The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-05-23
TRAGEDY N 4 couRTRooM.
criminal Lawyer Shot Down by one OF
the witnesses.

thASEOI N OOOnlnOSm.
Criminal Lawyer Shot Down by one of
the witnesses.
DASvILLE, Ind, May 22,-The Hem
bricks county courtroom was the scene
of terrible tragedy Saturday. Sam
uel Wesner, the leading criminal law
yer in this part of the state, armed
with dagger, engaged in mortal com
bat with Coley Brown, who was armed
with revolver, with the result that
Wesner's body lies in casket at his
home at Lebanon, while Brown
crouches in cell at the county jail.
Both murderer and victim are resi-
dents of Lebanon, 20 miles north of this
city. Wesner, as stated, is the leading
attorney at the Boone county bar, while
Brown is the richest man in Boone
county. his wealth being estimated at
S200, 900. Brown owns a number of
farms. has big hardware store, and is
company. His connection with the lat
ter institution was Indirectly the cause
that led up the tragedy.
Last winter the residence of Martin
Hose. at Lebanon, was blown up by a
natural gas explosion. Hoke entered
suit against the gas company for $1,000.
Wesner was the leading attorney for
the plaintiff, while Brown as president
OF the company, was the central figure
of the defendants. Brown made affida-
Wit that he could not secure a fair and
impartial trial at Lebanon, and the
case was brought to this city on a
change of venue. The trial commenced
last Tuesday.
Brown as witness was cross-exam-
ined very severely. The closing speech
for the plaintiff was concluded by Wes-
ner q few minutes after noon, and court
adjourned until l o'clock. In his speech
summing up the case Wesner scored
Brown numerically, and strongly
limited that in his testimony he had
been guilty of rank perjury.
The courtroom had been cleared of
lawyers and witnesses, and not over a
dozen persons remained. Judge Had
ley was putting the finishing touches to
his charge, and Wesner, leaning against
the judges desk, was talking to his
client. Brown approached Wesner and
said: My reputation is as good as
yours. d-n you
The testimony is not exactly clear as
to the conversation that followed, but
Wesner replied in a taunting manner
and dared Brown to draw his gun.
Quick as a flash Brown drew re-
volver and fired twice. AS the pistol
cracked, Wesner reeled for an instant,
then his hand sought his pocket, and as
his hand was raised. in it flashed a
murderous dagger. You have done
me, but / will get you" Missed Wesner,
as he rushed on Brown, who was back
ing off, still pointing the smoking
weapon at his antagonist. The right
hand of Wesner descended, but Brown
caught the blade in his hand, and the
two men went to the floor, with Yves,
ner on top.
There was a desperate struggle for a
few seconds, Wesner trying to plunge
his dagger in Browns body, while
Brown tried in vain to get another shot
with his pistol. Then Wesner's strength
failed him. and the spectators, having
recovered from the temporary stupefac-
ton III which the tragedy had thrown
them, pulled Wesner off, and Brown
scrambled to his feet. The latter was
unhurt, except for an ugly cut in his
hand. where he had caught the descend
ing dagger.
Wesner was helped to chair, and
later was placed on mattress. He rap
idly weakened as the blood flowed from
his wounds. A physician was called and
decided that he could not live. Wesner
accepted the situation philosophically.
He stated that he had acted in self-de-
Tense, and that Brown had been the ag-
gressor. He gave some directions as to
his business affairs and sent his love to
collected. His last words were: Pull
my boots off. l do not want to die with
my boots on Forty minutes after he
had been shot, Wesner was a corpse.
After the combatants had been sepa-
rated. Brown submitted quietly to ar
rest. and was taken to Jail The
weapon with which he had done hls
murderous work was No. 80 Smith g.
Wesson, double-action, revolver Elk
animation showed two empty shells.
one empty chamber and two une1ploded
cartridges.
The dagger with which Wesner at
tempted to put quietus on Brown is
in the possession of the sheriff. 1t is a
double-edged affair, 10 inches long and
an inch wide. The sheath in which it
was carried was picked up from the
courtroom floor after the tragedy.
The postmortem held upon the body
of Wesner shows that the fatal bullet
entered his breast an inch to the left of
the base of his breast bone. ranged
downward and backward, lodging I'M
der the skin four inches from the base
of the spine. The other bullet struck
Wesner in the left forearm, ranged up
ward and lodged near the elbow In
WesneT's pockets We're found number
OF cartridges. but no pistol. Wesner
was 53 years old, Brown 30; both fine
specimens of physical manhood.
Shortly after the tragedy the jury re-
turned a verdict for the defendant.
All afternoon there was mutterings
of a lynching. and late at night the
sheriff took his prisoner and went To
indianapolis and locked him up III the
jail at that city.