Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-01-18
Shot Four Times BY Chas.
Hanratty, of Clarks-
vile.
DIFFICULTY OVER DEAL.
Hanratty jailed and Woot-
ton Rested Well During
Night.

A tragedy, with possibly fatal re-
suits, occurred at Wootton's saloon
at Eighth and Virginia streets, about
6 O'Clock Thursday evening. Woot-
ton is lying at his home on West
Seventh street suffering from four
wounds, one in the back two inches
to the right of the spine, near the
kidneys; one in the muscle of the
left arm; the third near the left col
lar bone, and one finger of his right
hand was grazed by bullet.
The man who did the shooting was
Charles Hanratty, of GAINESVILLE.
Tenn. He is now in the county Jail,
where he will remain for three days
until Wootten's condition can be
determined. If he does not die, the
charge entered against Hanratty
will be malicious shooting with in
tent to kill"
The shooting was entirely without
cause, according to Wootton's ac-
count of the affair, which was given
to a friend after he had gone home.
From what he told his friend, and
from other sources, the story goes
that Hanratty had been in the city
three or four days. He came here
with the expectation of buying
Wootton's saloon and the two finally
came to terms, and one Of the con-
ditions of the sale was that Hanratty
was to put up" $500 of the pur-
chase money before Wootton began
taking stock. But it is said that
Hanratty failed to comply with this
agreement. Wootton's lawyer then
told Hanratty to make a note for
| $500 payable in two or three months.
but Hanratty would not agree to do
that, and, inferentially, Wootton
thought the trade was off.
Thursday evening, near o'clock,
Hanratty showed up at Wootton's
saloon with friend and ordered the
drinks. Wootton was behind the
counter and waited on the two men.
After drinking, as the story further
goes, Hanratty told Wootton that
he had treated him nasty" Woot-
ton replied that all he asked was for
Hanratty to comply with the con-
ditions of the sale, but he didn't
want to discuss the subject tonight
wait until tomorrow morning"
Then Hanratty drew his pistol,
80 calibre Smith & Wesson, and
opened up fire on Wootton, wound
ing him in four places, the shots
taking effect in the places indicated
in the first paragraph.
There is some difference as to
when Wootton received the wound
in his back and which is the only
dangerous one of the four. One ac-
count says that Wootton, after re-
plying to what Hanratty had said to
him, turned his back to the counter
with the empty glasses in his hand,
to wash them. 1t was then that he
received what may prove his death
wound. Another account says that
this shot was received after Woot-
ton started to get his double-barreled
shotgun. Wootton did get his gun,
but Hanratty, according to Woot-
toms own account of the difficulty,
got hold of it and saved his life in
the tussel which followed. as Woot-
ton could not get the gun in range
with Hanratty's body.
Another man, who was in the
room during the trouble, finally took
a part in the scramble for the gun
and succeeded in wrenching the
weapon out Of the hands of the two
men. Hanratty then made his way
out on the street and was arrested
by officers Merritt and Shanklin and
placed in Jail.
\ Wootton stepped to the telephone
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