Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-08-14
J. Mort ROthWeII
Is Shot TO Death
Former Brilliant Attorney Kill
ed By Dud Shelton In Alter.
Cation At Crab Orch
ard Saturday.
From Inletior-Journai |

brilliant attorneys of the bar of
his part of the state. his home
hen being at Lancaster, was shot
md almost instantly killed at Crab
Orchard Saturday, shortly before
nOon by a young man named bud
Shelton, a son IF George Shelton,
a we'll known far mer OF the Flat
Lick section, east of Crab Orc hard.
Stories Of the unfortunate affair
differ, and the real facts in the case
may not Re known until the tria
Of the ,Outaful slayer is held
Just when that W Ii be is nor
known. for, after the shooting. he
fled and has not yet been appre-
hended. although it is believed
that he will surrender and stand
trial.
According TO the story told by a
number of men who were in Grab
Orchard at the time, Rothwell and
the father of young Shelton, were
engaged IN an alteration over a
case in which both had been inter
ested in Judge Magee's court at
Crab Orchard. just what the
merits of their contention were,
is not known, but it is said hat
the lie Vas passed between Shell
ton and R0thwell, and that Roth
well slapped Shelton. The latter S
son, bud, was standing near and
saw what was taking place. He
is said to have instantly drawn his
pistol and fired, the bullets pene-
trating ROthwell's abdomen. Que
report Is that ROthwell went for
his own gun first. aud that the
young man fired when he saw
Rothwell make the move toward
his. At any rate, one of the
bullets is sail to have broken
Rolhwell's right arm, which fell
by his side, and the bullets which
followed penetrated vital spot in
the abdomen.
Chief of Police Sam Ramsey, OF
Crab Orchprd, was not far of
when the shooting took place, ano
he rushed toward Shelton at once
seeking TO stop the ARRAY, wre,l
the pistol from him and place him
under arrest. Before he could be
oyerpowered, however, Shelter
fired one more shot, and this
broke the right leg of the officer
below the knee, ShaU'ering both
bones, and causing him TO drop t,
the ground. Shelton then made
his escape. Some OF Shelton:
friends say that the shooting OF
the marshal was entirely an &C.
cident and t at the young man
was still shooting at Rothwell
and that under the excitement. he
either became wild in his fire OF
else, not realizing that Ramsey
al officer. thought tnat he was
coming to Ro,hwell's assistance.
Whether Rothwell had pulled
his pistol or not at the lime young
Shelton began shooting. Is a
mooted point. Some Say he had
and some say he had not At any
rate, Rothwell's pistol fell on the
ground near him when he dropp-
ed, mortally wounded, and evi
dence as to whether he had 1t out
when young Shelton attacked
him, Or not, is conflicting.
mediately after the shooting
Shelton lett town and has not
been seen since. Sheriff Weather
ford, of Lincoln county. and Chief
of Police B. d. Carter, with De
putty Sheriff, w. S. Drye, went to
the scene at once afterward to the
home of the elder Shelton, a few
miles east of Crab Orchard The
young man had not shown up al
home, but his father and brother.
were there, and the father assur
ed the officers that if the youns
man could be located, he would b.
surrendered to the officers i
given protection, of which he wa.
amply assured. Friends of the
young man say that he will prob
ably come in as soon as the excite
nent wears off. for they believ'
he has all excellent chance to es
tablish good defense.
Mr.. Rothwell, the slain man
was the only surviving son of Mr.
Sam Rothwell. With his aged
father he has made his home neal
Crab Orchard for some time, hav
ing been in bad health for tht
past several years. Before this
he had practiced lawat Lancaster