Smyrna times., 1893-03-08
A Clayton Battle.
AN AFFAIR BETWEEN TWO TOW

AN AFFAIR BETWEEN TWO TOWNS.
Clayton was in a state of turmoil
from Wednesday till Saturday of last
week, from a personal difficulty be-
tween two of its citizens-first because
of outrageous conduct, and secondly
at the slight grip with which the law
took hold of it.
The two individuals that thus stirred
up the community were Geo. H. Hearn,
engineer, and w. Charles Vanwinkle,
! builder.
Hearn lived in. Vanwinkle's house
and was to move out Wednesday, it
being the day for moving throughout
the community for those who enjoy
such pastime. The unwritten law in
regard to vacating property is that by
noon one party shall be out, giving the
other chance to get in with his house
hold effects. Sometime in the morning
Vanwinkle went into Hearn's dwelling
and complained and swOre loudly
about certain conditions of things
/ before Mrs. Hearn, who is quite
an invalid, her husband not being at
home at the time. This naturally riled
Hearn, having had some disagreement
before, and when Vanwinkle returned
again between one and two o'clock
to the premises, Mr. Hearn, not having
all his things away, said to him, didn't
L tell you not to come on my property
again" at the same time giving him a
! push, which resulted in several blows
passing when they separated, Vanwin
kle going out on lot and the other
proceeding with his work in getting
his goods away. Hearn in the melee
had used an epithet that rankled in
his opponents breast, and the longer
he thought about it the madder he got.
When his blood got up to the boiling
point he returned to Hearn and said,
you called me so and SO (using an ex.
preston we will not put in PRINT and
| intend to lick you for it," Hearn
replied, "Yes, l know l did, Charley,
and | am sorry for it.; it reflected on
your mother, which did not mean to
do, and beg your pardon" The lat.
ter took no account of the apology
whatever, and proceeded to aduinis.
ter a castigatiOn, and both being strong
men it was in no sense a child's
affair.
The assailant began this round by
hurting washbOard at Hearn's head,
which, however, he lodged, the in.
strument striking and knocking q
shovel from his sons hands some dis.
tanCe away, he returning it in the
same manner, but without effect. In
the fight poker seems to have been
The chief engine of warfare, first, it is
said, by Hearn, and then by Vanwin-
kle. 1t is certain the latter had it in
the closing round. and the formers
uplitted arm was beaten "black and
blue" in trying to protect his head
from the fierce blows aimed at il. Be
ing thus pushed to the wall, Hearn
drew pOcket-knife in defence. and
his adversary became the backing
party, and IN Thus retreating from the
deadly instrument fell over something.
having the misfortune iu the fall, to
break mis- leg. Hearn made no effort
to touch him after he fell, and the
battle of the giants" thus ended. but
with Hearn almost alone on the one
side (fOr he had managed bv frequent
difficulties to make himself uuponular
with number of persons) and the
popGlace generally On tue other, from
the fact that the current of talk was
against the former, and out of SYM
pathy for the injured man, because of
the long time he would necessarily be
kept from his business.
The case was brought before Justice
OF the Peace CaspersOn, of that town,
who, after hearing the evidence, held
Hearn for his appearance at court in
the sum of 5000 bail. Such q small
sum as this was held to be an outrage.
and the J. p. came in for good share
OF maledictiOn. After boiling over it
two or three days, the parties wishing.
1t Is believed, the bail placed so high. !
security could not be had, so Hearn
would have to 90 to Jail, brought the
matter befOre Justice Cooper, al this
town, Saturday afternoon. From reD.
resentatiOns that had been made 10 |
him lexpaTtee as it would appearl be |
had heen lead to believe the case suf-
ticiently grave to put him under a
bail of $500 or 81 900, but after a care
full hearing of the testimony he placed
the bond at 5000, the same figures as
the Clayton magistrate, two freehold |
ers here going his security. 1t was
noticed that careful sitting of the
testimony sofGened the feeling of a !
number who were strongly set against
Hearn, and they left the magistrates
Office, saving iC was, after all, case |
very much Of dog eat dog"