The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-04-07
SHOT TO DEATH
Was Fitzhugh RenfrOw While
Begging to be Spared.
Powers His Slayer Claims he did
itin Self Defense -Rum0rS
of Insanity.

Last FRIDAY alteTnooH doout hNe
o'clock, at Narrows. Hiram Powers
shot and killed almost instantly,
Fitzhugh Renfrow. Powers was ar
rested in short while by Sheriff
Cal p. Keown who was at the time
of the killing at Fdrdsville five
miles away arriving on the train
which was held until the arrest could
be made, then the train was again
boarded and at 1920 o'clock Powers
was at Hartford surrounded by
a guard in whose custody he remain
ed until Monday afternoon when he
was placed in Jail to await the action
of the grand jury which assemblies
at the May term of Circuit Court.
Powers tells one story and parties
who saw the affair tell an altogether
different one about the killing and
what transpired at the time.
.. Renfrow was the senior member Of
the Mercantile firm of Fitzhugh
Renfrow & Co., general merchants
at Narrows. Powers is in the saw
mill business.
As gathered from current reports
the facts are these; at the time of
the shooting which resulted in Mr..
Renfrow's death he was at or near
DIR. Maxwell's residence in Narrows
having gone there a short time be-
fore to see DIR. Maxwell about some
business transaction, and while en-
gagged in conversation with him,
Powers came up and demanded to
know of Renfrow what he was going
to do about some Of the formers
fence that had burned from fire
started by Renfrow in cleaning of
his ginseng garden. Renfrow told
him that he would pay him for the
damage or rebuild the fence, but
that he (Powers) was drinking and
it was best to wait until some other
time. At this. Powers became en-
ragged drewea dirk knife and started
at Renfrow with it drawn declaring
that the burned fence matter should
be settled right then. Renfrow re-
treated and as he did so he picked up
a piece Of brick and as powers con-
tinued advancing he threw the brick
at him but missed him. At this
juncture Powers drew his revolver.
Renfrow begged him not to shoot
but his entreaties were UNDECIDED
and two or three shots were quick
ly fired one Of which took effect in
the right and another in the left
side of Renfrow's abdomen. Seeing
that there was no means of escape
As long as Powers had the revolver,
Renfrow advanced and grappled with
him in an effort to takethe pistol
from him. This he was about to
succeed in doing. having thrown
Powers to the ground, but two more
shots rang out one piercing his arm
and the other taking effect in his chest
and Renfrow fell MORALLY wound
ed his PROSTATE form lying on his
slayer. Powers again drew his dirk
knife and attempted to cut the al
most lifeless body but J. B. Renfrow,
a brother of the man, killed, came
upon the scene and took the
knife from him and began to
use him up somewhat roughly deal
ing him severaRblows with his fist
and shoeheels and had not others
interfered Powers would no doubt
have been beaten most to death by the
outraged brother Of the murdered
man.
After Powers had accomplished
this dastardly crime he went to his
home and reloaded his revolver and
procured a double-barrel shotgun
and backed himself into an open
closet and defed anybody to APP
proach him or to try to arrest him.
When Sheriff Keown arrived how
ever he reconsidered the matter and
surrendered without resistance.
Feeling against Powers ran high
and it is reported that within twenty |
minutes after the train. that bore
Sheriff Keowni and the prisoner
away from Narrows, left there. there