The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-10
THE RISING SUN TRAGEDY
FULL DETAILS OF THE BLOODY
ENCOUNTER.
Although 1t Looks Like the Whit
worth Party is to Blame. 1t Cannot
be Positively Asserted - The Dead
and Wounded.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal
GREENWOOD, Miss, July 9.-Following
is particulars of Saturdays tragedy at
Rising Sun, six miles to the south, meager
accounts OF which have appeared H..
lyey was killed by gunshot through the
head. Aston, the book-keeper, was killed
while entering his room back OF the store.
His brains spattered all over the door.
Ben McCarty who was shot through the
arm, the ball passing upward into his
chest and not found, is now at Greenwood
in bed. lie got there on hand
car. Henry McCarty, shot through
the breast, arms and legs, is seriously
wounded, and is now at his home, eight
miles from here. He was carried there in a
buggy. Cant Whtworth was wounded in
the calf OF the leg, and is now in jail
Hoskins and McLeon are also confined in
jail. The cause of the difficulty was said
TO be about ferry. II was said McCarty,
who had bought the land on which his
store is from Whitworth, had together
with Mr.. Scruggs, another storekeeper, ar
ranged to carry over their customers in
a skih. Whtworth had ferry Just above.
Information is, that Whitworth, with
Mclean and IIoskins, entered the front
door OF the store armed with Winchester
and two shotguns, about 5 o'clock D. m,
but Whitworth, before entering, told some
negroes who were standing on the outside,
TO keep out Of the way, that something was
going to happen, The party had dogs with
them and had blown their horns on the way,
and during the day said they were going
rabbit hunting, but since the killing said
il was deer hunting. After they had en-
tered Whitworth went up TO McOarty
and insisted on settling the ferry matter.
McCarty wanted to call others who were
interested in the skif to straighten mat
tiers up, but Whitworth wanted il settled
there and attacked McCarty, who with his
hands prevented him from using
his gun, but he pulled out pis-
toll and wounded McCarty. Whitworth
was then shot in the leg near the loot. lie
claims McCarty fired 1t. McCarty said it
was an accidental shot from McIIean's or
lloskins' pistol intended for some one
else. McCarty then left by the back door,
followed by shots In tho meantime his
brother, Henry McCarty, had been shot in
the breast and arms while in the office,
and had fed, but in a different direction
ton from his brother. During tho
battle Aston was killed by Nc.
Lean or lioskins while fleeing TO
his room in the rear and Ivey was killed
near the back door. II il also stated by
several parties that Whitworih shot mt
the fleeing parties and wounded Henry
McCarty when some distance away, and
that lioskins handed him his gun for the
purpose. Also that he. by threats, pre-
vented several negroes from assisting the
wounded man, who was Frustrated in a
field, where he finally was carried by the
negroes, but warned 90 crawl on his knees
and belly. II is said Ben McCarty was
selling pair Of shoes and Henry making
out bill in the office when the hunting
party entered. After this exhibition they
went TO the saloon and notified Scrupcs of
what had been done, and the latter went
and closed the store.
From statement Of q party OF the dc.
Tense, II il gathered there had been n
quarrel; that both sides for some time had
been expecting a difficulty. and the major
ity side had lately ordered arms and am
munition. Mr. Whitworth was called on
at the jail and asked 10 give his side OF the
question, but he was az the time
under the effects OF medicine and
too weak TO speak. The defense
will probably claim that the Whitworth
party stopped in 10 get their mail, aud
when asking for tho mail ben McCarty
said he had something for him besides
mail, aud IL was shooting mail. The Nc.
Cartys bear good regulations for peace and
good character. An attempt will be made
20 interview Whitworth or his attorney.