Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-05
THE nrnSaRp SHOOTING CASE.
sheppard Gives Some Plausible "e"-
sons why lie shot the Man.

sons why He shot the man,
GREENvILLE. y. c.. september 4
Special. saturday night. after the at
tempted shooting Of District-Attorney c.
NJ. Bernard by NJ. b. S. Sheppard, at the
depot here as was told in this corre-
spondence. Bernard went before Justice
W. II. Long and swore out peace-war-
rant against Sheppard. The warrant was
placed in the hands OF Deputy-sherin J.
]. Mason. who had no trouble whatever
in finding Mr.. Sheppard with friends
whom he was visiting and at o'clock
he appeared before the Justice, where.
after the examination Of Bernard ana
one other eyewitness, Sheppard was re-
quired 10 enter into bond OF 500 TO keep
the peace The bond was readily gwen
Bernard was represented by Attorney y.
NJ. Moore. sheppard desiring no couhsei
for himself 4 considerable crowd at
tended the trial
MR.. sHEPPARD'S EXPLANATIONS.
After all was over and had become
quiet your correspondent interviewed MI
Sheppard and asked II there was any
statement relative 10 the matter that ne
wished 20 make for publication. AZ hrsI
ne hesitated regretting the publicity that
had endured but after moment re-
Election he said II was perhaps a duty no
owed the public To- make a fun state
meit Of the matter, 50 they might Know
the character % Bernard, ana olheIS
might be warned against such an III
vador and destroyer Of homes.
Then in response 20 the question why
did you attempt TO shoot District-AtloI-
new Bernardo" Mr.. Sheppard maze the
following statement;
because he was the author OF the rum
Of my once happy home. l was married
I'm 1871 and moved 10 Greeneville nine
years later. For awhile after moving mere
/ continued farming operations in Greene
county twelve miles distant. when kept
me away from home perhaps hair or my
time in later years my business engage
ments were such that ! was necessarily
often away from my home. However IL
was not until 1895 that ! had any intiina-
ton or suspicion that my domestic re-
iati0ns had been disturbed. In the sum-
mcr OF that year ! received an anony-
nous note which gave me the first hint
Of my wife's inhdelty. This note said IN
substance that # / would set q watch l
could learn some facts that l should
knOw-that too intimate relation existed
between certain persons and my WE
CAME LIKE A THUNDERCLAP.
This came like a thunderclap from
clear sky. for / felt that my home
and happiness were ruined. i began TO
watch, and soon found that there was
cause for such a note being written me.
1 also learned that q. NJ. Bernard had
been the cause Of my wife's downfall, and
her unfaithfulness TO me.
This knowledge led 20 a separation be-
tween myself and Wife, and destroyed our
home. As soon as my business could be
put in proper shape / LETT GreenViile
and for nearly q year travelled in MeX-
CO. Central America, and Honduras. Ny
intention was never TO return, but on
account of some property interests l
found IL necessary u come back. When
] returned. through my wife's entreaues
and persuasion / allowed her 10 return
% me and / took Ter away We went
to Red Springs and remained some
months. afterwards changing our resi-
dence several times. ] provided for her,
as there was no one who would allow
her 10 go to them. though my confidence
could not be restored. / brought her
back 10 this section in April Of this year
and left her at her mothers In Greene
county. 1 have since been roaming from
place to place. Ny home and happiness
being wrecked and health destroyed. my
life was more of misery and Wrctchedness
than can be told. went as man with
one foot in the grave, and part of the
time had TO remain Ia a hospital.
In the last few months / have been in
Greenville several times. In the inter
val after my first leaving here / learned
much Of Bernard's intimacy with my wife
and how ne had taken advantage Of my
absence on business TO invade the
sanctity Of my home.
MET HIM FACE TO FACE.
when l returned TO Greenville early
this year Bernard had moved to Raleigh
to enter the Office OF District Attorney,
which he now disgraces and dishonors.
After becoming thoroughly satisfied of
his guilt in causing nay wife's downfall
and bringing SO much trouble upon me, 1
did not meet him face to face until sat
urday evening at the depot as he was
waiting TO depart on the train. Seeing
him then ! was SO overcome by tine
thought Of the suffering be had caused
me that l drew my pistol and shot at
him. / thought ! had hit him. as he fen
Immediately out Of the hack i'm which he
had been sitting and scrambled OF on all
fOurs. 1 could have shot him again, but
seeing him fall and thinking him wounded
l felt satisfied without trying 10 punish
him further, so did not shoot again. /
did not desire TO take his life, but i did
want to punish him for the terrible wrong
he had done me and 10 mark him as the
destroyer OF mems homes / understand
that i am not the only sufferer in this
respect at his hands"
SYMPATHY FOR HIN.
This is the story of the wrOnged man,
and one can have only feelings Of pity
TO hear him relate t. The sentiment of
the people of this section is unanimously
on the side Of Mr.. sheppard They know
ne has been wronged, and wrongly ire
parably, and the sympathy of all is eN-
pressed for him. People are expressing
themselves freely on tne matter, and do
not hesitate TO say that they regret that
the shot Mr.. Sheppard fired al the de-
stroyer of his home failed 90 reach its
mark.
HEARD IN THE CITY or RALEIGH.
The bernard ShOOtinE-RniIway and
Agricultural NeWs-PersOnaI.