The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-03-23
YOUNG Boxwen and Ex-Deputy Mar
shall Charles Hughes Handle
Guns in Careless Manner
Tried to Get Drop on
One Another.
once too often They Do II, and Hughes Sends a
Bullet Through Boxwelrs Brain, InfIicting
Fatal Injury---Jury Acquits Hughes.

The ware room of the Palace Frrni.
ture company, near the Kessler hospital.
was the scene of an unfortunate tragedy
Saturday night, by which Holmes Box
well lost his life.
Boxwclrs father conducts a boarding
house at the corner Of West Main and
Water streets. lie had room mate,
Charles Z. Hughes, driver for the Palace
Furniture company. The day of the
tragedy the company's hostlcr was abb
sent on account of sickness and it de
yolved upon Hughes to care for the
horses that night. The day was rainy
and the streets were muddy. As a con-
sequence the horses were quite muddy.
and Hughes first cleaned them by turn
ing the hose on them, at the end OF the
days work. Then after supper he came
up street and remained until 10 o'clock.
He went to the BoxwelI home, and he
and young Bowel went out to the
barn to curry the horses. About the
time they started toward the barn they
saw a light in it, and concluded TO take
a revolver with them, fearing that some
one was there who misI,t do them harm.
Upon their arrival at the barn they dis
covered that no one was proving about
and they proceeded to curry the horses.
After this was done the light was re-
moved to the Office of the ware room up
stairs and there they wliilcd the time
away until the tragedy.
Life was entirely too slow for them
and they indulsed titcuscivc, in the dcs-
perate and unusual practice Of seeing
who could get the drup on one another
first with guns. The revolver came INTO
play in this game and Winchester ri
fle. belonging to the company. which they
found hanging on the wall in u scabbord.
1t was empty. The three cartridges
were taken out of the revolver by them.
1t was a 3s-calibrc and belonged to Box
well. Having thus prepared against ac-
cident they proceeded to play the de-
tectiye and victim act, as some termed
It. They stood apacc and each tried to
see which could be the quicker in getting
the drop Oh the other with the guns.
Some very quick action was shown, but
they soon tned II this vigorous exercise
and laid the sins down. not, however, be-
fore reloading the revolver. This sport
was 50 alluring that they INDUCED in il
two or three more times. unloading and
loading the revolver each time they began
and rested. Finally they grew weary of
the sport and concluded to 20 home, the
hour being late. The revolver wa load.
ed for the last time and Hughes put it
in his right hip pocket. After some lit
tie time, in which their minds were oe-
cupied with something else. BoXwcll con.
Guided to take another round Of the dcs-
peradocs' game and pulled the rifle on
Hughes. Qr:eS as a flash the latter
pulled the gun cat Of his pocket and
fired. The gun was loaded this time
and did the deadly work. The bullet
struck Boxwell III The forehead inst above
the left eye. euassed upward to the cen
ter Of the skull. Which it broke, and ther
went downward and lodged just under
the skull at t,,c back OF his head Box
vel was Nandiag against the door when
the shot was fired and Hughes short
distance away from him. Not remem-
boring that the weapon was loaded,
Hughes was thoroughly alarmed. upon
seeing Bowel reel and blood streaming
from his forehead. He threw the revolv-
er down and caught BoNwell As he was
falling. After gently laying him down,
he pulled 6ut his handkerchief. wiped the
blood away and tried to stop the ilow'
Seeing that he could not do this. he made
a bandase out Of the handkerchief and
tied il around lis head. hurried To the
house. apprized the inmates and sum-
,noncd Dr.. 4. X. Kessler by telephone,
4 messenger was also sent from the
house to Dr.. Kessler, who hurricdly dress,
cd and went to the barn, where he found
Boxwcll lying with head and shoulders
projecting from the door into the hall
Hughes met Dr.. Kessler in the hallway
and in an excited frame of mind. lie
implored the doctor. even before he ex'
amincd the wounded man, if he would
live. When an examination had been