The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-18
THE DEATH OF J. H. ARLINGTON.
Details of the Crime That Cut Short Young
and Blameiess Life.

To the Editor: / notice in a recent
issue of the News and Observer an ac-
count of a railroad wreck near Thur
mond, w. Va, in which it is stated that
John Arlington of Beaufort, ". c., lost
his life. John H. Arlington, of Beaufort
~ c.. did lose his life in Thurmond, W.
Va, on the Sth inst, but not in a rail
road wreck. but as the victim of a cruel
murderer as the following account,
written by a gentleman who was in the
hotel when the fatal shot was fired will
show:
ITO the Relatives and Friends of John
Arlington, Beaufort, n. c.:
Being one of the many friends of Mr.
Arlington, who was at the Hotel Dunglen
at the time of the sad occurrence of last
evening, l feel it my duty to give you
an account as near as ! possibly can of
this deplorable occurrence.
Though the writer was in the hotel
lobby adjoining the dining room. in which
Mr.. Arlington was shot, he knows moth
ing of the affair. except what informatioE
he could get from the man who did the
shooting Walter Smith, a merchant Of
Mt Hope w. Va. a travelling man ac
quantance of both Mr.. Arlington and
Mr.. Smith and the hotel walters who
were in the dining room at the time
at seems that Mr.. Arlington was sit
ting at the head Of the table, and this
travelling man was sitting in the chair
to the left eating supper, when Mr.. Smith,
being an acquaintance of both Mr.. Ar
rington and this travelling man. came in
and took a chair to the right of Mr..
Arlington.
1T seems that Mr.. Smith and this
travelling man got up an argument as TO
the quality of a piece of goods, of which
the travelling man had a sample. and
was showing them there at the table.
Mr.. Arlington informed Mr. Smith that
| he knew this travelling man well, anG
would verify any statement he made in
regard to piece of goods. Mr.. AIRING
ton made the statement that one piece of
the goods was better than another, and
Smith called him a d liar Mr. Ar
rington Immediately slapped him in the
face with his open hand. Mr.. Smith at
tempted to draw his gun, when Mr.. Ar
ringtOn hit him a fearful blow under
the eve with his fist.
'"rhe travelling man, to whom we have
several times referred, was between Mr.
Arlington and Mr.. Smith. when the fatal
shot was fired. Mr.. Arlington calmly
walked out of the dining room across the
lobby. a distance of about seventy five
feet, took a chair, he was very pale. and
almost instantly he fell back, saying
I am shot and expired at 1925 p. NJ,
about ten minutes after he was shot
and without utterng another word
His remains were taken charge Of by
his many travelling men friends as we'll
as the hotel people. and given every
care and attention possible.
Before closing we beg to inform you
that Smith, the man who committed this
awful crime, is now in Jail at the county
seat of this county, Fayetteville, Fayette
county, w. Va.
"Sympathzing with you in your sorrow
am, Yours truly,
u. G. CLARK
February 9th. 1903
John H. Arlington was the son of the
late George W. Arlington and Mary E.
Arlington, of Beaufort. n. c. He was q
years old, was a travelling salesman for
Stephen Putney e Co, of Richmond
Va.
At o'clock p. m. on Thursday the
funeral services were conducted by the
pastor of the family, Rev J. A. Horna-
day, assisted by Revs. ~ NJ. Jurney and
II. NJ Worth. The partition between the
main auditorium of the church and the
Sunday School room was removed but
even then the seating capacity was utter
ly inadequate to accommodate the eager
throng that surged about the doors Of
the church. 1t was the largest gather
ing ever seen at a funeral in Beaufort
The services were conducted according
to the ritual of the Methodist church
After the funeral rites in the church. the
body was borne to the new cemetery
and there in the presence of quite Il
large number of sorrowing kindred and
friends laid to rest until called back to
life in the last day.
]. A. HORNADAY
Beaufort. ~ c.. Feb. II. 1908.