The South western news., 1888-02-29
VAS TIA KAH'S SoULs
A Mysterious Incident BY tire Deathbed Of
Chattanooga Man.
Philadelphia Press.)

CHATTANOOGA, rep, IL. The
killing Of Lewis Owens by James
NJ. Barnes on Jan, 10 last will be
recalled But there is one pecul-
lar feature of the case, that has
Just come to the surface, and that
is vet known to but few Chatta>
noOgans.
A few months ago young Barnes
came here from Georgia and FORM
ed partnership with J. M. Nix,
to engage in the boot and shoe
trade. After few weeks Barnes
sold out to Lewis Owens, one of
the werl.hicst and hest known men
in Tennessee. 1t appears that
Barnes and Owen quarrdied over
the settlement, and, after being
STRUCK In the face. Barnes drew his
revolver and shot Owens three
tfmes, the third shot being fatal,
though not instantly,
The wounded man was carried to
his house, where everything possi>
bic was done, but nothing could
save him, However, he fought
desperately to beat back the rider
of the pale horse, and so 2; lllntly
did he struggle that he lived several
days Saturday, JAN, IA, came,
and Barnes was for the second
time taken before the Magistrate,
&, after a stubbOrnly fought trial he
was released on bail, the Magistrate
holding that inasmuGh as the vic
tim Of his shooting was still alive,
nurder was not vet committed
The next day Owens grew worse
and towards evening sank iuto {
stupor. Those who had been watch,
ing by the bedside knew the enc
was not far off.
Among those who REMAINED
through the night was ex,Mayo
Sharp. A little after 4 o'clocl
Monday morning Mr.. Sharp lief
the room in which the wounded
man was lying for moment, auc
a circumstance that soon oerdrreC
Is the feature referred to in the be
ginning ofthis story. Mr.. SHARP
does not like to talk of the matter
but he consented TO tell it to YOU
correspondent, and his own word
are used:
q was standing" he said, "witl
my elbow resting upon the mantle
piece, looking down into the fire
The Goals were near.y consumed
and the apparent effort of the EN-
bers to burst again into fame
again reminded me of the heroi
efforts of my FRIEND to get a fres1
and stronger hold upon the sou
that was surely, though slowf
slipping away f]om him. And
was running over in my mind tn
viclssitudes f life how feet 0
foot misfort unes are; how sorro,
comes across our path at the me
rldIan hour of the brightest day
leaving a shadow by us-when tn
lines of Horace came to me: Pal
death with equal tread knocks a
the cottage of the poor and tn
palace Of the rich The though
was still lingering in my min
when | was aroused by a tap on m
shoulder. Surprising some on
had entered while | was absorbe
IN thought. | turned to answer
but no one was there, and the dQo
vas still closed. | was startled
and Immediately returned to tn
wounded mans side, where | foun
the watchers as pale as the watch
cd, and trembling like aspen leave,
They asked me if ! had been max
ing any noise, and on assurin
Ing them to the contrary the
looked at each other in amazemen.
They said just before | entered th
room a sound as of the moaning G
the wind seemed to pervade tn
room, and peculiarly appallin
sounds--not loud, but ominous-
were distintly heard; and that 70
an instant the lamp, which ha
been turned low, almost went out
and the little light left seemed t
shine as though through fos. VIVA
1t was | know rot, but it couIdn
have been fancy on part of us al
There were two other watchers be
side myself. Besides, | was in
separate room. with the door 2lo,
ed, and | said nothing to them {
the tapping on my shoulder. If
were a Spiritualist | would believ
that the soul of Lewis Owens, iu,
nt0 Wal -, "a