one
foot the steps, and one on the platform in front
of the house; F. c. Suhrer was on the front porch
Mr. T. j. Eppes had a whip in his right hand;
Quhror hnl Onat n
tol in his left hand; saw Mr. Eppes strike Suhrer
with the whip once or twice after he was shot !
Eppes replied " You insulted my wife one week ago
to-day :" Suhrer denied it Eppes replied, You
did Suhrer said - may be dead man, JEFF, but
before God did not :" Suhrer walked into the house
and to his room l supported him on one side and
Captain Smith on the other; when saw the shoot
ing the two men were close together in front of
each other; Suhrer had no weapon in his hand do
not know what disposition was made of the pistol
it was in T. j. Eppes' hand; saw Mr.. George Dew
son holding Suhrers right hand, and heard him say
to Suhrer, " Let 20 the whip" The difficulty was
then over In the house Suhrer SAL Why did
JEFF do it ," Suhrer was shot in the front and
above the right breast.
d. ROsentield, sworn, says: Was sitting 10 the
reading room in the Mansion House on the after
noon Of the 9Th of February, 1884 soon after Mr..
Suhrer came in with his mail; heard pistol-shot
outside the porch; went to look out at the
door; heard some one speaking in a low tone of
voice, think it was Major Suhrer. When looked
out the door saw a man with whip in his hand
had the whip saw Major Suhrer come in he held
his hand to his breast heard someone say, You
nsulted MY wife" The man With the whip in his
hand looked in the door before he went away lie
was small man with small features Major Suhrer
sat about five minutes before he led to his room;
Major Suhrer had nothing In his hand when he came
in.
The Jacksonville Ifuees- Union of the
10th has the following:
On a hearing before Judge Baker writ OF
habeas corpus last night at O'Clock, in the of
the State T. jeff Eppes, charged with the killing
of Major H. &. Suhrer at Fernandina, Thursday
night-the prisoner having been committed with
out bail by the committing Magistrate at FernAn-
dina-the court permitted the defendant TO give
bond of II, 900. The evidence adduced before the
Court indicated, or rather raised the presumption
that the homicide done in sudden heat of pas
sion, the shooting having occurred within thirty
minutes after the prisoner was informed of the
alleged affront offered to his wife, reducing the
offence, under our State statute, from murder 10
manslaughter in the third degree.
Judge Baker expressed opinion as TO the
grade of the offence but only remarked that the
case was one that presented itself TO his mind
one admitting bail.
States Attorney Owens was present al the exam
nation, in behalf of the State, and Judge Hinton }
Baker of Fernandina, and Col. T. A MacDoncll, Of
this city, represented the defendant.
The prisoner is now confined in this city, hut
will be taken Fernandina to-day, when il is said
he will arrange for giving the required bail