The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-05-26
A FATAL ENCOUNTER.
4 Fearful elimination of an Old
Feud Between the West Broth
ers and the Langford Boys.

a COUNTRY CHURCH-YARD THE SCENE.
Madison Record, May 23rd
One of those terrible calamities which
chill the very marrow in the bones and
cause an involuntary cessation of the
hearts pulsation, and which is liable to
occur in any community where men
have passions sensitive to insult or injury
occurred at a country church some nine
miles east of Madison on Sunday morn
ing last. This was the resort to pistols
and knives to settle an old and growing
feud between the West brothers and
Iangford boys, scions Of two Of the best
and most prominent families of Madison
county. The intensity Of the bad feel
ing known to exist between the boys
and the known bravery and fearIessness
of each individual of the two families
caused mutual friends to intercede with
a view Of settling their difficulties ami
cably but without avail, as the differ
cnces between them had become so wide
that nothing save the intervening hand
Of Providence could prevent a conflict
and a resort to arms. SO proving, many
were not surprised upon learning that
q meeting had occurred on Sunday morn
ing last, although the excitement was
intense when a runner reached the city,
reported the meeting and the fatal con-
sequences.
There are two versions of the affair,
some asserting that the affair on Sunday
was begun by the West boys while others
are equally positive in asserting that the
first shot was fired by the LangfOrds
and so great is the difference in the re-
port that one, unless having been an eye
witness. cannot Judge rs to which side
took the aggressive in the fatal encoun-
ter But all agree that the affair grew
from the publication of letters of a po-
lical nature in the county papers during
the recent gubernatorial campaign, which
grew personal. and afterwards insulting.
The correspondence was conducted by
Mr. J. w. West and W NJ Langford and
it was hoped that if a resort to arms
should result these two alone would be
involved, but the affair grew from bad
to worse, we learn, and grew in intensi-
ty from the reports carried back and
forth by unguareded persons or mali
ciOus mischief makers until the entire
families Of the two gentlemen were in
volved. and while seemingly not seeking
a meeting. it was generally belived that
an encounter, fatal in its consequences,
would finally result as their paths would
at some time bring members Of the two
families together. Thus it was on last
Sunday when an equal number of each
family went to Hickory Grove church to
attend Sunday school services. Having
arrived there the friends of each thought
a hostile meeting not imminent as none
Of them seemed to desire to approach
near members of the other faction, but in
an unGuarded moment MIR. VIM. .Langford
passed near Messrs. John and Eugene
West, when the firing began. The re-
port Of the pistols brought Mr.. Abe West,
who was in the house and Messrs. Taft
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i''''5 ",'' rl,.,u'7e'' - IN ~
other Langforl boys closing with knives.
In a few moments deadly execution had
been done, as William Langford lay dead
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