Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-06-01
BLOODY MIDNIGHT DEED.
TWO MEN STRUCK DOWN IN
COLD BLOOD.
ONE MAN DIES lNSTANTLY-THE
OTHER MAY RECOVER.
THE MURDERER CoOLLY TALKS
OF HIS CRIME AND ESCAPES.

Sunday morning, May 81, dawnct
dark and foggy in Ashcvlle, and the lac'
of nature was gloomy and threatening
But the frown of nature was as moth
ing compared to the terrible shadow that
had been cast over the home of M. M
Dougherty, who lives on Roberts street
There in the humble home of thos,
honest parents sat the mother and father
by the bedside of son who had beer
brought home insensible from a blow
struck in anger by murderer, and that
murderer the own brother of the sot
over whose bed they kept their sad vigil
One son fugitive from justice with tn,
mark of Cain upon his brow, and another
lying before them at the point of death
Is it any wonder that the skies were
overcast, as if in sympathy with the
anguish of the heart-brokcn parents?
And sorrow was not in this home
alone. lust across the French Broad
river, on the road leading to the Sulphur
Springs, sat lonely woman, widowed
by the same hand that had brought sor.
row to the Dougherty household.
There had been terrible crime com,
mitted early Sunday morning, and the
innocent in these two darkencd homes
must bear the crushing blow that has
come upon them.
Sunday morning between II and l
O'Clock James Dougherty and VIM. A,
Torrencc, who had been drinking, were
i'll the vicinity OF the old depot, and were
riding double" back and forth across
the county bridge which spans the French
Broad river. The animal which they
were riding had belonged to brother OF
Doughcrty, who died several months
ago.
Robert Dougherty, younger brother
VI ott w LIN IiNIoI tiN ioin
became inccnscd at what lie considered
the abuse of his dead brothers horse.
Turning to friend, he remarked that he
would put stop to such work. Picking
up piece of heavy scantling or other
timber, he followed the n,sn onto the
bridge, from the cast end.
THE MURDER,
At a point not ten feet from the center
of the structure, Robert came up to his
brother and Torrcnce who had halted the
horse to speak to a friend who was pass
ing.
Coming up behind the men on horse
back Robert drew back the weapon he
had brought with him, and dealt Tor
renee, the man who was behind on the
horse blow, striking him on the back Of
the head.
The blow did not knock Torrence OIL
the horse, and Doughcrty struck him an
other vicious blow, when Terrence tell to
the floor of the bridge with his body
partly on the walk used by foot pas
sengcrs.
Not satisfied with his murdcrous
work, the now thoroughly infuriated
man struck his brother terrible blow
on the side of the head, knocking him of
the horse.
The murderer and would.be fratricide
then coolly walked home and told some
friends what he had done aud bade them
goodbye and left.
DR.. +. {. Starnes was called up shortly
after and went down to the bridge and
made an examination.
Lying in a pool of blood, over the rip,
ping, dancing waves the unfortunate Tor
renee was found, at the very spot where
he was so cruelty struck down.
James Dougherty was found on the
porch of a store at the west end of the
bridge, where he had crawlcd after hav-
ing been knocked from his horse. He
was taken home.
Coroner l.. B. McBrayer was sent for
early in the morning and went down to
the scene. Toricnce's body wasrcmOvcd
to G. w. Fairchild's store at the west
end of the bridge, where Drs. McBrayer
and Starnes examined the body.
Two fractures of the skull were found
near the crown of the head He had died
almost instantly. No other marks o
bruises were found on his body.
BY O'Clock the news of the horrible
murder had spread over the city and the
bridge aud its approaches were crowded
with anxious listeners to the sickeninl
details of the crime.
THE INQUEST.
The coroner summoned jury and al
inquest was held in the store where Tor
rence's body lay. There were only thre,
witnesses examined, but they were sufii
cient to knit the web so tightly arount
Robert Dougherty as to leave no doub
whatever as to his guilt.
Charles Lincbcrry was first sworn: I"
had been fox hunting with Millard Trip
lett and came on west end of bridge
Saw two men coming from cast enc
both on horse. When we met, recognized
James Dougherty, who said: Hello
Triplctt.' | walked on across bridge
Saw Bob Dougherty with stick 4 or 5 fee
long and 2la or 8 inches square. Hcart
no blows. Saw Bob catch horse anC
take it home, on Roberts street. Bol
said thought he had killed two men, anC
said one was James Dougherty and didn'
know the other man. Asked me to e
back and see If they were hurt. l wen
to Mr.. Triplctt'sand together with G. w