The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-11-19
KILLED THE JUDGE.
CHANCELLOR n. ALLISON SHOT By
THE COURT CLERK.
An Attempt at Suicide Follows-Whitworth
Firod n Load of Buckshot at Close
Range-His Motive was Revenge.

| The Davidson county courthouse was the
| scene this afternoon of the most sensational
| political tragedy that has occurred in Nash
| vile In many years.
| George h. Whitworth, clerk and master
| of the chancery court. assassinated Judge
| Andrew Allison, the chancellor of this di-
| vision, and then attempted suicide. shooting
| himself twice near the heart and INJECTING
! fatal wounds.
! The shooting occurred at ten minutes to l
| o'clock and the news quickly spread over
| the business portion Of the city, creating
| an immense sensation and great indigna-
/ ton that numerous remarks were made TO
| the effect that 1t was well for Mr. WHIT
| worth that he bad shot himself
| There was only one eyewitness TO the
| shooting and that was air. Joseph II. Ack-
| lin, prominent lawyer. Mr. Acl<!in and
| Mr.. Jordan Stokes had been arguing case
] before Chancellor Allison in the chancery
| courtroom, which is on the third moor OF
| the courthouse. When court adjourned Mr.
| Stokes LEFT at once. Judge Allison put on
| his overcoat and hat and followed shortly
| after with Mr. Acklin few steps behind
| Passing nto the corridor, Judge Allison WAS
! within a few steps of tho stairway When
| Mr.. Acllln had just reached the door 10
| the corridor. Suddenly voice sounded to
the rear OF Judge Allison and about twenty
/ steps away.
| "Oh judge" it said.
] No Chance tn Escape.
| Judge Allison turned and saw standing
within the shadow of the corridor the form
| Of George X. Whitworth. with double
| barreled shotgun then raised almost to
| level. Judge Allison scarcely mad tlIne TO
| take a step backward. instinctvely placing
| his hand over his head. when a shot rang
/ out and the messengers of death struck
! fun in the breast. tearing his hand to pieces
and making a dozen wounds in his breast.
| Allison e&sil Oh his side and the Whole
.,vr11gn s.ff ion
| Acll,in ran % the stairway and summoned
| assistance Mir. Joseph Il. West ran from
! the minute clerks room just in time TO see
| Mr. Whitworth throw the gun down and
| take a pistol from his pocket winch he
turned upon himself and fired. Mr. West
! tried to seize MIR Whitworih, but the latter
! stepped back, telling him to keep out OF the
way ana again fired just rs Nr. West
| struck his pistol hand. Mr.. Whitworth
| ther. fell and by this time the corridor was
| teemng with people.
| The body of the venerable chancellor,
| Who had never spoke after being shot was
| at once removed to the chancery courtroom,
while Mr. Whitworth was taken into the
| clerks office with the blood streaming from
| two ghastly wounds in his breast. He was
| asked what was the matter and replied
| noting. He then said TO friend; Oid
| boy did ! shoot hlm?"
| When told that he did he said; All
| right, but how about the other fellow|
Glad Ti.nt lie Succeeded
on being told that Chancellor Allison was
| dead no said he was satisfied and began
| 10 beg for a pistol to finish himself W'th'
| There were several doctors in attendance.
| Whitworth was calm and cool lie decll!'eu
| to make any statement, saying:
q have nothing to say. The public Know
all about it. A man can't live in the same
climate with me and do me dirt like that
WhitwOrth was offered some whisky, but
refused to take it, saying all he wanted
was to get rid of that pain. DR.. FRANK
/ Glenn told him the WHISKY would re.ieVe
! him. and ne drank it, but said; Il coul1
! drink a barrel of that and it would nc .
touch this pain Then he begged for NOR
phine.
When asked If his wife knew about this.
he SAID: Il hope to God she does not"
PASSED Nenr the iie"st.
The doctors were in the meantime busy
making on investigation. and when they
| concluded Whitworjl said: What about il?
| Is il d good job?" lie added: Give rae
! something to stop this pain and l don
! care what you do" X was found that one
| ball passed under the heart and the other
! pierced the left lung. Mr.. Whtworth was
! removed to his home and an inquest was
! begun over the remains of Chancellor Al
! Iison. But the only facts brought out not
| given above are that when Or. Giles
| reached Chancellor Allison the latter save
/ two or three Sasps before dying. Three
! buckshot passed through the chancellor
right hand and twenty-five pierced his
! About To Lose His job.
The cause of the tragedy is difficult to
] explain Chancellor Allison was elected
| e.ght years agQ and two years later APP
/ pointed Whitworth clerk and master for a
! six years term. The fees OF the clerk
office amount to about $4,000 a year. Last
4-tst.,. tod Tt,r
/ eight years Mr.. Whitworth had been ac-
| tive in assisting him and securing the
! nomination, and il is said, spent several
/ thousand dollars in securing his election. At
/ one time few days before the election
! he paid $1,000 for 209) poll tax receipts TO
! be given democrats who had not paid their
/ poll taxes. MIR. WhitWorth naturally eX-
! pectcd TO he reappOinteI clerk and mas
! ter for another six years term and on
/ Saturday Chancellor Allison sisnilel his
/ intention of appointing his own son, Gran
! Vile Allison, to the position. The son was
! to qualify for the office tomorrow. But,
/ as MIR. Whitworth killed Chancellor Allison
/ today. from his remarks il is judged that
/ his object was as much revenge as il was
/ to prevent young Allison ever getting the
\ office. The question as TO the status of
/ Mr.. Whitworth's accounts was never raised
/ until after the tragedy.
! Allison owed Him Money.
| Late tonight ii is ascertaned that the
! cause Of the killing IS Il very large amount
I OF money which Allison owed Whitworth
1 individually as clerk and master, and
/ which Allison declined 90 settle. Arbitra-
! tors were appointed but the chancellor
4 would only agree to pay about one-third
/ of the amount, claiming that the rest was
/ n matter between him and Whtworth.
! Whtworth's friends think that the chan
| celIor had borrowed the disputed two-thirds
! and being pushed did not think Whtworth
| should push him, the fees OF the office be-
! ius very large. Whitworth knew or be
/ leved tnat unless he got the money today
! he would never get it, as there would be
| another clerk and master. What the
! amount of money in dispute was cannot be
| asccrtained hut it is variously stated as
! $1,000. $50 $50 and $30.000
81 DcaiIs Door.
/ Nashville, Tenn, November 15.-(Special0
! All day long George X. Whitwo rth has Deen
/ gradually sinking and his physicians look
/ for his death at any moment and say that
| internal hcmcuhaGe viii cause sudden
/ end. AIr. WhitWcrtn has sgaed ante
/ norton statement Of the causes leadinS to
/ the killing Of Chancellor Allison. but for
| prudential reasons the family withheld this
statement until the end.
L cd