The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-01-18
PERFECT RAIN OF BULLETS.
Kentucky Tragedy in Which
Three Men Are Victims.
Affair Takes Place in the Lobby Of the
Principal Hotel in the City. The
Guests Thrown Into a Panic.

der thread. while two Others m;racu
ously escaped with painful injuries
occurred here at l o'clock today.
The principals in the tragedy were
ex-Congressman David q. Colson OF
Middlesboro and Lieut. Ethelbert
Scott of Somerset Scott was shot
six times and almost instantly killed.
The killing occurred in the lobby OF
the Capitol Hotel, the principal hos
tlery of the state capital, the room
being well filed at the time with poll
ticians and others. who are here at
tending the contest for state offices
before the Legislature.
Col Colson is in jail tonight charg-
ed with murder, but he claims self
defense.
Col Colson and party of friends,
among whom was Demarree. were
sitting in the lobby engaged i'm con-
versation as Scott and Capt. Golden
came up the stairs from the bar room.
They had advanced about half way
across the room, walking in the di-
rectiGn of Colson. the latter, ii is
said. half rising from his chair. fired
at Scott, who instantly returned the
fire. The shooting became general,
and bystanders are at variance IA to
the number engaged in it. Demarree
was standing slightly in front of Col
son, and Scott is said to have crouch
ed behind him to ward of bullets
from Colson's revolver In an in
slant Demarree fell dead. pierced by
three bullets. Capt. Golden. who nc
companied Scott, reeled to one side,
falling into the arms of ex-Gov. JAS
b. McCreary, exclaming: Il am shot.
The smoke in the locality of the
antagonists became dense, but Col
son continued To press Scott, who re-
treated backward, shooting as he
moved. Colson emptied the cham
bers of a 3S-calibre revolver and
quickly brought a A. into action.
Scott by this time had been hit sew
eral times and as he staggered back
fell down the stairway, Colson, who
was within few feet of him. contin-
ued to fire till the form of Scott rolled
over and showed life extinct.
The battle was terrific and bullets
fairly rained through the lobby, sew
eral of which went wild, piercing win
dow glass or embedding themselves
i'll the walls and furniture of the hotel.
1t was not discovered for several
minutes that Julian. who died later,
had been shot, and at first his wound
was thought to be only trifiing. Al
ter the killing, Colson ran out of the
hotel and hurried to the residence of
Chief OF Police Williams, where he
He was almost exhaust
ed and be entered the house, gasped
Il am sorry, he would not let me
alone. There were three of them
shooting at me"
Following is the record of the
marksmen:
Scott, bullet in temple, one in the
throat, two in lungs, two in back.
Demarree, two in heart.
Julian, bullet in calf of right leg.
Capt. Golden, two bullets in spine. |
ColsOn, bullet splintered left wrist |
to elbow, bullets tore his cuffs and |
sleeves to shreds. Nobodynot in the |
line OF fire was touched.
The death OF Julian is the most re- |
He walked to his room
His cousin, Judge Ira Ju-
liam, examined the wound and con-
graduated him on his escape. The
doctors were busy with the diving and |
Julian waited. He was bleeding to
death, however, and when the doctors
turned attention to him he was past
recovery. Capt. Golden was alive at |
a late hour.
Colonel Colson h long been a |
prominent figure in kentucky poll
tics. de served two terms i'm con-
gress and declined denomination at |
the hands of the republican party Of
the eleventh district in order to ac-
cept the colonelency of the Fourth |
Kentucky regiment in the Spanish |
war.
Scott was lieutenant and Golden |
a captain OF cavalry troop in Col
sons regiment and the trouble which /
led to the tragedy to-day began then.
A feud sprang up between Colson and
Scott while the troops were in camp
At Admission, Ala, and in this. it is
said by Colson's friends that Capt. |
Jolden was warm partisan of |
Scott. The trouble between them at
that time eliminated in a meeting
them in a restaurant, which
resulted in COlson being shot by
scott. The regiment was shortly al
mustered out of the service
as result of the feud between the
officers and the serious charges and
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