Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-01-22
A TERRIBLE AFFAIR.
Four Persons Shot..O One OF Whom was
Fatally Injured.

Last Wednesday morning probably
the most bloody affair that ever oc
curel in the county took place on
Cherokee, in the Fourth District.
To go back to the beginning of the
trouble 1t is necessary to refer to a di.
vorce case that was tried at the pres,
ent term of our Chancery Court, In
which the wife of j. P. Dove secured q
divorce from him, the court decreeing
10 her a share of the farm belonging to
the family.
On Wednesday morning commits
sloners appointed to survey and divide
the land came to the house of the Doves
and proceeded to run the lines. Before
the work began, John Dove, a son of
j. P. Dove, suggested that Walter Gar.
Der, a young man of the neighborhood,
who was present, remain at the house
with Mrs. Dove, this he consented to
do, but Will Dove, another son, OBJ.
jected, declaring he could not remain.
In all the controversy. during the d.
vorcs trial and afterward, John, Elite
and Nancy took sides with their mother,
while Ike and Will adhered to their
father. John insisted that young Gar
Der remain at the home, and went out
in the yard, Will following him, where
the dispute was continued, until Will
struck John on the head with a slung
shot, or something of the kind, knock
ing him do wn. Before John got up,
Ike struck him with a stick of wood,
knocking him down once more. AS
John arose he drew from his pocket a
pistol and shot twice at Will, one shot
leaving its mark on the right Of his
neck and the other abradipg the skin
of the shoulder. John next shot at
Ike, the ball penetrating the lungs.
About this time the old mar and
Elite, u daughter, appeared on the
scene, the father armed with a pistol,
and the daughter to do what she could
to stop the difficulty. She had got to
within eight or ten feet of where John
was when the father fired, this shot
taking effect in Ettie's side. He then
ran to the house and just as he reached
the porch John fred at him, the bullet
striking him in the hip.
This ended the shooting. 1t is said
the old mar claims he did not intend to
shoot his daughter Elite, but was
shooting at John, but 1t seems his
craftsmanship was faulty, az she was
so far away from where John stood at
the time.
About 8 O'Clock Wednesday morning
Sheriff Pritchett and DIR. Warlick were
sent for and on arrival at the scene of
the difficulty found their hands full;
The doctor proceeded at nceo to afford
what relief he could to the injured,
parties, while the Sheriff proceeded to
Investigate with a view Of applying the
law. A preliminary trial was had,
which resulted in placing all save Ell
tie under bonds. John in 10000, and
j. P, the father, $1,000. The latter
was left at home under guard, while
Will and John were brought to town
and put in Jail in default of bond.
Ike died Friday, and there is but lit
tie chance for Elite to get well. Trial
was set for last Saturday, but was
postponed until Monday, when it came
off before Esquire Shipley in the Court
house.
Later developments indicate that the
old man, and not John, shot Ike in an
attempt to shoot John. This is the
opinion of persons who we're on the
ground soon after the ARRAY took place.
A preliminary hearing was given the
parties on Monday: the only question
to be settled by the magistrate was the
amount of the bond under which the
parties should be bound to court, as
both parties waved a preliminary hear
ing for all other purposes. Some eight
or ten witnesses were heard, and it GER
tainly speaks we'll for the parties who
witnessed the terrible occurrence, that
no material difference as to how the
affair occurred was noticeable in the
testimony and the facts now appear to
be about the same as was at first re-
ported. A deplorable affair in which
all the parties are more or less to blame
and yetmost any one would have acted
just as they did. The fuel was there
all that was needed to start the confa-
grafton was the small spark, and when
VIII struck John, the shooting com
menced, then it was every man for
himself, and each one did his best to
a~nnihilate all that were opposed to
him. No doubt each one thought him.
self in the right, and that it was a mat
ter of self defense, kill or be killed. 1t
can not be helped now. 1t is to be re.
GREETED. The parties see their error IN d
deplore their terrible calamity. Hav.
ing heard the testimony, Squire Ship.
ley felt that he could do but little else
than bind the parties to court, and give
grand jury an opportunity to inquire
into the circumstances. He felt that
while some u was responsible for
the trouble, the circumstances were