The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-02-02
DETERMINED
TO KILL THEM.
Legg Gave His Victims
No Show Whatever.
HE HUNTED THEM DOWN.
Further Particulars Of the Bloody Nun
ders In North ADMINISTRATOR Not
Captured.

FLORENCE. Ala, Jan. 25.-Your
cOrresIOnueI t inttrvie weu Il. V.
Holland, a rolative of the Beding-
fielos, VINO were murdered by Johu
Legg near RogersvIlle, Tuesday
afternoon. The story in detail make $
the affair even more terrible than at
first repo ted, and shows the killing
to have Drtn one OF the most cold
blOudtd acts ever committed in this
county. III his dying hours. Jerome
Bedlneti, 10, the son, told the folio W.
lug 5 ,ory - the causes and mauLer
of his death:
Buck Bedlngfield, a younger broth
er, aged about 81, was engaged in
hauling lumoer from the saw mia
wagon to ,he mill preparatory to
lOauing. In a few minutes after lie
had entered the mill John Legg
drove up and called to him to get out
of thew way, saying that be was going
to lOau his wagon first. Young b ed
ingfield replied he would noG give
way, and Legg said that he would
die and 90 TO hell except he loaded
fist. Young Bedingfield then repi-
ed that ne could not get his wagon
out OF the way ii be wanted to, as
there was no way for him to turn,
and LPgG unhitched his team and
started home for his shotgun. Secur-
ing this he started back toward the
saw mill.
On the way be met Jerome Bed
ingtleld waking along the load.
They spoke to each other, Legg
asking Bedingtield if he had any
thing against him. Bedingfield SAID
that ne had not. Legg then said:
We'll, |. have nothing against YOU
either, but I'm going to kill you just
the same" Suitiug his action to
his words he raised his gun and
fired, the first charge missing the
victim. He then pulled the trigger
the second time, and eig hteen buck
shol struck Bedingfield IN the hip,
gong through and tearing an i'm
mense hole through his bowels aud
groin. Leeg asked his victim
Must / flush your Bedingfield
replied mo, Cousin John, you've
done enough, you've killed me-
Legg turned on his heel, saying
"Im going to kill your damned old
daddy, too, and all the rest of the N
l can find"
Leaving the dying man in the
road, he went toward the elder Bed
ingfield's house, overtaking the old
man in the road half a mile from
the place where he had just shot the
son. He opened fire on John Bed.
ingfield, shooting him once with
buckshot in the left arm. The ole
man fell, and Legg raised his gun
and fired again, the second charge
being squirrel shot aud striking the
pfostrate imam in the bead. This
shot was fired at five yards distant
but did not end his second victim ;.
life, aud the third shot was fired
with buckshot. tIiking the old mar
in the groin and abdomen, and tear
ing him almost 10 pieces. Several
women, whose names could not be
learned, witnessed the cold bloodeC
killing of the elder Bedingfield, and
gave the alarm as soon a. they coulC
recover their wits.
Legg then walked back to the
home of his brother, situated on the
road between the place where the
son was shot and where the father
lay dying, secured horse and maot
his escape. He had not been cap
tured at last reports, and It is prob
able that if he is caught he will
never reach the county jail alive
The community in which the ter
rible TRAGEDY occurred is greatly
wrought up over the cold bloode(
deed. and swear to take the lite o
the murderer.
II told Cousin John that he hat
done me wrong for he killed M,
without giving me show, and afte
telling me that he had nothing
against me-" These are the word
of young Jerome Bedingfie!d on hi
death bed, and though tits impossi
BILE TO get details from his bedside a
this hour it is certain that he is dea(
ere this.
The horrible deed has shocked tn,
entire county, and the prominenc,
of all the parties concerned makes i
all the more deplorable. The &C
count stating that the difficult,
started over settlement for lumbe
is not correct. The two familie
had been on bad terms for ten years
on account of a quarrel which oc
Cured between sister of John Leg
and some of the BediDgfield chill
dren. who were school children a
that time. There was some sus
picion that Legg or some of his peo
pie had set fire to the school hous,
at Rogersville, aud the feud started
in this was. Both the Bedingtield
we've unarmed when they were shot
and had no showing to defend them
selves. The deed was done with0u
any provocation whatever. JOIN
Bedingfield was nearly 60 years o
age, ana was one of the best soldier
who went out from this county to til
war between the states.