The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-18
A vEND T A IN IOWA.
The Strife Made the Issue Of the
Municipal Election.
Prom tie NeI1 Yori: World.

ance of e struggls that has been going on
for years and that almost rivals in ferocity
the famous feuds of the Hatfie,ds and
| McCoys of West Virginia. At this elect on
| 10 was not a question of the fitness Of candi-
dates. ''Was Dr. Murdy rigut when he
killed Silas Tipt lnp was the e.
DIR. Murdy did the deed IN quarrel over
a meat bill which Upton clai ned was due
him, but this quarrel only furnished the
opportunity r which the two mortal
enemies mad waited for a year. If Muriy
had not killed Upton, Upton would nave
avenged his sisters reputation by killing
| Murdy.
The Upton murder grew out of another
sh citing almost as sensational One morn
/ ing aUout year and a half ago Alb e.
| TLarp and his wife, Arilla, stepped into thJ
shop where Blacksmith Tom Morrison was
working. Ms. Tharp is a tall, beautiful
woman, VINO, when she was Arilla Upton,
| was the belle of Moultol. Shortly after be-
coming Abner Tharp's fourth wife there
was much gossip abOEt her. TharD heard
of and he Thought the talk was started by
| Morrison. At the shop he accused MoTrI-
son of the SANDER. Morrison male q lick
reply, and the two men picking no the tools
! nearest at hand went at each other. They
were struggling over the floor when Tharp
cried to Iii, wife:
''Shoot himl Why don't you shoot!"
The woman drew revolver from the
folds of her dre-s, and taking steady aim
fired. Morrison groaned and Tell.
The bullet had hit the bl -cksmith in the
breast, and the doctor who picked him up
said he would die. DR.. Murdy was in St
Louis and Morrison's family telegraphed
for him. He returned at once, and b. his
skill saved Morrison's life and put the black-
smith on his feet agail.
Abner Iharp and his wife were arrested
and onfinei in Jail. When their trial came
the defense tried to show that Mrs. Tnarp
fouly slandered her.
HOW HE MADE ENEMIES.
DR.. Murdy was called by the prosecution,
and he gave some medical testimony that
had great deal to do in influencing tue
verdict of three years in the penitentiary
that followed. The woman took her pun
lshment with remarkable calnIneSs. She
went to Fort Madison and served a year,
when petition for her pardon, signed by
nearly every man in Appanoose county,
was sent to the governor, and she was re
leased. She is now living in Moulton with
her husband. who spent year in jail for
his share in the crime, and endured his
punishment with much less patience than
his wife had shown.
81 will kill Mu dy," he said one day. The
threat was reported to the doctor. He
laughed, but when he went out that even
lug he put revolver in his overcoat pocket
and ne never again walked unarmed through
Mouiton. For months the men met in the
streets without trouble. Abler Tharp came
out Of Jail and shot no one, although he
promised to kill five or six friends of the
doctor.
tine boys are afraid of the DOCTOR" said
Murdy's friends, aud Murdy himself went
fearlessly around the country by night or
day with the loaded pistol within easy
reach. The teud had almost ceased to be the
talk of the village stores when the unex-
pects occurred.
The doctor sent This colored boy down
town for some meat on the morning in
October, 1888, telling him to have it
charged. Instead of going to the shop
where Murdy mad an acc unit the lad went
to Tipton's. The butcher refused to give
him the meat.
HE is dead-beat," he said with an oath.
HE owes me bill now aid 1 wouldn't
trust the Internal quack for a cents worth.
Tell him told you So"
On his way back to the house the boy met
his master. Murdy had started from the
house without his revolver, aud his wife
had called him back and given him the
weapon. He thrust his hand IN his pocket
and clutched the qua when the boy told
lin wnat Iiptol had said.
II will teach the backyard lesson, he
said. The doctor demanded an explana-
ton. TiDton said the doctor owed him
50 %. The doctor said that was balanced
by credit for Medical services re ldered
Ilpton's brother, the rmer owner of the
shop Upton denied this and the pa ysician
called him a liar. The butcher jumped
forward, knife in hand, and Murdy drew
his revolver and thrust the mouth of it
up against his enemy's breast.
I l.;
dog!n he shouted
A bysta der jumped in and seized Tip
tons arm. After abusing eac other for
| few minutes the men went inside to
look at the books. Upton reached the safe
a moment before the doctor, but instead of
throwing open the door for the books he
| lifted the lid of desk and drew out a long
''blacksnake" whip. Wrapping the slender
lash around his big wrist, he turned wita
the loaded handle appraised and faced the
| doctor. There was menace in the gesture
| and In the fierce light of his eyes,
| Don't strike mel Let Inc out of here!n
| Murdy cried.
| Il will mash your brains out before you
leavel My time has comeln Upton yelled.
The men standing near saw that the crisis
| In the fend mad arrlved and they ran out.
The negro paused at the door and turned to
see the butcher swing the whip handle down
| upol DIR. Murdy's appraised arm.
In an ms ant the doctors revolver was
| out and before the whip could be used
again the shot was fired.
Upton tumbled forward with a cry and
clinched with his foe and when the town
| people rushed in they found the two men,
| drenched in Tipton's blood, wrestling feebly
on the floor. Upton lived forty-eight hours
with dreadful wound in the groin. The
doctor was taken to Centre Vile for trial
| FnrNO arr rv on .,r-aDr1
Aften ten days trial the jury brought in
a verdict of murder in the second degree.
and Judge Leggett, after an address of ex-
! traordlnary severity, sentence Murdy TO
ten years in the penitentiary. He was taken
to Fort Madison. The Tuesday following.
when the train reached Moulton, q crowd t
200 citize S gathered aud every man shook
| hands with the doctor A committee of
| prominent citizens escorted him to the
| prison. The friends of DR. Murdy were in
| dignant at the result of the trial, and Tip
TONS supporters made no show of concealng
their happiness.
Aoner Tharp tried to purchase wagon
load of roman ctndles, and failing In this
| he built a bonfire in front of his house and
| lnvi ed everybody in to supper A doz n
| fist fights resulted from arguments over the
verdict Tue enemies of Murdy declared
their intention of cleaning out the Muriy
men, and the Murdy men armed them
| selves
This bitter feeling has been again aroused.