The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-03-16
WALKER uses A PISTOL.
He Shoots Attorney Hamilton
While the Latter Is Sitting.
Walker Receives Two Shots in
the Shoulder from the Hands
of an Unknown Person.

ant for the seat of Congressman-elec
Judge Wn. 7. Rhea, had just closed hi
depositions in Bristol a few days spc
and Judge Rhea had given General Walk
err notice to taking his proof o.
last Thursday morning in the Clerks OF
fee of the Virginia court house, befor
VIM. II. Price, Jr.. a notary public. Gen
eral Walker appeared Thursday with hi
counsel, Col. Abe Fulkerson and Capt }
H. Wood and Judge Rhea appeared il
person and was represented by W. ;
Hamilton, J. Fl. Winston and +. I. Bar
as counsel. The dispositions were former
" adjourned over until Friday, when thu
first witness, Mr.. W. II. Crowell, a con
tractor in this city, was examined in chic
for the contestee about thirty minutes
and was turned over to the contestant TO
cross examination. General Walker tool
the witness in hand and cross examined
him for the balance of the day Friday an'
again at night.
The next witness, Mr.. George [. StefE
ner, the proprietor of the Star Restaurant
was placed on the stand by Judge Rhea''
counsel and examined in chief for about
fifteen minutes and then turned over tC
General Walker, who held him Oh the
stand on cross examination all day Sat
urday, the deposition being adjourned
over until after supper Saturday night.
When the difficulty occurred, the depO-
s%itions were being taken in a small room
twelve by twelve feet square, in the Viz
ginia court house, on the east side OF the
building and in the room that is used as
the iury room. 1t has one fire place, one
window and two doors, one side door open
ing into the hall, the other into the cor
poration court room. The only furniture
in the room was about twelve chairs and a
small desk upon which the typewriter was
placed, which was being operated by
George +. Davis.
Those present when the difficulty occur
red were General James A. Walker, his
stenographer, Robert NJ. Calfee, of Pulaski
City and his friend and supporter, Albert
r. Hickman, Of this city, Judge VIM. +.
| Rhea and his counsel. WIN. 5. Hamilton,
W. H. Price, Jr., notary public, George +.
Davis, stnographer and typewriter, George
U. Steiner, the witness on the stand, Z.
C. Kidd, Milton b. Owen and James a.
Stone. clerk of the corporation court.
The taking of dispositions was resumed
| promptly at 1880 p. M, with the above
named gentlemen present. Gen. Walker
resumed cross-examination Of witness. lie
and Attorney Hamilton had had some
difficulty a few minutes before the shoot
ing occurred and some sharp words had
passed between them. During this Cen
era, Walker had drawn a single barrel
derringer forty-one calibrc aud held 1t III
his hand as if to conceal it under his coat
| tail. During this demonstration, Mr..
Calfee aud Mr.. Davis had grabbed Gener-
al Walker and were holding him and Mr..
Stone and Mr.. Steiner had hold of W. ).
lie, and Judge Rhea were trying TO do
everything to allay the fuss, and every
body present thought the trouble was
over, especially as ". 5. Hamilton said to
General Walker "that am like you were
the other day | don't want to fight and
that if you have any matter to settle with
me 81 will see you tomorrow, or words to
that effect, Hamilton said that "if have
suid anything to anyone in here that is
out of the way | retract it, and SAYING
this took his seat, and Walker also took
his seat about the same time and every
one in the room became seated, Mr.. Davis,
the typewriter resuming his seat at the
machine preparatory to begin the work OF
taking down the testimony. General
Walker then made the remark, not SEEM
ing to address it to anyone in particular,
that if they would get a sober man there
as counsel be would resume the cross ex-
animation of the witness, but that he did
not propose to do so with that d-n
drunken (using the uncomfortable name
any longer.
Mr.. Hamilton said that if he meant to
apply that language to him that be Walk
err was a d-n liar. At this moment
General Walker rose from bis seat and
drawing a derringer fired at W. 5. Ham
ilton without saying another word, strik-
ing him about two inches above the naval.
Hamilton Was seated and was on the OPP
posIte side Of the table from Walker and
was just in the act of getting up out Of his
chair when he was shot, and he immedi-
rose to his feet and Strengthened up.
At this point the commotiOn became very
great in this small room. Walker drop
ped his derringer on the table and imme-
took to fight with his friends, r.
NJ. Calfee and A. r. Hickman following in
quick pursuit.
During the great commotion and con-
that followed, two other shots we're
by an unknown person, and General
Walker was wounded in the right shout
and breast, both shots taking effect.
The only other pistol that was seen in