Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-07
ALL DEAD ON THE FIELD.
Remarkable Encounter on the DamE
 and Bloody Ground.


 From the Louisville Courier Journal The bloodiest, most desperate and most re-
 markable affray that ever occurred 1n Belle county took place last summer. It was
 terrible affair, participated in by two mere
 boys and a married man, whose age is not
 given. The people, as familiar as they are
 with deeds of blood, speak of 1t with hor-
 TOT, and well they may, for it IS doubtful Ii
 any free fight ever resulted more disastrous
 ly They were all men of unquestloned
 pluck, all wild and all spelling for trouble,
 and after the meeting had occurred all three
 lay dead in their gore in a room less than SIX
 teen feet square, each with bullet in his
 heart The participants were Dillard John
 son, aged nineteen years; George Neal, the
 same age, and Radford Howard, a married
 man. and the affray occurred at the house of
 the latter on Puckett's creek, near P1neV1lle
 Howard and Johnson were cousins, and the
 latter had had some difficulty with both the
 former and Neal, the cause of dispute being
 a young woman whose name IS unknown
 One night last May young Johnson, than
 whom a braver or more daring lad never lived went, in company with the glfl Ill
 question, to the house of Howard to have
 talk and, if possible, amicably settle the diff
 ferences between them. It was ten o'clock
 
 door, Johnson requested Howard to come I.out Howard arose, and Johnson, Ill re- spCnse to his invitation, went in. Neal was also in the house, and also left his bed- A bottle was produced by the visitor, drink
 was taken all around, and then Johnson and Neal went out doors to discuss their troubles. They stood near fence in close proximity to where was hidden the fallen woman on whose account the quarrel arose. The men reached & mutually satisfactory solution of their trouble, shook hands to cement their
 newly plighted friendship and started to re- turn to the house.
 Just at this point Towards wife, who IS
 sort of feminine wildcat, as fearless as q lion and as quarrelsome a hungry wolf, ap-
 peared at the door of the cabin with rife in her hands and dared young Johnson to en- ter He had supposed his quarrel with How ard settled and had not counted on this new enemy; but, nothing daunted, he continued to advance The woman retreated as the foe advanced. finally hiding in the dark room. Howard had meantime secreted hlmself De hind the door, revolver in hand, and as Johnson entered and passed him, shot him just above the right hip, the ball lodging be- meath the skin in the pit of the stomach.
 Johnson had not reckoned on treachery from Howard, and believing the woman to be only bragging. had followed her into the house to tally unprepared for an attack. Howard shot from the flank had no sooner been made, however than it was answered. Quick as 8 fash the wounded boy had his trusty reVol- yer in hand He knew 1t meant a fight to the death, and he was of the kind who dle game. His first shot laid his treacherous cousin dead at his feet with a bullet in his heart and then he turned to Neal. The lat ter fed and as Johnson started to pursue him vicious dog snapped at his heels.
 Facing the new foe Johnson, with unerring aim. put ball into the beast, and then, no~ ticine for the first time that he was desper- atelv wounded, went to the place where the woman who had come with him was in wait, ! to have her. if possible, stanch the flow of blood.
 q have killed Howard,' said he to his companion, land I believe he has given me death-wound. If I must die, then let 1t be so, but before I give it up l will kill Neal,
 that we may all go together"
 Suiting the action to his words, he ran to
 the house, and, seeing Neal crouching be-
 hind the stove, opened fire. Neal jumped up, revolver in hand, and then, as if i'm pelled by some irresistible impulse, the mad dened men made few hurried steps forward until but an arms length separated them, and meeting just where Howard lay dead on the floor placed their weapons at each others
 breasts and fired almost simultaneously. The
 sharp report of the pistols was followed by
 the dull thud of the falling bodies, the dy
 ing men gave a few convulsive shudders and
 the stiffness of death came over the bloody
 scene.
 During the enactment of the fearful trage-
 dy the wife and two little ones of Howard
 crouched in mortal terror in corner of the
 room not daring to move for fear of being
 struck by flying bullets. Out in the dark
 stood the woman who had caused this scene
 of frightful carnage, and these were the only
 witnesses. When help was summoned and
 an examination made, it was discovered that
 the heart of each man had been pierced, and
 death in each instance had been almost in
 stantaneous A day or two later triple flu neral occurred, and the bodies of the victims
 to this most terrible butchery were lowered
 into the grave at the same time at Upland
 cemetery, one simple burial service sufficing for all.