The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-26
Especial to News and ObserverD

Especial to News and Observer
Durham. y c.. Nov. 25.-In a street
duel this morning near ten o'clock
]. :. Murray, a prominent citizen Of
this city was killed by his nephew,
W. r. Murray.
The homicide occurred on Main
street in front of the place Of business
of the deceased and the killing was
done with the pistol belonging to the
dee,a ased after he had fred three
shots at his slayer. 1t was then taken
from him and the fatal shot fired.
He lived but few moments after the
last shot.
Tonight w r. Murray. the slayer
of the deceased. VINO is himself
prominent. business man and identi-
fed with both the Elk and Masonic
lodges. is in charge of the police.
The coroner's jury. which was as
sembled this morning, adjourned this
afternoon and another hearing will
be held tomorrow morning.
The terrible affair is one that has
shocked the entire community Moth,
ing has so stirred Durham in recent
years.
The tragedy is the result of i'll feel
ing of several years standing. Both
men were engaged in the music bust
ness. and this engendeTed bad blood
that led up to fight several years
ago. and which in turn led to the
street duel If this morning.
The "Details in Fun.
The fun facts in the case, so far as
can be learned, are as follows:
This morning J. 5. Murray went
out to deliver a piano. He suspected
that his nephew and business rival
had sent a man to watch hlm. y
few minutes after his return two en-
moves i'm the W. r. Murray house.
one his son Earl. passed the store of
the deceased. J. s. Murray came out
stcpped them and in the conversation
that followed charged that they had
followed him in placing an order.
While this conversation was in
progress W. X. Murray appeared on
the scene and pushing apart those
who were in the quarrel made some
remarks about fighting - person of his
own size.
Then came the tragedy Some wit-
uesscs say that Joe Murray, the de-
ceased. stepped back and drew n.s
gun. firing directly at W. r. Murray
The next instant the two men closed
i'm ON each other and A total Of four
shots were fired. The last one was
Fatal to j. :. Murray he was led back
into his store and = moment later he
was dead
The SLAYER turned in the street and
surrendered 10 Dr.. \. II. johnson,
who had rushed up, turning over to
him the ,istoI of the deceased with
which the fatal shot was fired. \
few moments later he was taken in
charge bv chief Of Police WOOdal and
has been in his office since that time.
Result. of The Fight.
In The duel J. :. Murray was killed,
Earl Murrav vas shot in the arm and
hip ana W. r. Murray who is under
arrest has ii broken finger.
1t is thought that the first two shots
were those that wounded Earl Muir
ray. son of the slayer one Of the balls
passed through his left wrist and the
other struck the left hip and glanced
fie is not in a serious condition.
The prisoner has a broken finger on
the left hand He contends that this
was broken in trying to get the pistol
from the hands of the man who was
irving to Kill him.
The fatal bullet struck the LETT
breast and ranged upwards. severng
the artery from which he bled to
death.
Both the deceased and the slayer
came here from Orange county, and
nave been in business for years.
The deceased married a sister Of |.
NJ, Emerson. Baltimore. and left wife
and seven children. His brother-in-
Law, Mr. Emerson. is said to be
multimillionaire and the family of
prominence. w. r. Murray is also
prominent and has many influential
friends. He has been in business here
for years, Re is al the head of the
w r. Murray Company. which has a
large capital He has a wife and
several children. If bond was allow
ed he could give large security for
his appearance at court. He will
contend that the shooting was done in
Self-defense.
All of the local counsel have
been employed in the case. Judge
w. Z. Bynupn. of Greensboro. reached
here this afternoon He has been en-
ploSed it is understood, to prosecute