Monroe County AlArchives News.....H. C. Walton & Edward English Killed in Fight January 28, 1908
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Elizabeth Lloyd  Marsden marsdenfam@hotmail.com October 9, 2007, 8:46 pm

Monroe Journal January 28, 1908
Three Prominent Citizens Have Preliminary Hearing in Connection With Killing.

One of the most deplorable tragedies in the history of the county was enacted 
near Beatrice last sunday afternoon.  Two prosperous farmers are dead as the 
result of a desperate pistol duel and three well known citizens of Beatrice 
are under arrest on the charge of murder.
 Owing to conflicting statements, it is hard to determine the true facts 
surrounding the tragedy, but from the best that can be gathered, it appears 
that some trouble existed between Mr. H.C. Walston of Beatrice, and Mr. Edward 
English,* a former citizen of Monroe but more recently of Wilcox county, over 
a negro tenant who had worked alternately with the two men.
  At the time of the difficulty the negro was living on Mr. Walston's place 
about six miles west of Beatrice, but was preparing to return to Mr. English.  
English brought his teams down from Wilcox Saturday and had them at the 
Walston place about noon Sunday where they were being loaded with the negro's 
household effects.  Walston being notified of this proceeded to the plantation 
in Company with Mr O.B. Deason, Mr. Julius P. Farish and Dr. B.R. Bradford, 
three of his neighbors and friends.  When they arrived they found the wagons 
loaded and in the act of driving away.  Walson and English had some words over 
the matter which grew more heated as it progressed.  Finally English 
dismounted and the men engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle during which pistols 
were drawn and fired by both men.  Some reports say there was a perfect 
fusilade of perhaps a dozen or more shot.  When the smoke of the battle 
cleared away., Mr. Walston lay dead on the ground and English died a few 
moments later.  Warrants were sworn out Monday charging Mr's Deason, Farish, 
and Bradford with murder in connection with the killing and they were arrested 
and placed in jail.
  A preliminary hearing was begun before County Judge I.B. Slaughter Wednesday 
afternoon which will probably occupy two or three days.  The first witness 
examined by the State was Dr. J.J. Dailey of Beatrice who made a professional 
examination of both bodies and testified that he found five bullet wounds in 
the body of Mr. English, all entering from different angles, the fatal wound 
being produced by a bullet of larger calibre than any of the others, either in 
his or Walston's body.  Walstons body was also penetrated by five bullets. 
 Jesse Thompson, colored, was next called by the State, and testified that he 
was present when the difficulty occurred and related in detail the controversy 
between the two men which led up to the shooting in which he declared Mr. 
Deason, Farish and Bradford participated.  On the reconvention of the court 
this morning, Mose Horn and Andrew Moreton were examined by the State and they 
testifed to substantially the same circumstances as detailed by Jess Thompson. 
 Dr. Bradford was the first witness called by the defense.  So far as relates 
to the commencement of the difficulty his testimony varied but slightly from 
that of the State's witnesses, but from that point on, there is a wide 
divergence. Dr Bradford stated that instead of participating in the shooting, 
he and his companions were unarmed and did what they could to prevent it; that 
after the two men engaged in the struggle and fired their pistols, the negroes 
who accompanied English to the plantation drew their weapons and opened fire 
on the struggling men, afterwards driving Mr. Bradford and his compansions 
from the scene. The hearing is still in progress as we go to press. 

Additional Comments:
*See shooting of John McDuffie 1904

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