Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-17
STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
r. B. Withers Shoots Twice at
w. @. Jones. Of Columbia.
The Balls Only Craze Jones and a Des
perate Struggle Ensues-The Com
batants Are Parted.


The following account OF fight
between r. B. Withers, formerly of
this city, and w. G. Jones, of Co
lumbia, is taken from the Columbia
Herald of Friday:
"Withers has shot Jones. This
was the news that startled The town
this morning.
1.-TWO shots were fred by Wihers,
but fortunately Jones was hot hurt.
One OF the balls grazed the side OF
Jones face, and the other went
through his coat sleeve without
touching the skin. The shooting oc-
Cured at the South Side Park Fair
grounds. We have been unable to
interview either of the combatants,
but the facts which we give are from
reliable men, some of whom were
eye witnesses of the difficulty.
"Mr. w. G. Jones is the President
Of the Columbia Driving Park Assoc
citation, of which Capt. r.. B.Withers
has been secretary for several months.
Withers is native Kentuckian, but
came here from GAINESVILLE There
had been a disagreement between
him and Jones and he had sent in
his resignation as secretary to Mr..
Jones yesterday afternoon.
"It seems that Jones had gone his
security for several hundred dollars
in bank; that Jones expected With
ers to give him mortgage on his
horses to secure it, and that Jones
also had a bill against him for the
feed of his horses which were stabbed
at Columbia Driving Park.
ut appears, however, that there
was prior mortgage on the horses,
and that Mr.. Jones was not willing
to accept this deferred security. On
the other hand Withers had claim
against Jones for salary as secretary
though not as much by a good deal
as Jones held against him, as detail
ed above.
"Matters were in this shape when
the trouble occurred this morning.
Capt. Withers, 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. @. Jones rode up on horseback
and inquired tor Mr.. Williams
They told him where Williams was,
and he dismOunted and came up to
the group.
"He told Withers he wanted to talk
to him on business. McGaw started
of. Mr.. Jones detained him, telling
him not to leave. Jones and With
ers then got into some words about q
letter, directed to Withers, which
Jones had taken from the postoffice
and opened. Withers was offended
Jones said it was directed to Withers
as secretary, and he opened it, think
ing it was in regard to business con.
nected with the Driving Association,
and when he found that it was pri-
vate, he put it back, calling witness
es 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 talking 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, 60 away from me,
l want nothing to do with you, Cd
d-n YOU Jones Immediately
caught Withers in the collar. With
ers drew his pistol from his hip peck
cd 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.
C"Jones finally secured Withers arm
in such 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
struggle 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
from getting together again. No
further trouble is feared.'