The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-12
BATTLE IN A BED CHAMBER.
JEALOUS HUSBAND IN A DUEL
WITH HIS CLERK.


The Husband Dies Pierced by Three
Bullets-The Clerk wounded in
Five Places, But suII AIive-The
Clerk in His Night shirt ana the
Suspected Wife n Spectator of the
Tragedy-She Claims II Was All
Mistake.
Augusta, Ga, Sept. lion the outskirts
Of the beautiful little village Of Summer
vile, Just back of the United States arse
nal, Is little settlement known as Heck
letown. 1t consists of one or two small
which grew up around the old Heckle
homestead, from which it got it's name.
For years George Heckle, the marshal
of Summerville, ran country store, but
some time ago sold out to William Shi-
nall. Back of the store, in the same frame
house, were bedrooms, and Mrs. shnall
and her little S-year-old son resided there.
Shinall also has business interests in Beau
fort and spends part of his time there He
had in his employ here, as clerk and bar
tender, young man of IS, named Buck,
who ran his business while he was absent
in Beaufort
Mrs. Shinall is an attractive woman, and
the gossips have been having a good deal
to say of the relations existing between
her and the young clerk, some ten years
her Junior. THESE rumors must have reach
ed Mr.. Shinall or the conduct of the two
had aroused his suspicious for last night
he returned unexpectedly from Beaufort
and went to his home after bedtime with
out notice to Mrs. Shinall He must have
been expecting to find Buck in company
with his wife, for he was armed.
Going silently into the back yard, he
crept up under the bedroom window and
picking up an ak handle that was lying
near, broke the window sash to pieces.
He sprang into the room, pistol in hand,
and in a few feet of each other, In the
presence of the woman who had betrayed
him and wrecked his home, there began
duel to the death
Buck, who was in his night clothes,
was also prepared for the duel, for he re-
turned the fire with deadly effect. Shinall
must have emptied his pistol as there are
four bullet holes in the wall opposite the
window. 1t was a regular fusilade and
was heard for miles.
Parties in the neighborhood rushed to
the place, among whom was George
Heckle, the Summerville marshal, who
lives just across the street. They found
Mr.. Shinall lying just outside OF his bed
room window, covered with blood, and a
pistol on the ground near him. In the
street was Battey Buck, the trusted clerk,
with several bullets in his body.
Mrs. Shinall was in the room helpless
and horror stricken.
The scene was a terrible one, the floor
was covered with blood and in the walls
were numerous bullet holes. Physicians
were hurrledly summoned, but Shinall was
already dead. 1t was difficult to under
stand how the two men got out of the
house before they fell from their wounds.
They were at such close range that near
ly every shot took effect One bullet
passed entirely through Shinalrs body,
entering the right side, fracturing the
ninth rib, puncturing the abdominal cav
ity, and coming out to the right of the
spinal column. Another bullet fractured
his right hand, and third entered the
breast and cut the right subclavicle ar
terry, and this, according to the physi-
clans, produced death.
How Buck reached his home, nearly a
mile distant, before he fell to the ground,
is even harder to understand, for he had
five serious wounds, and 1t is wonderful
that he could have walked even a step.
He was taken to his home, with five bullet
holes in his body, two in his right arm,
one in his thigh, one in his hip, and one
in his mouth, the ball penetrating his
tongue. Doctors say that he has a chance
Of recovery If blood poisoning does not
set in. This afternoon, he was removed
from his home to the hospital.
Mrs. Shinall claims that when she had
been seen driving with Buck and at DIE
ferent places. in his company, she went
with her husbands knowledge and appro-
val, and that he had told her to use BUCK
as an escort. She gives what is an en-
tirely possible theory of the killing, and
which. II true, shows Shinall to have been
the victim of his own rashness and Bucis
the imaginary defender of his employer 4
home. She says in Mr.. Shinalls absence,
Buck occupied room In the house al
Mr. Shinalrs request. for her protection.
She says Buck has been drinking a great
deal lately, and she regarded him as near
ly crazy and had written Mr. Shinall
of his conduct on several occasions. She
says It is probable that Buck heard Mr..
Shinall first try to get in the door, and
then go to the window thinking II bug
glar, that he got up, and procured his
pistol and walked across the hall to her
room when he was breaking in the win
dow As the window was dashed in anil
Mr. Shinall bounded into the window,
young Buck faced him pistol IN hand ana
the deadly duel followed. the conse-
r.tnncce NJ which have ALREADY haar,