The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-11
A VIRGINIA SHOOTING CASE.
QUARREL BETWEEN TWO YOUNG MEN
OF PROMINENT FAMILIES.

Tho Pretty wife Of Ono the Innocent Cause |
of tho shooting She Was tho Sweetheart |
of the Other When Ho Went to College,
but Was Married When He Returned.
RICHMOND. Va. June 1O.-The wounding OF
John Goodwin May at Louisa. Va. two weeks |
ago. by young Il. l.. c. Barrett involves three |
prominent Virginia families in an affair
which IL full Of interest and accord
ing to those best acquainted with the
facts which led up to the shooting has not
reached its most serious stage Tho facts are
difficult to obtain. as every one in the vicinity
is closely connected with the parties and will
not talk. but such as are known are OF the
most romantic character.
Young Barrett ia charged with maliciously
shooting and woundng Mr.. May. member OF
the Louisa bar The latter has a fine practice.
He is the son OF the Rev. I. N. May. promi-
nent Baptist preacher and principal OF Oakland
Academy In Louisa. Both sides have employed
a number OF the ablest lawyers to be
procured and the prosecution will be bitter
Mr.. Mays pretty young wife. who was the
cause OF the shooting. is the daughter OF the
Rev Landon A. Cutler formerly pastor OF the
Marshall Street Christian Church Richmond.
and lately Prohibition candidate for Governor.
Barrett is a very handsome young fellow. ~
years old. a son Of Dr. r L. Barrett the most
pnyblcldh vi an phoe bcSoioh' NV
70 years OF age. His mother was q Miss
Keene, OF a distinguished and wealthy fam
lily in the far South. Barrett and Miss
| lone Cutler were lovers. Tho people OF
| the town smiled when they saw them and said
| II would be a match. Barrett was sent to col
| leRe at Suanee. Tenn. and In his absence
| young May came to Louisa to practice law. fell
| in love with lone Cutler. and she married
| him when she was yet In her teens.
and they now have a little child. Six months
ago Barrett returned home with the highest
honors OF his college. A wealthy relative at
the North. proud OF his achievement. offered
| to send him to any university in the North he
| might choose and before the hght he intended
| to 20 to Columbia.
Barrett's father being a near neghbor
Of. the, Mays; tho young man naturally fell
into hi, the hao Sf TsqS " shs hone
GUS and forbade him the. house, The two
met two weeks ago in MAYS Office and a
| There were no eyewitnesses to the contest.
They were seen together chatting amicahly
observed them thought their troubles had
been settled; and they . probably had been 1;
son tell him what was the exact cause Of the
trouble. but the young man kept his lips
seeed He thep vent to Nay and b ResGGSd
with his son, and MAY also declined to crafty
him, DR.. Barrett lost his temper and used
|
gentleman and May picked up chairs from the
| sidewalk and made for each other.
| At this point young Barrett rushed across
| the street, and when within fifteen feet OF May
shot him 1t is said by the defence that by SO
| doing he saved his fathers life. The Com
monwealth will aim 70 show that Barrett
! showed every DISPOSITION to avoid trouble with
Dr. Barrett. and that the fact that young Bar
rett was armed proves that he was Xpecting
serious trouble. The ball entered Mr.
Mays right side. 1t cut hole through
| n plug OF tobacco. wad of election
tickets, struck his seventh rib and
glanced of. 1t has been probed for. hut
never found Mays life hung by a slender
! thread for several days and he Is not entirely
out Of dargrr now. His wife has been almost
. constantly with him. Being the innocent cause
/ Of the trouble she is naturally very much dis
. treSSed.
Barrett, after, his arrest was taken before
/ Mayor Bib. The point was raised that the
| Mayor was not legally in office. not having sub
! scribed to the nt-duclliuG oath. He sus-
| tanned It. declined to hear the cage and vacated
| his Office. magistrate was sent for ar d after
, ovcrrulug tn. point that ne was not qualified
to sit IN the ease Locause he had not taken the
, anti-ducng oath. Barrett waived examna-
| ton and wa held for the Grand Jury Neither
! May NOR Barrett has let il he known what led
, up to the aEht. arr the utmost interest is
| taken in what may be aevel ped when they are
mt on oath before the court.