Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-03-10
SHOT TWO MEN TO DEATH.
S. A. jackson Shot Down by w. p.
Ratlff at kosciusko, Miss.
Both Members of the Mississippi Legisla.
ture-WilI Sanders Killed by
Stray Bullet in the Fight.

Stray Bullet In the Fight.
KosCIusKo, MISS, March Sin the midst
Of large hrong gathered in the Attaa County
courthouse, at noon today, duel with revolvers
was engaged in between Rev. W. p. Ratliif and
Hon. S. A. Jackson.
jackson was killed instantly, as was also Sam
Russell a bysiander and VIII Sanders, another
innocent spectator. was carried away with but
little hope of surviving the wound he received.
Ratlin came of unscathed and was soon In
carcerated behind the bars OF the county jail.
Ratlif is POpulist representative in the State
| Legislature from Attala County. Mr. jackson
| was Democratic representative from the same
| county. Ratlif is the editor Of the kosciusko
| Vindicator newspaper. The men, long rivals in
| local politics, renewed their old feud with added
| ferceness recently, and out of a publication In
| Ratlif's paper over his own signature grew the
tragedy of today
The trouble all came up suddenly. The men
| had not met since the publication referred to.
| There was an auction sale OF bankrupt stock
| of goods in the courthouse today, and while this
was in process quite a crowd gathered, though
no person noticed the coming together OF Rali1f
| and Jackson. The first indication OF trouble
| came in the shape OF scufie, which occurred
| as soon as the two men got eyes on each other.
| The auctioneer bushed his voice while bysand-
| ers rushed in on the c0mbatan,s and pulled them
| apart some persons sezing Ratliif and others
| grasping jackson.
| Separated by a distance Of half a dozen steps
| and each struggling for liberty, both men drew
| their rev0lvers. AT that moment Ratif, who
was held nearest the door, was jerked outside,
and as he passed through backwards he fred
| twice, but his aim was unsteady by reason OF
| tht jerk which drew him out One bullet struck
the door and the other hit VIII Sanders in the
groin.
At this juncture Jackson jerked loose from
| those who held him and ran out at another door
| In order to reach Ratlin In a moment the
| fusilade was resumed. RatliIi cmptie1 his re-
volver and then stood still, looking grimly upon
| his horrible work. Jackson shot but once before
he fell, hit full in the forehead, after his pistol
arm had been shattered.
| Sam Russell likewise received his death wound
In the forehead during the final fusilade He
gasped few times, but ere the smoke had
cleared away the vital spark had fed
Russell and Sanders had nothing to do with
the fight. They were merely spectators. The
fact that ball sent by Ratliii bit Sanders ad-
mits Of no doubt, and from the posi- ion which
Russell's body lay and the range of the bullet,
there is little douot that twas Ratlif's weapon
that hit him. Sanders may live. He is wounded
in the groin and is suffering great pain.
Every chamber in Rallif's revolver was emp
tied but Jackson's revolver had only one empty
| chamber.
The throng stood aghast wheu the terrible
slaughter was completed Even Ratliii did not
move for a time. Then the slayer was sur
rounded and held until the officers came up and
carried him TO the county JAIL where he was
| placed In a cell. A strong guard was placed
about the man In moving him to the Jail, as it
was deemed advisable not to give the friends Of
the slain an opportunity to wreak their personal
vengeance upon the slayer.
The excitement was intense for time, OF
course, but later degree Of calmness pervadcd
the city, and nothing but regret and sorrow over
the loss Of three good citizens was heard.
The trouble arose over the late senatorial con-
test in the State legislature when Senator
McLaurn was chosen to succeed x-Senator K.
c. Wathall, who resigned. RatlifI in his paper
published a card over his own signature reiter-
ating charge previously published in the same
paper and denied by Mr.. Jackson, to the effect
that Jackson, Democratic representative, had
east his vote for Populite senator. This was
followed by a denial from Mr.. Jackson in the
kosciusko Star, in which he denounced Ratlifl
as a liar. Following is the card published by
Ra'lill In his paper. the Vindcator:
STATEMENT
| Mr.. s. A. jackson says wem,srepresented him
when we said he voted for Col Nugent In the
caucus. II It is any eradication to Mr.. Jackson
We will say he voted for Col Nugent in the joint
convention. He may have voted for him in the
caucus; nobody knows, for that was by secret
ballot. What we said about the incident was in
spirit of levity, but Mr. Jackson seems to
make something else out Of. We will now give
him the opportunity by emphasizing that he has
the distinction of being the only Democrat who
voted for Populst for United States senator.
We reiterate every statement made In our last
weeks article, save that it all happened
In the joint convention instead OF the
caucus, which fact only places him In more
ridiculous attitude. II there is any consolation
to 1T, but lest he should think it is subject to
comment we will now call the previous question
on the whole concern. W. 7. RATLIFF
Mr.. Jackson's reply TO this appeared in the
Star, as follows:
When Andrew Jackson was president he ap-
pointed in this state one John Smith as Indian
agent. John Smith was detected in some crook.
edness by the lamented Greenwood Lef0re, who
preferred charges against Smith before the adj.
mnistration without avail. The chief, not sat
isfied, went on TO washington and confronted
the president, when this cOlloquy ensued:
az Andrew jackson, president of the United
States, know Mr.. Smith TO be an honest man"
The chief drew himself up to his full height
and with MS Keen, searching black eye steadily
81, Greenwood Lefiore, chief of the Chocktaw
Nation, know Mr.. Smith to be damned rascal. ;
1t Is unnecessary TO- say that the previous
In citing the above history | will add al
amendment TO the future history in Attals
County, to-wit:
ii, W. p. Ratlin, Popute representative from
A.tala County In the Mississippi legislature EN-
phasize that ). A. jackson, Democratic rerre
sentative from Attala County, voted for Popu
lite for the United States Senate"
81. y. A. jackson, Democratic representatv,
emphasize that W. T. Ratiif, Popu.ite repre-
sentative. from Attala County, is an inferna
damned liar"
As to ine previous question on this amend
ment Ratlh can make any move he desires.
Since the publication OF this card by Mr.. Jack
son the two men had not met until today a
noon, and then the tragedy took place.
Sanders and Russell, the innocent victims
were young farmer lads who live few mile
from town.
Mr.. Jackson leaves a wife, most estimabl
lady, and four small children TO mourn his loss
: Ratlif, the slayer, was seen in the jail thi
evening. He was taking things very easy. H
declined, however, to discuss the details of tn
tragedy, but desired to be quoted as saying:
81 did 1t In lf-defense. l would not hav
killed Jackson for the world, except to save M
own life"
l
PEOPLE OF NOTE.