Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-08-10

Capt. E. r. Curry, Commanding FL
Dorado Arkansas State Guard
Report with your company at once
to Sheriff w. G. Pendleton for duty.
(Signed) JEFF Davis, Governor"
Maj Gen. W. II. Haynes. command
ing the state guard, sent the follow
ing message to Ell Dorado:
Little Rock, Aug. s, 1903.
Capt. E. r. Curry. Ell Dorado, Ark:
Sheriff W. G.. Pendleton wires Gov.
Davis requesting company, any state
guard there report to sheriff for duty.
You are authorized to respond to a
lawful call on the FL Dorado company
of infantry for service, cautiously act
ing in line of duty.
(Signed Haynes, Major General" )"
Third Parnell Killed in Year.
The cause of the tragedy can be
traced directly to the bloody street
duel in Ell Dorado on October 9, 1902.
At that time Tom and Waiter Par
nell brothers of John and Constable
H. J.. Dearing were Killed and City
Marshall Tucker was seriously wound
ed. So great was the excitement then
that the governor ordered out the El
Dorado military company to assist the
local and county authorities in pre-
serving order.
From the best information obtaina-
BILE the trouble between Tucker aad
the ParnellS did not originate in any
bad feelings growing out of political
differences Immediately following the
reconstruction era. Several tragedies
in Union county have been charged
in the press to such an origin. and 1T
has been heralded that a bitter feud
has existed for years in the county.
but some of the representative citl-
zens of the county scout such an idea.
The series of killings beginning at
Junction City, December 81, 1900,
when Robert W. Mullins shot and kill.
ed John Bussel, leading young busi-
ness man. is said to have been enron
eously connected with the subse-
quent tragedies in which Tucker and
the Parnells figured.
Mullins subsequently engaged IN tie
photograph business in Ell Dorado
and it seems he tried to prevent the
marriage of a young lady to a man
he did not like. The young couple
were leaving town on a train and it is
said Mullins tried to intercept them
at the next station. Anticipating his
purpose, Constable H. l.. Dearing and
City Marshal Tucker had boarded the
train at Ell Dorado and at the next
| station they placed Mullins under ar
rest. Later in Ell Dorado Mullins ac
| costed Dearing and slapped his face
| The result was that Dearing pulled his
pistol and killed Mullins. Tucker ha(
nothing to do with this tragedy.
Origin Of Tucker-ParnelI Trouble.
| 1t was some months later that Tuck
er's trouble with the Parnels began
| AS city marshal Tucker ordered the
| Parnells to clear a sidewalk in front
# the Parnell property of obstruc
ions 1t has been claimed that no at
| -ention was paid to the order. At the
'ime the Parnells were erecting {
brick business block to replace frame
buildings which had been destroyed by
fire. On October last Tucker me-
Tom and Walter Parnell as he was
| leaving the court house and the sub
! ect of the sidewalk distractions was
ng was bloody duel. Constable Har
ison Dearing was close at hand an(
,ushed in to act as pea cemaker For
While it seemed that his efforts woult
be successful but when the tim'
anne for the men to go their separate
ways the trouble was revived by
"emark which called forth a spirited
reply. Hot words We're exchanged
| moment or two and the street soOl
an red with the blood of the angr.
men. Thirty or forty shots wer
ired and when the battle subsided
vas found that Walter and Tom Pa
lell and Constable Dearing We're dead
and Tucker bad been shot three times
lin and Mat Parnell came up durin
he shooting and one of them wa