The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-21
NEW VERSION OF
UNION TRAGEDY
Origin of Trouble Was SchoO
Affairs and Not a Cow
MORE TROUBLE EXPECTED
Feeling Is Still Strong in Newton
County, Mississippi, and Friends
of the Two Factions Are
Ready To Fight.
MORE TROUBLE EXPECTED

Meridian, Miss, July 2O-(Speelal &c.
w. Tyner, who has just returned from
Union, in Newton county, gives a diff
ferent version of the tragedy enacted
there last Saturday to the ones hereto
fore published. He says the statements
that have been sent out have been mis-
leading in several particulars. Mr. Tyner
Is a prominent cattleman of Meridian, and
went to Union Immediately following the
tragedy and attended the funeral of the
McDonalds, which he says was one of the
CURED in the county, as many as 1000
people being present. He says that he
talked with quite number of the wit
nessss to the tragedy and otherwise made
a full and complete investigation into the
causes that resulted in the street fight.
One OF the things mentioned as being
incorrect by Mr.. Tyner, in the reports
sent out, was that the difficulty did not
originate about a COW, but about school
matter. and that the trouble was really
between Miller and P. ]. Mcdonald. The
latter. says Mr.. Tyner, had had some
trouble with a teacher about his boy,
and the teacher and Mcdonald had been
in g. fight some time previous to the DIFF
ficulty of Saturday.
1t was stated by Mr.. Tyner thats Joe
Miller took sides with the teacher, and
from this there existed bad feeling be-
tween Miller and 2. j. Mcdonald. Sat
urday morning the two men met In front
of the Union bank and discussion en-
sued, soon followed by a rough and tum-
BILE fight.
Before the fight d. J. Mcdonald came
up and told his brother that there was
no need for trouble over the affair. When
the lie passed P. J. Mcdonald and Miller
went to fighting During the fight Miller
drew his knife and at about the same time
Mcdonald drew his pistol and fired four
times, three of which struck Miller in the
left thigh, and one hitting him in front
and ranged near the hip.
Mr. Tyner states that Cornelius
Chisolm was standing near, and made
some remark, and that he and Nc
Donald began firing on each other. A
bullet from p. J. McDonald's pistol
struck Chisolm In the side and lodged
In the back. Chisolm fired two shots,
both passing through the heart of Nc
Donald and resulting in instant death.
Mr.. Tyner says that D. J. Mcdonald
shouted not to shoot, and that he threw
up his hands, saying that he had no
weapon, but Chisolm fired, the ball
passing through the heart of D. J.
Mcdonald. Chisolm then fired upon
Murphy Mcdonald, son of p. J. Nc
Donald, inficting a slight flesh wound
in the arm.
In reference to the sale of the COW,
along with other cattle, In this city
last week, Mr.. Tyner states that he
purchased the COW and in turn sold
her to L. P. Enslen, In who se posses
sion she was found when Pleas Gard
ner, a negro, swore out writ of re-
plevin in Justice Dabney's court. 1t
appears from the information gath cred
by Mr.. Tyner that the negro had bought
the COW of P. j. Mcdonald, and after
he had failed to pay for her that Nc
Donald took the COW back and sold
her, with other cattle, and that Mr..
Chisolm had no connection with tn e
trade about the COW, and that the mat
ter of the replevin would come UP for
hearing in Justice Dabney's court next
week.
According to Mr.. Tyner's statement
there Is liable to be more trouble over
the matter. There is a great deal OF
feeling and both sides have many
friends and relatives who are ready
to take up the matter and fight at the
drop of hat. Relatives on each side
who live at a distance, are expected
at any time, and 1t is feared upon he'll
arrival the trouble will break out
afresh and that it will involve a num-
Der of friends and sympathizers AS
seen by Mr.. Tyner, unless wise and
cool counsel prevail, the matter is not
at an end yet.