The Lexington advertiser., 1909-05-07
A DeplorabIe TraRedv.

Our usually quiet and. peaceful city
was the scene of a most deplorable SYa-
gedy Saturday, in which Samuel Bnss-
hart of Owens, was shot and killed by
j. Walter Rhyme, also of Owens The
shooting occurred Just east Of the Ar
lingtOn Hotel few minutes before
TWELVE o'clock and was witnessed by
quite a number of, people, the town
containing the usual large crowd. of
Saturday visitors.
/ Mr.. Rhyme, in company with several
othRT men, was, sitting ON chair on
the gallery when MIR. Busshart came
up and stopped, looked at Mr.. Rhyme
several minutes without speaking and
then walked away. the latter, antici-
Epating difficulty, called MasEhal j.
4 A. Brown t0,0ne, side. stating that he
feared all encounter with Mr.. Busshart
and as he did not want in any way to
hurt him, asked Mr. Brown to. see some
of Mr. BnssbarC's close friends and
request them to use their influence,
with him to prevent any trouble. Mr.
Brown complied and received assur
ances that such would be done, but in,
the meanwhile, and before any Of the
friends had had an opportunity to see.
him, Mr. Busshart had gone to his
buggy, which was standing somewhere
near Huntington q Sons tent, and
got Winchester shot gun, loaded with
six loads of buckshot, and walked
down the street towards the hotel.
The majority of people who saw HIM,
thought it nothing unusual, not antici-
pating any trouble. On reaching the
corner of ,,Alexander's drug store he
leveled his gun, and Mr.. Rhyme seeing
him, quickly jumped behind a large
tree and called to bYstanders to catch
Mr.. Busshart, as be did not want to
| iniure him. Mr. Busshart advancing
with leveled gun. calling to- Mr.. Rhyme
TO come out from behind the tree and
Rybne fired shot, using 38 calibre
Smith q Wesson Special revolver, and
as he still advanced he fired second
shot. Nh Busshart kept on going and
reached the north side of tree. Mr..
Rhyme. dodging to the south side of
the tree, then fred the fatal shot, the
bullet entering the base Of the brain
on the left side and coming out above
the right eye. The other bullets took
effect, one in the arm and the other
grazing the skull. DR.. A. M. Doty
was i'm Immediately called but found him
beyond all human aid and he died a
few minutes after. MIR. Busshart's
gun, though cooked and ready for ac-
tion, was not discharged, Mr.. Rhymes
life being saved by his taking refuge
behind the tree, and aEording Mr..
Busshart no opportunity to shoot.
Mr.. Rhyme was Immediately taken
into custody. At 3 80 o'clock a pre-
liminary hearing was held bsforeMav-
or Fl S. Hooker and Justice of the
Peace !. s. Lipsey, at which the fol.
lowing witnesses testified o. NJ.
Boall, V. Moore, O. F. Hosea, ].
a. Stansbury, ]. 2. Morris, j. w.
Morris, Prof. David Sanderson, D. b.
Stigler, J. A. Brown and J. NJ. Long,
whose testimony agreeing in all de.
tails, established q clear case of self
defense, and Mr.. Rhyme was discharged.
The unfortunate affair is said to have
been the elimination of strained rela-
tions long existent between the two,
growing more acute and irreconcilable
with the passing years. which so
preyed on the mind of deceased that
he finally resolved to settle the score
! by the arbitrament Of arms