The times., 1899-02-13
COLONEL COLSON Shot
BY LIEUTENANT SCOTT
The Result Of a Wordy War
in the Fourth Kentucky.
The Assailant a Nephew of Gov
ernor Bradley.
His offence. According Ia Military
Law. L. Punishable by Death
Histor. of the Trouble.

Admission. Ala. Feb 12-Lieut. Ethel
bert d. Scott shot and severely wounded
Col. Davis G. Colson. OF the Fourth Ken
lucky Volunteers. here at an early hour
this morning. Scott belonged 10 the same
regiment. Lieutenants Scott, Wilbert. and
Brakeman, with two provost guards. we're
sitting at a restaurant table eating. While
thus seated Colson came in and took a
seat at the table and ordered supper He
had been there but a few minutes when
Brakeman began cursing Colson. The lat
ter arose from his chair and, rushing TO
Brakeman. pulled his ear. As he did so
Scott drew a revolver from under the
table and shot Colson twice, the first shot
telling him Scott attempted TO shoot
again, but Lieutenant Wilbert grabbed
Scott and prevented further shooting. The
provost guards. however, jumped up and
began beating the PROSTATE ColsOn. Be
fore they could be interfered with they
had pounded the colonel into insensbility.
Scott and the provost guards were arrested
and locked up in the county Jail.
Colonel Colsons wound is in the side,
but he will recover The wounds on his
head. inflicted by the provost guards, are
likely TO prove serious.
The trouble between Colonel Colson and
Lieutenant Scott dates back TO the time
the Fourth Kentucky was being modified
here last summer. The colonel was not al
lowed TO place as many Of his friends as
commissioned officers in the regiment as
he desired, Governor Bradley taking that
power out of his hands and putting in four
of his nephews as commissioned officers,
among them being Lieutenant Scott, whose
mother was the Governors sister. There
was bad feeling between Scott and Colson
from the time the recruits first began to
come in, and the feeling continued to grow
until il assumed serious proportions. The
colonel declared Scott did not attend TO his
duties as drillmaster and in other ways
neglected his company. This caused Scott
to say many uncomplimentary things
about Colson, and the latter had Scott tried
before Z court martial, which acquitted
him. He afterward had him appear before
a board of examiners. and that board de-
clared Scott incompetent for the position
he held and recommended that he be dis
Washington, as did Colson, where Scott
convinced the War Department that Col
son was not treating the regiment right;
that the men wanted 10 be mustered out
and that Colson was trying 10 keep them in
the service for his own ends. They were
10 be mustered out as the result OF SCOTS
work in their behalf, and nearly all wore
lV1r viii MI IN
made Colscn angry and he wrote cards in
the Admission newspapers attacking Scott 5
character. Scott replied in kind. Yester-
day all the privstes Of the regiment were
mustered out, but the officers had not been
mustered out when the shooting occurred,
go that Scott will have 10 be tried by the
military authorities The penalty for
shooting a superior officer is death. accord
ing to army regulations.
Another version OF the fight says that
Lieutenant Scott was sitting at table
eating with friend Lieutenant Brakeman,
of the same regiment. when Coloael Col
son entered He walked over near the two
men at the table. and after looking al
them few seconds stepped up and pulled
Lieutenant Blakemans ear at the same
time applying vile epithet 10 him. Lieu
tenant Scott declared that Lieutenant
Brakeman was his friend and he would not
allow him to be insulted At this Colsor
drew a pistol and Lieutenant Scott rose
from his chair with a pistol in each hand
There were quite a number of men in the
place. and while some say they do not
know which fired first others declare that
Colonel CoIson opened the fight. Probably
dozen shots were fired before the Others
present could stop the fusillade. Leuten.
ants Mckay and Phelps. of the Fourtf
Wisconsin. on duty with the proves
guards, were in the room, and immediatel,
took steps to bring the engagement to aI
end. Lieutenant Phelps ran up to Lieu
tenant Scott and demanded his pistol. Tn,
latter said he willingly relinquished then
TO the proper authority. Lieutenant Nc
Kay in the meantime had ordered Colso
10 dsarm. but ne refused to do so. and tn
pistol was taken from him by force. Quic
as a fash Colson drew another weapon an
fired some say at Scott and others a
Lieutenant Mckay. but without effect Tn
provost lieutenant then bent his efforts to
so struck Colson twice with his fist. bruis
ing his face badly. Colonel Colson was In
only man injured He announced that h
was wounded and was carried TO an uE
stairs room. where physicians were sun
moned. A bullet had entered his hip an
ranged around TO the rear, where it wa
located and extracted. Colonel Colson wa
furious and made frantic efforts to get u
and gel his pistol 1t was some time befoI
he could be quie,ed. friend Of Colon
Colson swore out a warrant for LIeutenaI
Scott. and he was arrested. Both office
have many warm personal friends in II
regiment. Owing TO the Iateness of Il
hour few people knew Of the affair unt
this morning.
FATAL FIRE IN MONTREAL