Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-15
C0WARDLY MURDER.
BEGINNING WITH PLAY AND ENDING
INA TRAGEDY.
Robert Smith Deliberately Kills Thomas
Sharpe-The Murderer's unsavory
Reputation-Stiiia mt Large.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.l

CHARLOTTE. y. C., July ia special rom
Lexington. n. G., says that a cold-biooded and
coyerily murder was committed there on the
iith. Tho particulars are about "a follows
week or ten days ago party Of young uen were
bathing in the Yadsin river, In what is known as
the Horseshoe bend. In Boone township. some
twelve or fourteen miles ives. Of Lexington, In
Davidson county. While the party was In the
river Robert smith and Thomas sharpe COM
mencod hrowing mud on eoeh other In play
ful manner NJ nrst, but finally they got mad shl
engaged In light, In which t Il said sharpe go.
tho better Of IL. Nothing more was though. OF
the mater until Friday, llth instant. on that
day Sharpe for some reason went 10 inc mousse VI
Mr.. Dedmond. whore Smith was staying.
DELIBERATE MURDER.
Sharpe was sitting on the porch when Smith
came a. snd began abusing I'm. sharpe begsei
him 20 go away and let him alone, as NO dld not
want 20 lave any difficulty. smith mon re-
entered the house. went 70 his room, ana got ms
pistol. lie came back and struck sharpe on the
head with n. knocking him doTn. While ne was
down he took aim End deliberately snot MN
through tho stomach. from the ELECTS oi whlch
he died Saturday night
A PROMISING YOUNG MAN.
Young Sharpe was the sou Of one oCDavidson
county's best rigor farmers. He was Just twenty
one years old was well educated, OF gooi cha-
racter, aud is said 10 have been studying Tor NE
ministry. He attended school st Trinity COL
lcge. and recently returned from q Two years
course Ct the University Of North Carolina.
ABAD RECORD.
r. L. Smith has very unsayory reputation In
his neigh borhoOd. Ne IL charged with nurne-
rous crimes. One charge is that he beat ana cut
an old man so severely some time ago that no
Afterwards died. lie ia generally looked upon
ns being the leader OF the party that lynchei
Robert Berrier some mon;ns ago. Tie IL SAID 70
have coasted that he broke open the jail door,
and that he was the man that put the roDe over
the limb of tho tree. ana that he helped to draw
him up. lie has succeeded in making good nis
escape.
No coroner's inquest was held.
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Richard Reid. son OF J. W. Reid. a respected
farmer Of this county, while narrowing cotton
Saturday morning met with an accident which
cost him his life. The animal no was ploughlng
Jumped small Gi.ch. This threw tho plow-
handles up 50 that they s1ruck young Reid
dis father found him IN this condition, ana ne
did not regain consciousness before his DEAN,
which occurred Saturday night
Hon. W. ii. IL. Cowles passed through the city
to-day On his way from Washington 10 wilkes
bOro', whero he goes 10 SEQ that his political
fences are put in order for the coming conVeh-
ton.
UNION PROPOSED.
There was a called session Of the Golden Val
ley District Conference OF the Congregational
Methodist church held at Prim's Grove. The ob-
ject of the session was 10 consider the forming on
q union with the Congregaiionalist Church. rive
Of the eight churches In this district were repre-
ssnted, and resolutions fayoring the movement
and recommending TO the churches the adoption
Of the statement Of tho doctrine as set forth by
tho national convention OF tho Congregational
Church we're passed.