The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-10-21


dies IN the history of Maury County
occurred last Sunday morning,
when the quiet little village of Car
ter's Creek was startled by pistol
duel between Cam Simmons on one
side, and Drew and Warren Irvine,
brothers, on the other. AS result,
the former now sleeps the sleep of
death, while the latter two are seri-
ously wounded. The tragedy
occurred about 8 o'clock in the
morning, and the news spread rapid
ly throughout the adjoining country.
The fact that all the parties impli-
Gated in the unfortunate occurrence
are highly connected and have al
ways been peaceable. law!abiding
citizens, renders the affair still more
TO be regretted.
The facts in regard to the killing,
as nearly as can be ascertained, are
about as follows, although, as is
usual in such cases, there are some
points upon which the two sides are
at variance, aud all the facts will
not be known until the excitement
subsidies and the matter is acted up
on by the courts.
The direct cause of the difficulty
was quarrel which Mrs. w. T.
Irvine, mother of the Irvine boys,
had last Saturday with Simmons;
but it appears that that quarrel was
due in part if not entirely to an ill
| feeling that had existed between
the parties for some time.
Mr.. Simmons wife, nee Willie
Wisener, is cousin to the Irvine
boys, and before her marriage lived
with the Irvine family. She was an
orphan, and the late w. II. Irvine
was her guardian until his death
two or three years ago, when Mr..
Dock Rockwell was appointed
guardian in his place.
Cam Simmons and Miss Wisener
were united in marriage about ten
months ago. Before the marriage
took place an ill feeling was engen-
dered, and the marriage came near
being broken off, because of reli.
giOus differences; Simmons being a
member of the Christian church and
desiring to have a minister of that
denomination perform the cere-
mOny, while Miss Wisener and the
Irvines, who were Cumberland
Presbyterians, preferred preacher
of that denomination. Matters were
finally recOnciled, however, and the
young people were married by Rev.
NJ. r.. Gdoard, minister of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
This does not bear upon last Sun
days tragedy, however, further than
| tn .h Of
ment had arisen between the IT.
vines and Simmons. This feeling
was further .engendered by a lano
transaction which Mrs. Simmons
made recently, and which did moi
please the Irvines.
On the day before the killing Mrs
Irvine went to Simmons place OF
business at Mr.. s. b. Nichols store
where he had been clerk for sew
eral years. She engaged in CONVEX
sation with him for some time anC
the language she used and her man.
ner upon this occasion is said by
witnesses to have been quite in
sulting and offensive. She further
declared her intention of going t
, Simmons house to see his wife and
, did gO but in the meantime Sim
mons had himself gone home, il
anticipation of her visit, knowing
that she did not bear q kindly feel
ing toward his wife, and fatty re
! fused to allow her to enter the gate
, In her angry determination, how
( ever, she climbed the fence anC
started to the house; but the man .
. the house locked the doors and re
: fused to give her admittance.
5 At this juncture, question arise
in regard to what then and Their
d took place. The attorneys for Mrs
Y I'vine claim that Simmons insulte
!. her grossly; using towards her pro
n fame, vulgar and abusive languag
r and Shaping her in the face. Tn
n friends of the deceased man, how
ever, deny this, by saying that sue
: an act and such language was ell
n tirely contrary to the habits an
S character of the man, and not in keeI
n ing with his fOrbeaTance and d.
J. pertinent towards her at Nichol
store, where she had first met an
abused him, and that he was nevt
known to swear an oath.
Finally, Mrs. Irvine left Simmon
y threatening, it is alleged, that 81
would go tell her sons and sen
} them to kill him; and several wi
o nesses will state that this threat WI
: repeated a number OF times.
<, The next morning, about o clocl
2, Mr.. s. b. Nichols and Simmor
n were at the store arranging Il
D mail, when the Irvine boys we
e, observed crossing the creek near II
s. station. They went towards Sin
'. mons house and stopped within
} short distance of there, dismoun
a ing and hitching their horses in
J. field near by. Simmons house
ut situated on the railroad about
Dt quarter Of mile from and in sigl
Is of the station, In the meantim
ut Simmons had left the depot al
y started towards his home, first g
of ing to the rear of Mr.. Nichols sto
he and arming himself with NJ