The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-07
George T. Bland Shot Dead
in His Yard.
SLAIN BY FATHER -IN-LAW
5. H. Terry, the Man Who Kills Bland, is
Committed to Jail Without Bond on
the Verdc! of the Coroner's
Jury.
(By the. Associated Press.)


Wilmington, N. c., Oct. 6.-As the re-
suit of bad blood which had existed be-
tween the men for several years, S. H.
Terry night watchman for the Atlantic
Coast Line, this morning shot and instant
ly killed his son-in-law, George T. Bland
in the latter's yard which he had enter
ed from side gate, it is said, to avoid
Terry who had made threats against
him.
Terry Immediately gave himself up and
though he made plea of self-defence, he
was committed to jail without bond upon
the verdict of coroner's jury which in
vestigated the tragedy.
The killing occurred about 8:45 o'clock.
Terry and Bland live on the same street
and in the same block Bland did not go
home the night before the murder, pre-
sumably because of threats which came
to his ears from his father-in-law He re-
mained at the Bonitz Hotel down town
and drove from Farrior's livery stable
over to his home for breakfast this morn
ing. He entered from side gate, osten-
sibly from meeting Terry, who was seated
on the steps of church diagonally across
AS Bland came in from the side Terry
looked over to the front gate of the
house word of two is supposed to have
passed between them. Terry paced back
and forth as if fixing his pistol, returned
and opened fire on his son-inlaw.
Bland fell at the second shot, the bull
let from SO calibre pistol of the bulldog
pattern in Terry's hand having entered
his left breast about three inches above
the heart piercing both lungs. Bland fell
forward dead, a pistol in his left hand
which afterwards Indicated that it had not
been fired.
After giving himself up it was testified
before the coroner's jury that Terry said:
Damn him! I hope l have killed him, and
if l have not, give me chance and I'll fin
sh him"
Terry claims that Bland opened fire on
him first and applied vile epithet to him.
They had trouble the day before be-
cause of BANDS ALLEGED i'll treatment of
his wife, Terry's daughter. The men over
the same cause had been at daggers point
a long time.
Terry is about fifty years of age and
has some property. He was door-keeper
at the session of the Legislature in 1902.
Had been keeper of the county home, a
deputy sheriff and was at one time a po-
liceman.
Bland was book-keeper and confidential
man at one of the large livery and sales
stables here, about thirty-five years of
age. a member of several secret orders
and man of some influence. He leaves
a wife, two little sons, a mother and sew
oral hrotharc and sisters
Terry has employed some of the best
attorneys of the Wilmington bar, and
friends of Bland have been none the less
active in his behalf.
The first news of the tragedy in Will
mington came to Raleigh yesterday, this
being in a telegram sent to Mr.. Will
Terry, mechanic of the Raleigh Machine
Works, a son of Mr.. Hill Terry.
The telegram was from Mr.. Will Ter
rvs mother, and it said: ''Wll, your
father has killed Geo. Bland Come at
once Mother.''' Mr.. Terry left on the first
train for Wilmington.