The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-11-09
TYRRELL DOCTOR SHOT
TODEATH WHILE ASLEEP
One of the Most Horrible Murders in Eastern
Carolina Crime Annals Committed In An
Isolated Indian Lodge
I;y W. O. SAUNDERS

u,Gi}. INTrelI county, phySl-
rim in IN Indian lodge in
Washington County Saturday
earning. Nov. ;. was one Of
,.t most cruel and horrible
~srirrS ever committed in
v,~;hca>tcrn North Carolina.
The Young physician was shot
while asleep on 4 pallet on the
-,r Of Shanty in the woods on
ra Ridge. about six miles from
r4rSry>. The slayer. Ralph Col
rrS. - years old white man. stood
ersr his victim with shot gun and
fred two loads Of No. / shot at
r,>p ran@C-So close in fact that c.
L. Gibbs. Il companion of Dr. Dis
r,ray sleeping on the same pallet
anil iuroutact with him. received
a.Ir one of the many shots. The
,hoi> were fired into the groin. in
.trtiu. painful and fatal wounds
,uD chastity to describe. The shoot
H. occurred about : 80 O'Clock
r. the morning. DR.. DiSuSway ling
r-.i under the influence of Opiatc$
until 40 that night ami died, prob
ally from loss of blood.
Collins Held Without Bail.
Ralph Collins the slayer WAS ar
r.srrd 10y Sheriff J. n. Reid of Ply
meath ut Edcnton early in the
afternoon of the same day. Collins
lai disappeared when the murder
waS reported hut waS quickly trac-
vI. he having crossed Alhemarlc
Sound 10 Edcnton in Il small boat.
Collm< i in Jail i'll Plymouth. held
without hail on a charge of first
decree murder. He will he given
= preliminary hearing Monday. Nov.
u.
The murder was the result of Il
drunken hrawl and it is evident
that cvrryhndy connected with it
was 81 saturated with liquor that
the exact truth about it may never
lr told. Collins. reused from
.'rmI.r in his narrow cell in the
Washington County Jail Tuesday
s:.hr told me that hc killed Dis
o>vay in self defense. He says
p.>n>way attacked him aad Charles
Harrington. the aged half breed
n whose lodge the murder occur
.od. and cut both him and Tark-
m.rnn with Il knife. Collins dis
flar> Il bad cash on one arm. He
>a.> Will" he was trying TO defend
IL. half breed from piSoSway's at
tau,s. pi~oSway drew a gun. Then
took my @un and shot him, says
Crlliu>.
The Cabin Of The Half-Breed
Eru Collins story is not corro-
'prarrd. To 20 back to the begin
Mn. If the tragedy. Dr. DiSoSway
III hiS office in Columbia Friday
AFTERNOON and went to the farm
o.. g. &. Gibbs on The old pinncr
Par,. about five miles from Collm-
l.a fn hunt birds with Gibbs. At
Giln> place they changed their
mimi about hUntiu. in Tyrrcll.
since. the season is not open there
w-H Nov. 18th, and decided to 90
o..r into Washington County where
ra' season iS open.
Th"r, lives on Pea Ridge, "a dis
r,rrrahl" nci.hborhood six or eight
r.,,~ from MackcyS) IN aged halt
lr.rl GuIiau-Nrgrn) lay the name
e.. Charles Harrington. Tarkin=-
run Is about - years old ami l.
r.,rr..d 10 have lived in this Scclud-
ui >hantv i'm the woods back from
H., road for NOR" than fifty years.
H. >hauty or lodge contains three
small rooms. Young white men
'm hrutin. expeditions or on mld-
l.-h' ~prrcS max" Il rendezvous "i
H." laIf-brc"d'< cabin. Sometimes
they drop in To- sleep of il drunk !:
>u.'imcS to 80; the old man To
cna them a camp meal: at other
t.ma, rn cold winter nights To warm
Themselves Ly the fire on his open
hauh-and drink more liquor. l)r.
I.>p~way waS one who had resort
" frequently To the hnlt-brccd :
l,n.a'rd retreat. II is common talk
'aa' when DiSOSway. who was II
hare. Griukrr. wanted to- %"t on "a
Pal tear. hc would 20 To the cabin
Of "I-urlr Charles" aS tn" hall
tr''I is called, and have his spree
"rhoir making nuisance OF HIN
S".t ~ home.
y Told by Eye Witnesses
Alr ~ it was To- Uncle Char!" ;
cabin that Dr. DiSosway and his
r@palinn. &. G.. Gibbs, took them
>.y"> Friday night. Now here
Nwhat Gibbs says
We made bed on the floor and
"r"d in about eight or nine
'''"a. reckon ii WaS about
,2".r'-'hiriy or one O'Clock when
'a''rh Collins and Leon Sprrlll
''"" u.. TEr% madc It lot of Noise
"1P w"N" u< Up. l didn't Know
'"u"r "f them. We all had Il drink
'1' ""n' back to sleep.