The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-29
He TRIED To KILL
Harvey Wright Saved by
Poor Shooting.
As He Ripped Open the Air Barbee
Sent Three Bullets After Him.
Barbee is Now Under
Bond.
Cspecial to News and Observer

especial TO news anu oD5SINSI')
Durham, N. c., Aug. 28.--The only
reason that there was not homicide
enacted in East Durham yesterday af-
ternoon was because Reuben Barbee
could not hit his mark after firing
three shots with a 3S calibre pistol.
Barbee shot three times at young
man by the name of Harvey Knight
Knight evidently thought that the
better part of valor in this event was
fight. He was running when the first
shot was fired and kept on running
until he was we'll out of sight of Reu-
ben Barbee
1t was about one o'clock Sunday
afternoon, and the firing of the pistol
disturbed the community no little.
The preliminary hearing of the case
has not been had as yet and the full
facts are not known. 1t seems, how
ever that when the men were well
under the influence of whiskey
Barbee charged Knight with having
attempted to blow up one of his
houses with dynamite and followed
his charge with an attempt to Kill
him.
Friday some one attempted to blow
up the house below East Durham
that has been occupied by the lewd
women about which there has been
so much trouble. Two blasts were
made and two holes were torn through
the brick wall. This was after the
women had al! moved away from
that locality, and it is thought that
some one wanted to demolish the
house so that there would be no
trouble over women in the future.
Reuben Barbee. the owner, said Sat
urday that he knew who did the act,
but that he was not at that time
prepared to prove it. Sunday he
charged Harvey Knight with the at
tempt and then used the gun with
out doing any damage. Barbee was
arrested and placed under bond until
Monday of next week, this being done
because 3arbee was not ready for
trial.
Several years ago Barbee killed a
man by the name of Cole, but escaped
punishment on the self defense plea.
Court in Session.
This is Superior court week in Dur
ham and Judge Ward is being ini-
tiated so far as Durham county is
concerned. as presiding judge. This
is his first official visit to this city.
Many of the cases are important
ones. Allen Haskins, a negro, is
charged with killing the late l. c..
Day. There is one case for assault
with intent to kill and one for earn
ally knowing a female under age of
fourteen years. Among the other
cases there are forty-five for selling
whiskey without license: 10 for affray
with deadly weapons; 20 for assault
and battery with deadly weapons, 4
for assault with deadly weapon; "a
for larceny; Z for gambling; o carry
ing concealed weapon; keeping
bawdy houses; l secret assault and
the remainder of the cases for small
er violations of the law.
In his charge to the jury, Judge
Ward spoke of rape and said that in
recent years this greatest of all
crimes has decreased in North Car
olina. while murder has increased at
this to the fact that most of those
guilty of the first offense against
civilization were punished by the
courts while a large number of those
who kill escape through sympathy
and many other ways. In touching
on the violation of the whiskey laws
he said that it made no difference
what a juror thought all he had to do
and his sworn duty, was to find the
facts according to the law and evil
dence, leaving out all feeling in the
matter. He said that the very act of
not enforcing law because one did not
like it was the foundation of anarchy.
During the day quite a large num-
ber of cases were disposed Of most
of these being for small offenses, in
which there were submissions and
cases not contested.
Improving Postal Service.
Uncle Sam continues to improve the
postal service in Durham. Recently
Postmaster O'Brien secured a trans
fer clerk for the union station, and
now he has been notified that begin
ming September 1st a night clerk will
be put on duty at the postoffice. All
mails will be put UP as soon as re-
ceived and those who have boxes can
get mail at any hour, day or night.
This is an Improvement that will be
greatly appreciated by our people.
Two Burials Sunday
There were two burials at Maple
wood cemetery Sunday afternoon.
One was the remains of the late Ellis
Remington, sc years of age, who died
Saturday afternoon. He left wife
and one child and consumption was
the cause of death.
The other burial was that of the
late L. A Jones. who also died late
Saturday afternoon from dropsy. He
was 63 years of age He left a wife,
four daughters and one son. He
moved here from Wake county and
lived in Durham twelve years