Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-30
THE wILLIAMs-AsHWoRTH CASE.
A statement ofthe shooting ana staorin2
ARRAY Near Wattsboro''
AZ s, V. Anil o. fe03
WATTspoRo', VA. April %, 1873.
n. ~ I-ts,o, Of lho uiS11fch

WATTspoRo'. VA. April %, 1873.
To ne Editor Of he DiSDd'ch
Having seen your communication from
Green Bay Of April 18th. giving an account
| Of the Ashworth- Williams alteration OF
Sunday last. | propose 70 give IL rs hearu
Z from an eyewitness OF the auhr 10 me-
The question Of smallpox In our county
has been mooted one Tor some "eeA vs.
! some contending 10 was. Others that II was
I NOT Mr.. Thomas 4. Williams, who had
Leen appoiated quarantine officer TO pre-
vent the spread of the disease. went early
on last Sunday morning TO Chase City II
invoke n visit from DR.. Clarence Saunders,
10 see the cases and decide az to the
commences of the disease. In the eve
ming of the same day Or. Saunders came
down and visited the cases and pro-
nOunced il veritable smallpox. Mr. En-
bra +. Williams. father OF Mr.. I. /. Will
! Nams, and who rs a one-armed man, to-
eether with several others. met ut
! Nattsboro' to hear the doctors report and
take such steps as might be thought ne
cessary or ordered by two Justices OF tn g
peace, who were also present. Mr.. Ash
worth commenced abusing Mr.. J..
/ L. Williams. and said that had II
not been for him and his id
! not have been stirred up about smallpox
/ that they were just trying to run up big
account against the county. Mr. i. /.
| Williams of course resented the abuse and
insult offered his one-arned father. VINO
| lost his arm at Gettysburg. The justices
| intertered and disarmed the parties for the
/ time, Mr. Williams giving up his very small
1 pOcket-knife, which he had not drawn, hrs
/ father taking 1t IN his possession, which
/ was the only weapon he (Mr L. +. Will
| hams) had. Dr. Saunders left IN his buggy
for home. Then Mr. L. f. Williams Mr. L.
| +. Williams, Justice Smithson. and a negro
| left for their homes. At the time they lett
! the Messrs. Ashworth rode around IN rear OF
/ the store house In another direction. When
| Williams, his son. Smlthson. and the negro
! had gone about n quarter of mile, one OF
| tue Messrs. Ashworth came up, Oyertakng
/ them, and said to yOnng Mr.. Williams 10
/ hold back little-that he wanted TO talk
| with him-and asked for chew OF tobacco.
/ Williams paid no attention to himwhatever.
| Smithson SAID Il can give you a chew
! of tobacco, and gave BIN one. About that
! time the other Mr. Ashworth came up IN a
I gallop. They both crowded up TO Young
| Williams. saving. "D-n you, we intend
| TO kill you right here" and both drew
/ pistols.
THE SHOOTING.
williams dismounted and stopped to get
o rock. While in a stopping posture he
/ was snOL III inc DhCk, lub DBL SITlhlDR Just
| to the right Of the spine, ranging upward
/ towards the right sboulder-blade, making
! its exit about eight inches from where 1t
| entered. While in that stopping position
| the other Mr.. Ashworth stabbed Williams
| in close proximity to the pistol-shot. in
/ ficting knife-wound about one and a
| half inches deep and about two or
/ three inches long. The two shot at
| Williams about seven times and snapped
/ once. only one ball taking effect in the
/ flesh. There were several holes in his
clothing. After the parties were sepa-
rated Williams, ST., rode as fast as he
could TO overtake DIR. Saunders to come
back to lis son, leaving Williams. Jr.. with
Justice Smithson In the road. Williams.
| ST., had TO ride some two miles
10 overtake the Doctor, and while he was
gone young Williams felt able to ride, and
| so rode on, meeting the Doctor about
| half way. The Ashworths were riding on
| behind, and came mp while DR.. Saunders
was examining the wounds and staunOh-
| ing them. DR.. Burweil. from Chase City.
reached the young man about midnight
and did all that was necessary. Williams
is IN no.danger. as It was only fesh-wounds
unless blood-poison or erysipelas sets H..
| The Ashworths are in jail.
The above is a true statement as given to
me by al eyewitness of the affair.
WHITE NJ. COLEMAN.