The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-09-20
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
II. b. Withers Shoots Twice ut w. C..
Jones Friday Morning.
The Balls Only Craze Him. and a DsSper-
ate Struggle Ensues-But the Cesn-
batants are Parted.

the news that startled the town Friday
morning about 10 O'clock.
Two shots were fired by Withers,
but Tor una,ely Jones was not hurt.
One OF the balls grazed the side OF
Jones face, and the other went
Ghi Ough his coat sleeve without
Touching tie skin. the shooting &c
CURED at the South Side Park Fair
grOO1d-. We have been HDuble TO
interview either OF the combatant>,
but the facts which we give are from
reliable men, some of whom were eye
witnesses OF the citficulty.
Mr.. w. G.. Joues il the President Of
the Columbia Driving Park As=socia-
ton, of which Capt. II. b. Withers
has been Secretary for several
months. Withers is u native Ken
tucklaE, but came here from Clarks-
vile. There had been disagreement
between him and Jones and he had
sent in his resignation as Sec'ty. TO
Mr.. Jones yesterday afternoon.
1t seems that Jones had gone his
I
in bank, that Jones expected Withers
To give him a mortgage on his horses
to secure il, and that Jones also mad n
n bill against him for tie feed OF his
horses which were stabbed at Column
bia Driving Park.
1t apI ears, however, that there
was prior mortgage on the
horses and that Mr.. Jones was
not willing to accept this de-
ferred security. On the other
hand Withers had q claim against
Jones for salary as secretary, though
not rs much by good deal as Jones
he'd against him, AS detailed above.
Matters were in this shape when
the trouble occurred this morning.
Capt. WiIhers, Mr. John P. McGaw,
Jr., and Mr.. Walter Akin were stand
ing near the hydrant, not far from
the second entrance gate to South
Side Park talking.
w. S. Williams and Lucius Brown
had just driven in and passed on to
another part OF the grounds. Mr..
w. G. Jones rode up on horseback
and inquired for Mr.. Williams.
They told him where Williams was,
and he dismounted and came up to
the group.
He told Withers he wanted to talk
with him on business. McGaw
started off: Mr.. Jones detained him,
telling him not to leave. Jones and
Withers then got into some words
about letter, directed TO Withers,
which Jones had taken FROM the
pOstOffice and opened; Withers was
offended. Jones said that IL was
directed to Withers as Secretary, and
he opened it, thinking 1t was in re-
gard to business connected with the
Driving Association, and that when
lie found it was private, he putt back
calling witnesses to prove the fact.
After disputIng each others words
several times about this matter, they
dropped the matter, as it seems, by
mutual consent.
Mr.. Jones then began to talk to
Withers about the mortgage above
mentioned and levy that had been
made on it. He wanted Withers to
make some arrangement of the mat
ter.
Withers said, Go away from me, II
want nothing to do with you, Cd
d-m you Jones Immediately |
caught Withers in the collar. With
ers drew his pistol from his hip pock-
ct and Jones grabbed his arm.
In the scuffie which ensued, the
pistol was discharged twice by With
ers. One of the shots grazed Jones |
face, it is thought, though some of
the witnesses thought it might have
been a scratch received otherwise. !
The other shot went through the coat
sleeve near the shoulder.
Jones finally secured Withers' arm
in such a way that the firing ceased.
Upon the first appearance of the
pistol, the by-standers sought safety
in the stables, but they now rushed
up and parted the combatants. No
other damage was done. In the
for the pistol they were too
busy to hurt each other with their
fists.
Both men fingered on the ground
some time, and further trouble was
feared, but friends prevented them
getting together again. No further
trouble is feared.