Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-03-19
TAzEWELL OFFICER
SHOWS COURAGE
George w. Gillespie, Magistrate
Il Boissevane, Has Encounter
With Yates and Blanken-
siips-Hospital and Jail.

Magistrate George w. Gillespie, of
Boissevane, was party to an unfor-
tunate shooting affray at Boissevano
last Tuesday night, in which II number
OF men were shot and Gillespie was
injured by being struck with the butt
end of gun. The following account
of the affair is furnished by the Poca-
hontas correspondent:
Last evening at 7:10 o'clock, at
Boissevane, Va, Charles Yates, Thos.
Yates, Charles Blankenship and Ed.
Blankenship, armed with two Win
chesters and revolvers, are alleged to
have entered the company store of
the Pocahontas Consolidated Collier
les Company, and flashed their weap-
ons, and after cooking them, invited
Assistant Store MANAGER Walter
Weaver to step on the outside. Weav-
err did not go, of course, but the men
began to shoot around the office, it
is charged, and it is reported met a
small boy and held him up, but after
the boy begged awhile they let him go.
The men promenaded up and down the
road, shooting and making the air
blue, it is said.
The night watchman, Bob AIRING
ton, went for Magistrate George w.
Gillespie, who was at his home eating
supper. Mr.. Gillespie went out to
arrest the men, and when he had
gotten near the tipple, some 300 feet
to halt. When Mr.. Gillespie got hold
of Ed. Blankenship the latter drew
his gun. Mr.. Gillespie caught the
weapon with his hand and while in
the scuffle Chas. Yates struck Mr..
Gillespie in the mouth with the butt
end of a Winchester. Blankenship's
gun was discharged about the same
time Gillespie was hit, and the shoot
ing commenced, with the result that
Gillespie shot Ed. Blankenship
through the left side with .aS cali
bre revolver, and Charles Yates
through the right breast. Both Yates
boys took to their heels and Chas.
Blankenship stayed with his brother,
who was fatally shot. Chas. Yates
was able to get to his home, more
than mile distant, with assistance
from his brother.
Two of Baldwin's men, M. II. Lu-
cas- and George Smith, together with
Deputy Sheriff A. j. Lorris and JUS
tice j. w. Davis, of Pocahontas, were
sent to the scene of the crime. Their
appearance was so unexpected that
they founud Charles Blankenship in
the Doctors Office with his brother
and sent him, together with Chester
Schipps, to the lookup at Pocahontas
and then went in pursuit of the two
Yates boys. George Yates, the father
of the two boys, and the father-in-
law of Ed. Blankenship, whose wife
is dead, had come to Boissevane with
DR.. Hamilton Slusher. He said his
son was badly shot, The old gentle
man seemed much grieved over tho
unfortunate affair. Charles Blanken-
ship kissed his brother, Ed, who was
on the surgeons table, "goodbye"
when the officer took him away and
the dying man charged his brother to
kill officer Gillespie in the event of
his (Ed. Blankenship's) death, and he
would do likewise if he lived.
Mr.. Gillespie was appointed a JUS
tice of the peace at Boissevane to
preserve order, which he has done
successfully since he has held the inn
portant Office. He is son of the Rev.
James H. Gillespie, of Tip Top, and is
fearless, and will discharge his duty
regardless of consequences.
The men who caused the disturbance
are said to be we'll known characters
in that community, who get drunk
whenever occasion offers and try to
take the towns.