Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-03-10
NOT GUILTY
THE VERDICT
]. H. CatrOn and ]. A. Barnett CharS-
ed With Killing Scott County
Judges Of Election Acquitted
A PLAIN CASE OF SELF F-DEFEESE.
The Trial Has Attracted Much Attention
and q Large Number of Distinguished
Lawyers Appeared For the Prose
cutiOn and Defense.

One of the most sensational tragedies
that has ever occurred in this State in con-
nection with elections happened at Fair
view, in Scott county, at the election held
last November. Two Democratic judges
of election, l.. E. Nckels and John Aus
burn, were killed and two Republican
voters, j. A. Barnett and - Keys
we're wounded in a pistol duel that took
place Keys died few days after the
shooting occurred. J. II. Catron and j.
A. Barnett were subsequently arrested
upon charge of killing Nickels and Aus
burn.
Farvew was known to be strong Re-
publican precinct, but at number OF
preceding elections the Democratic elec
ton officers had practiced gross frauds,
cheating the Republicans out of the pre-
cinct.
When the judges assembled at the pre-
cinct last Fall plain purpose was dis
closed to use fraud again, by making a
change in tue Republican judge and in
other ways. A number of voters protest
ed, and Nickles and Ausburn tried to
steal away with the ballot box, the ballots
and registration books. They started to
go from the building where the polls were
to be opened by rear door. Several
citizens, among them Catron, Barnett and
KEYS, went to the rear of the building to
protest against the judges leaving and tax
ing the ballot box with them. We are
told that as soon as they got to the rear of
the building they entered the door there,
and thereupon Nickes and Ausburn OPEN
ed fire with their pistols; general pistol
duel was engaged in and at its conclusion
Nickels and Au-burn were dead and Bar
nett and Keys were wounded, tue latter
fatally.
Catron and Barnett were lodged in Jail
at Gate City, and in short time report
was started that the friends of these two
men were organizing to take them from
the Jail. They we're taken Immediately
to Abingdon for safe-keeping. Suisse
ouently it was found that the report was
untrue, and it is thought it was started TO
iniura the case of Catron and Barnett.
At the January term of the county
court of Scott county Catron AMI Barnett
were taken to Gate City and their case
called for trial II WAS found that We
nire had been summoned from the strong
est Re publican magisterial district In the
county, and strange to cay there was not a
Republican on the venire. 1t was made
I'D entirely Of partisan Democrats. That
looked very much like judicial murder was
contemplated. Such thing could not
have happened by accident. For some
reason the trial was continued and a
change of venue was asked for by counsel
for the defendants. Tie motion WAS
granted and the case was sent to Lee
county to be tried in the circuit court
Some two weeks ago the trial Of Catron
and Barnett upon charge Of killing Nick
els was begun in the circuit court OF Lee,
and sst Saturday the trial was. concluded
by the acqHittal of Catron and Barnett
They were then admitted to bail on the
charge of killing John Ausburn. Their
acouittal proves the truth of what we
have heretofore heard that the shooting
was commenced by Nickels and Ausburn'
Judge w. F. Rhea and Hon. ]. @. Wy
sor we're among number of lawyers who
conducted the prosecution and Hon. d.
F. Bailey and J. B. Richmond we're
among the lawyers who appeared for the
defendants.
The tragedy was an unfortunate one
growing out of the corrupt election meth
DDS IN Scott county. We trust the unfor
tunate affair will accomplish much for the
publication of politics in that county anc
Others of the Ninth Congressional District