Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-02
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
General Writ Adams QuarreIs With
an Editor, and They Shoot
Each Other Down.
tbs iflrsy Grew Cat Of the Famous
Hamilton Gsmbcsil Shooting OF
q Year Ago.
Tho General Has bsen Prominent
Figure In tae Politics. OF rexss and
the Southern CoI fedsrzcy.
AN IMPRoMTU DUEL.

AN IMPROMTU DUEL.
special 70 the Gazette.
NEW ORLEANS, La, May THE
double killing in Jackson to-day Of Gen
eral WHIT Adams, so prominent in Missis-
sippi history, and J. II. Martin, editor
Of the Jackson New Mississippian, created
a profound sensation not only throughout
taat state, but in New Orleans IS well.
The fatsl STRAY grew out Of the famous
Hamilton g. mbrell shooting Of year
sgo, when Roderick GsmbrelI, editor OF
the Jackson Sword ard Shield, WAS
killed by Colonel Jones S. Hamilton.
The trial Of Colonel Hamilton, which has
been going on for months, divided the
state Of Mississippi into two practically
hostile parties, the NV MLssissippisu,
of which the Msrtin brothers were the
editors, violently attacking Colonel
Hamilton ard his friends. Prominent
among these WAS General Writ Adams,
who, indeed. YVES his business partner in
he peniteniiary lease and the S1ip
Isisnd Railway. The psper this morning
contained violent attack on General
Adams, suggesting that he took
advantage Of his position as
postmaster to delay and prevent trans
mission OF the mails.
The two men met on President and
smite streets in Jackson to-day, when
! General Writ Adams stepped up to Mar
tin and said: "Yuu id rascal, l have
hso enough OF this"
Martin replied: III you dou't ike 1t
tt EN-" pulled mr. pistol, i;ed and
stepped behind tree.
Gaoa-.I ~ it Al. anna roDI;aI aIo,oet -.
mediately. He walked round the tree to
gesa better shot ct Martin, the latter
hHng ail the time. AS Martin fred his
last shot
ADAMS DROPPED DEAD
and Martin himself fell almost simulea-
neCusly.
An examination of the bodies showed
that Adams had received one wound
which was shot through the heart,
while Martin was shot in the breast, leg
and hist. Both msn died almost in
stsntly.
Gen. Writ Adsms Was one OF the most
lllustrious citizans of Mississippi. He
served as secretary Dunlap, Secretary
Of War Of the Republic Of Texas,
endwas a6juiant Of Eudesuis' regiment in
the great Indisn q shs Of the 15-h and 10th
of July, 1880, on the Nachez river wners
"Old Bowle's," the crest Cherokee chief,
was defeated and killed. He returned to
the Uaited States and wss a wealthy
bsnFer at Jackson and Vicksburg, Miss,
in 1851-54, ard was ell c.ed TO the Missis-
sippi Legislature End framed the first
general Laws en- the subject OF levee
protection. In JRnusTv, 1861, he
was app inted by Governor Nc
Crea OF Mississippi as COM
missioner to Louisiana to secure Cooper
alton in ths passage OF
THE SECESSION ORDINANCE.
In February, 1861, President Davis
summoned him TO Montgomery and offered
him seat in his cabinet as Postmaster
General, but he declined to organize q
cavalry regiment which vas thought to be
the best in the Confederate service. He
Was made BEigadier General Of cavalry
in 1868, was engaged in every eventiul
b.ttle Of the Army OF Tennessee and made
the last fight Of the war east Of the Mis-
sissippi st Gainesville, where he captured
number of prisoners. He was appointed
postmaster Of Jackson two years ago by
President Cleveland.
Martin wss young man only thirty
years CT age. talented editor, but Of the
aggressive order, and had already been
engaged in q number O! serious ARRAYS
ever the Hamilton case.