The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-31
UP TO THE HILT
HUMAN BLOOD FLOWS ON THE
HOLY SABBATH.
Charlie Ledbetter, intoxicated, Plunges
Knife Into the Bosom of His
Friend, Pat Duff, and Death
Speedily Claims Him.

tragedy was enacted in the Iron
Front saloon yesterday afternoon about
1 o'clock that sent one man to his grave,
marred forever the life of another and
overwhelmed with grief loving relatives
and generous friends.
THE PARTICULARS.
Charley Ledbetter, a carpenter, Pat
Duff, carpenter, Tom Cummings, a
painter, and others were in the Iron
Front saloon yesterday little after IL
o'clock playing dominoes in the billiard
room annex. Ledbetter and Cummings
were playing together and both were
drunk During the progress of the game
in their muddled condition they fell out
over something and had quite a tussel,
during which Cummings threw Lebetter
to the floor. The scutfie attracted the
attention of the owners of the establish
ment and word was sent Cummings and
Ledbetter to keep quiet and behave them
selves or they would be put out of the
house.
The difficulty was patched up be-
tween them and about that time Fat
Duff showed up and what followed is
thus told by
AN EYE WITNESS,
Mr.. John Goldsmith, painter, who was
playing dominoes with Cummings and
Ledbetter.
Mr.. Goldsmith said: Charley Led
better and Cummings had little scrap
and Cummings, who was the biggest,
threw Charley. After Charley got up ne
caught Cummings by the throat and
said something about killing him. l
pulled him off and he and Cummings
quieted down and everything was all
-. -, I>nA, Inc
Duff stepped up and says to Charley,
You're crazy"
Charley said, No, I'm not, my
brother, I'm not crazy
II then said to Charley, who was pref
ty drunk, Let's go out and get some
fresh air. and l took him by the, left
arm and we started towards the back
door. Suddenly he pulled out his knife
and struck back with it and hit Duff,
who was behind and little to the right
of him, just about the length OF his arm
Duff said, i believe he's cut me.
Charley said, No, l haven't my
brother; wouldn't cut you Dun then
sat down in chair and opened his coat
and shirts and l saw he was cut, but
[ didn't know how bad. l
lust thought it was slight
cut and went on with Charley to the back
door, where Officer Gibson arrested him
and he was conveyed to the Jail by Con
stable Davis He and Duff were the
best of friends, and know he had no
idea of cutting him. He may have
thought in his drunken mood that he was
striking at Cummings"
DEATH IS SPEEDY.
After Duff sat down and exposed his
wound, as stated by Mr.. Goldsmith, he
never spoke and in less than 10 minutes
he was dead. The knife that inflicted the
fatal wound was dirk blade, one with
the blade about four inches long. 1t en-
tered Duffs body just below the heart,
cut the fourth rib in two, and severed
an artery.
CHARLEY LEDBETTER.
Charley Ledbetter was born in Peters
burg, Va, in 1864. From Virginia his
parents moved to Missouri, thence to
austin, reaching here about the, year
1875. He is a carpenter by trade, and
his father, mother and three sisters live
in the city. Singular to say, the knife
he killed Duff with was one he took from
a drunken fellow in the same saloon,
about wear ago - prevent ms KlllnS
another man. The man never called for
if and Ledbetter has had it ever since,
PAT DUFF.
Pat Duff, who is a carpenter, has lived
in this city many years, and his sister is
head laundress at the asylum for the in
sane. He has brother, John Duff,
now at Smithvile, Bastrop county.
IN THE JAIL.
A Statesman reporter called at the jail
to see Ledbetter last afternoon, but he
was too drunk to talk. Last night he
did not know the result of the blow he
had given his friend Duff.
Justice Matt Johnson viewed the body |
of Duff yesterday and will probably be-
gin inquest proceedings today.
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