The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-28
.EMPTIED PISTOLS
INTO EACH OTHER
HUNTER DIED OF WOUNDS.
TWO SHOTS TOOK EFFECT UPON
BAGGs, HIS SLAYER.

Two Young Men, Mercer BeEgs and
John Hunter, Met in BainbridEe
and Immediately Drew Pistols and
Began Firing-Emptied Their Pts
tolls as They Advanced Upon Each
Other--BOth Were PromInent-III
Feeling over business.
cambridge, Ga. Feb. 27.-One Of
the most horrible tragedies that ever
occurred in this city happened this
morning at s:55 o'clock. when Mer-
Ger Baggs and John Hunter, two of
the most prominent furniture deal
ers in this city. met in front of tile
old Court House on Broad street, and
began firing at each other until their
pistols We're empty. resulting in the
death of Hunter few minutes after
the shooting.
The trouble was one Of long stand
ing. and no one expected the cuImina-
ton in the tragedy this morning. Mr..
Hunter and Mr.. ]. p. Brown were
walking south on Broad street from
the Bon Air Hotel. and when opposite
the gate that leads to the grounds
around the old Court House, they saw
MIR. Baggs coming from the opposite
direction.
When within ten feet of each other
Mr.. Hunter and Mr.. Baggs both drew
pistols and began firing simultaneous
ly, advancing while they fired, and
just as both pistols were emptied they
clnched, both falling to the ground,
Mr.. Hunter at the bottom. AS. soon
IS Mr.. Drawn and Policeman Waters
reached them they separated the com
batants and found Mr.. Hunter UNI
conscious. He died before they. could
remove him to his room in the Bon
Air Hotel. only one block away. with
outh regaining consciousness.
Hurried to Doctors.
Mr.. Baggs was rushed to the office
of Drs Chason and Chason, where he
was examined. and is was found that
he had received two wounds. one in
the left arm. Just below the elbow,
and another in the back of the neck,
both slight.
Upon examination of Mr.. Hunter it
was found that he was struck three
times, one ball taking effect in the
left shoulder, breaking it; another in
shot striking him in the right side of
the chest, ranging down, and to the
left, passing directly through the
heart and causing his DEATH
Mr.. Baggs is resting quietly at his
home in this city at this time.
Mr.. Hunters remains were carried to
his former home in Quitman, Ca, on
the noon train to-day.
Mr.. ]. p. Brown, who was the near
est eye witness to the shooting, says:
after breakfast at the Bon Air Ho-
tel / started to the store and met Mr.
Hunter in front of Mr.. i. c. Toole's
store, saying Come on, John, and go
with me- caught him around the
shoulder with my arm and we walked
down Broad street. When we got 10
the gate which leads to the grounds
around the old Court House We saw
Mr.. Baggs coming up the street, ana
when about ten feet from us Mr.. Hun
ter and Mr.. Baggs both drew pistols
and began firing at the same time.
could not say which shot first"
There were several other eye wit
nesses, but the shooting was over with
SO quickly that none of them could say
as much as Mr.. Brown.
Who the Young Men Were.
Mr.. Hunter was the son OF DR.. and
Mrs. Hunter Of Quitman. He was 10
years old, and had been in business in
this city for two years. Mr. Bags Is
% years old. He was originally from
Camilla, but came here from Quitman
with Mr.. Hunter two years ago to en-
ter business together. They formed
the Hunter Baggs Furniture Company.
and the business relations were pleas
ant until last October, when they dis
solved, Mr.. Hunter buying Mr. Bags
interest. Since that time there has
been some bad feeling between them.
Mr. Baggs and Mr.. Hunter were both
very popular IN this city, both In bust
ness and social way. They were MEM
beers Of two of the best families In this
section OF the state.