The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-20
Commercial-Herald-l

IN 4 NOVEL DUEL AT ROLLING FORK,
BY ". K McLAURIS, AN ATTORNEY
AT THAT PLACE.
Commercial Herald
This community was startled yesterday
morning by the announcement that a natal
and desperate duel with shotguns had been
fought at Rolling Fork, at o'clock, be-
tween s F. Shelton, Chancery Clerk OF
Sharkey county, and VIM. K. McLaurin, l
an Attorney, both prominent and popular
citizens Of Rolling Fork, resulting in the 4.
killing Of the former instantly. Tbs first
intimation of the sad affair here was in a ,
private telegram to Mr.. 5. NJ. Shelton,
cousin of the deceased, which was as fol-
lows:
ROLLING Fork, Miss, May Is, 1885.
SAMUEL SHELTON, Vieksburg, Miss;
"S. F. Shelton has Just been killed by
W. X. McLaurin. Meet me at the train
in the morning with burial casket. Tel
egraph brother at Brandon.
Nv. H. SHELTON"
This telegram was sent over the private
wires of the louisville, New Orleans x
Texas railroad, there being no commercial
wires along this line. An attempt was
made bv the c. H to get Geographic com
munication with Rolling Fork, but the
management of the railroad declined to
allow US to do so, there being positive
order from headquarters against using the
wires for anything but railroad business
except in an emergency as In the case OF
Mr.. Skeletons telegram. The South bound |
freight arrived here about noon, upon |
which was 4 young man who had come as
a messenger from Mr.. W. X. McLaurln
for the purpose Of sending kilograms to
I !, :, - - IN m ntlr
/ reporter CLEANED the following statement
This difficulty is the outgrowth OF bad
/ blood which originatedbetween Shelton and
| II. j. McLaurin brother and partner OF
| VIM. X. when Shelton defeated hin In the
election for circuit and chancery clerk. 1t
was thought at that time that trouble would
| ensue.
! Thematter blew over, though a GOODNESS
existed between them and thus matters
stood until last Wednesday, when w. X.
McLaurin, desired an acknowledgment
made on some papers in case OF which his
/ firm had charge. Mr.. Shelton declined to
acknowledge the papers unless his lees
were paid in advance. Mr.. McLaurln
reported to Judge North in open court that
the clerk had refused to acknowledge his
papers, and asked that he be required to do
so. Mr. Shelton remarked that DO one but
a fool would make such a proposition TO
the court Mr.. McLaurin replied you are
liar. The Judge here interrupted them
and fined each of them ten dollars. On
Thursday morning negro brought to Mr..
McLaurin a note of very strange charac-
ter, purporting to be a challenge, but
which had no signature TO it. The negro
said Mr.. Shelton sent it. Mr.. McLaurin
took the note and sent it through friend
! to Mr.. Shelton to ask him if he wrote it.
/ IL; hut ba
did. Mr. McLaurin then sent a message to
Mr. Shelton stating that he was then sick
in bed, but that he would answer MS note
as soon as he was able to get out. This
note | read but do not feel at liberty to
give the contents of it Tor publication,
though it designated the place OF meeting
l on the railroad back of the colored church,
! about a quarter OF a mile north of the de-
: pot, the place where the fight took place.
| met Nh. McLaurin Friday evening, he
then being able to be about, and asked him
if he had answered that note yet. He said
{ no, but will do so as soon as l am able, which
l will be soon. / met him Saturday morn
ing about half-past7 O'Clock coming out OF
;. his office with a shotgun in his hand.
suspicioned that something was up and did
: not speak to him. A short distance from
e me he passed Mr.. Shar non, the city mar
shall, who asked him if he was going bird
+ hunting. when McLaurin said yes, and
passed on, going up the railroad track I'M
{ observed by the citizens, except a few oil
d his personal friends who had an inkling Of
: what was up. About fifteen minutes after
i Mr.. s. f. Shelton was observed leaving the
y clerks Office with a shot gun on his shout
{ der and going in the same direction. Short
> " after they left Mr.. II. J. McLaurin called
d for me to come to his office when he tolC
I L. 1.l,
l. occur, as they were going to bring that NJ at
ter to a head. About fifteen minutes after
d Shelton left; while l was on the west side
i of the bayou a single shot was heard NJ
o the railroad. | did not hear ii, but wen
II to McLaurin's office in about ten minutes
e and found McLaurin there in the custody
e of Capt. Joe Stephens, who said that City
h Marshall Shannon had met him on tn,
5 way back, arrested him and placed him il
s. charge of Capt. Stephens, allowing him t
+ bring his gun back to the office. McLaurir
= then asked me to go down to Mr.. JOIN
d Joors residence about half a mile away
10 and get his shot gun, as he might need it
d | returned in about quarter of an hou
II with the gun, when he gave me the copy 0
"a a telegram and asked me to bring it t,
Vicksburg, and send it to his brother il
Al Brandon, and l caught the freight train
+ and am here. This is all know personal
10 " of the affair aside from the fact tina
at it was universally regretted and cast
y gloom over our town. | was told by parties
'e who went to the scene OF the duel, tina
III there was no living witness to the fight
ld that as soon as the shot was fired, whic
Sh attracted attention, McLaurin was seen t
~ turn and walk toward town. Deput
IN Sheriff Orndorff and several others upo
M arrival at the body of Shelton found hin
L L l.,
er along side of him and pointed in the direC
- ton of where McLaurin stood. The brea:
OF of his coat was slot away, the charg
ay passing through his heart. When Deput
! r Sheriff Orndorff picked up Slelton's gun
De was at full cock, and by some means acc
So dentally went off, coming near shooting a
y old negro who was standing by. Thi
IN affair has been expected for several day
III and was no surprise when announced [
the people of Rolling Fork, though only
few personal friends of Mr.. McLauri
knew positively of it beforehand. 1t VS.
stated that the cartel arranged was to NEE
nc stand back to back, count off ten pace
II, wheel and fire. OF this | know nothing
n, Mr.. McLaurin was not communicative an
&C. | had no time to ask him any questions
ed The remains of Mr.. Shelton will
c., brought down on this mornings train. NJ
Frank Fisher went up last night with
in casket after him. There is no doubt abot
the intentions of both parties to kill h
pr adversary, nor is there any grounded su
IN picion of foul play, yet there is a unive
se sal feeling of censure as against each
a. the actors in this sad affair for not havin
2 witnesses to the affair so that there coul
an be no shadow OF suspicion resting upon ii
"a action of the survivor.
n