Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-20
NEW KENT TRACED
Full Details Of tho Fatal ael
Between Ball and Barhs
TIE SURVIVORS, OWN CEMENT.
olhr Accounts by WITNESSES tr'lsw with
Mrs Barham, noe Bcfuntlal
Of Nr. p
rs,ee,.,,.,.g,.. ihe Dispatch

IhNr1fTtfI a
an aecotnt Of the sbhng and killing near
New Kent Courfhd of hlr. Walter Ball
hy Bennett Barha)his son-in-law. IL is
merely necessayv Yrcfer 10 the circum-
stances which cnlJated IN this tragedy.
In September. IaMr Walter Ball and
his son Thomas I'd Mr.. Barham from his
bod in his bnar,K-place OF West Point,
and at the point fhe pistol forced him 10
90 10 Washingtoknd marry Miss Lula NJ.
Ball who in alcf to her father charged
that BaTham hapetrayed her.
g}ANDIEss WIFI.
After the maflge Barham at once left
bis wife. nevebeaking to or even seeing
her arain. exef on the witness-stand at
King WilliaD'ourthouse last fall. when
Ball and his i were tried for the abduc-
fion of Bargn and acquitted. Barham
then went tdorth Carolina and thence to
Knoxville, I'm, returning TO New Kent
about two wfks ago.
POPULAR CITIZENS.
II was dcult task to get full reports
Of the KILT through the usual channels.
This was IL to two reasons-frst. IN con-
sequence othe high standing Of the two
principals. Mr. Ball was an exceedingly
popular NIB, Il fact attested by his holding
the Office commissioner of revenue IN
Repubhcl county. he being q Democrat.
His rigbthand was detormed, being
club" lr. Barham, father OF Bennett
Rerhan liz commissioner of the Circuit
Court IN h county. This being the case
their friCrss did not care 20 speak OF inc
distressinlO occurrence which has virtually
wrecked tehappiness Of two families. Inc
other reasn was that in such sparsely-
settled community everybody IS acqualnt-
ed with ech other, and nearly every one has
taken si,ts with either one family or the
other. AMI Will not therefore. SAY anything
againit them or for the other party.
THE True STORY.
In view Of these facts, the Dispatch sent
speed correspondent 10 the scene OF the
shooting TO obtain from eye-witnesses, the
surviving principal. and other parties III
t,restel the actual facts OF the fatal meet
ing.
1aE poCToR's sTATErFNT.
Or. l.. A. Slater, who besides being Ben
net BGrham's physician was also an eye
witness OF the shooting, gave the following
graphic account of the occurrence:
- bout 4 o'clock Tuesday evening was
n my garden working when ! cav the two
B,rhams ride past b. T. Barham was IN
jumper. and MS brother Thomas, Jr., (luck)
was on horseback just behind hun. Both
stopped al Mr. Odelrs store. just opposite
my Of5ae Bennett Barham remained IN
his jumper, and Tuck, alightinc, went into
his store, his brother holding his horses
bride. He came out in a few moments,
mounted his horse again, and went of
down the road. his brother preceding HIM
about fifteen steps. Very soon thereafter
Mr. Ball also came Out from the
store. and before / reached my Office
ward | saw him galoplng off down
the road III the direction the Barhams had
gone. Ia a moment or two he overlook
the two Barhams. and rode up to the
jumper IL which Bennett Barham was sit
ting. FIRING began at on q, bv whom l
L. e.. lot ffan cfgrfRH
tie point from wh'Ch the sound Of the
drng came about 200 yards OF and found
VT Sail lying Oh the ground in his death
throes. tie easned twice and died instant
w. lie was at once removed to my office.
There beng no mystery attaching TO the
case. aud gs there ~ no coroner III this
county. no inquest was held. Mr.. Balls
BODY was taken bone that evening.
On nv way to tho scene OF the shooting
| met Bennett kaTham returning IN his
jumper. who said he was " shot all TO
pieces" ! .uld him to go TO my Office. and
would cone just as soon as could get
through with MIR. Ball, VINO was lying on
the ground, aud whom I therefore sup
posed was the worst hurt of the two.
lipd.re that he was dead. / immediately
went o. my o1ice to administer to Bar
hams hurts. A soon as possible, about
an hour afterwards. he was carried TO his
fathers hon5e at New Kent Courthouse,
day saturday. is much improved, and
unles, something unforeseen should occur
there is every indication OF recovery.
THE wouNDs.
Ball and Barham each were wounded
four times. The former was shot IN the
right ldeformed) hand, and IN the left jaw,
the ball ranginr upwards and coming out.
Two bullets struck within an inch ana
half OF the heart. twas these that caused
death, which was almos, instantaneous.
Barham has wound IN each thlgh, ana
a slight hesh-wound IN the hip. His most
.crious trouble Is caused by tho bullet
which struck IN tho right lumbar region
and detected downwaris. the lodgment OF
which cannot be asccrtalned. In the posi-
ton Of the wound and the inability to ind
the ball IL resembles in great degree That
of which President Garfield died
TIE sUnvUoB.
Bennett Barham, the survivor of the
fatal duel. is at the residence Of his father,
III the courthouse.
He appeared to be resting very easily and
seemed to be free OF pain. lie was eX-
tremelv cool and collected. lie is about
twenty-three years of sge. fairy robust
IA. LIGHT HAIR and blue eyes and very easy
manners. No one would ever think OF nm
as Ueing likely TO engage in fatal encoun-
ter.
by the advice or MS ihtaei ne ~ hiS. ic-
fused 10 speak OF the matter, MIR. Barham
lsoniorl saving that as the other party to
the encounter was dead It would be unfair
Tor his son to speak.
subsequently, Mr. Lacy. Mr.. Barham's
counsel. advised him to make n statement,
and he did so in the following words:
THE WOUNDED MANS ACCOUNT.
Nv brother Thomas and myself were
going down the Brick-House road last
tuesday afternoon. NV brother was on
horseback and ] was riding IN Jumper
about fifteen feet in advance OF HIM.
We stopped at SlatcrsVllle, my brother
Going into the store TO get some plow-cast-
ms. I remained II the jumper and held
his horse. Aiy brother only stayed IN the
store a few minutes before he came
cut. and we went on down the road.
We had gone about two hundred yards,
when he said 10 me, LOOK OUT,
brother aud / turned around. just
a. 1 did go Mr.. Ball shot me in the
SIDE. He shot second time. l had
on gloves. and my pistol was in my
overcoat pocket. / got il out as quickly as
possible. hut not before lac had shot me
twice, and bringing il 10 bear ON hun.
emptied all FIVE barrels at him. After the
last shot MIR. Ball fell from his horse. l
had started TO turn my horse around.
wnen NV brother caught hold of HIM.
went up the road III the jumper 10 Dr;
skaters Office. Here colored man lifted
me out and carried me INTO the Doctors
Office.
MIR. Ball did not speak to me. before
firing or give warning OF any kind that
beard. | consider that acted in self-de-
fence. and DO not sec how l could have
dono otherwise.
/ have never seen or spoken TO Miss Ball
since our alleged marriage. shortly after
shat occurrence ! instituted suit for
divorce, but my counsel, without, my