Fulton-Dekalb-Taylor County GaArchives News.....Bathed in Blood March 18, 1879 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Blum-Barton http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000645 February 8, 2008, 6:31 pm The Atlanta Weekly Constitution March 18, 1879 Part 2 Alston's Movements. When Colonel Alston left the barber-shop he went to the state capitol and entered the office of the state treasurer. He met there Colonel Renfroe, Colonel Howard and others, and spoke of the entire transaction with Cox at the barber-shop. He detailed Cox's demands and threats, and of his own part in the quarrel. He seemed ready and disposed to return to where Cox was, as he had promised, but his friends insisted upon his not doing so and prevented him from it. He had evidently armed himself for the affray which he said he knew was certain to be provoked. Where he procured the pistol or from whom is at present a mystery. While he was thus engaged in conversation a messenger arrived from Cox. This person was a young man named Sams, we learn, who has been in the employ of Cox. He brought word to Alston that Cox Was Ready and Waiting for him and to come on and see it out, or fight it out like a man! Alston asked Sams if Cox was drinking and Sams replied that he did not know, but that he was very much excited. Alston told Sams to go back and say to Cox that he would not come to meet him, but for Cox to attend to his own business and he, Alston, would attend to his: that he wanted no difficulty with Cox, and it would do neither one of them any good to shoot the other. The young man went away and, it is supposed, told Cox what Alston had said. Alston then got up and, as Governor Colquitt was at dinner, he started out to find the governor or intercept him upon his return. He met the governor on Forsyth street and told him all the facts in the matter, and remarked that he believed, in justice to himself and family, and in self-defense, he ought to get a double-barreled shot-gun and Kill Ed. Cox on Sight. This was the first that Governor Colquitt had heard of the difficulty. Governor Colquitt told Alston he must not do that, that the law would protect him and that he would see that it was done. While they were talking, Alston, who was looking toward the capitol, said: "There goes Cox now; he is hunting me." Governor Colquitt looked and saw Cox walking rapidly towards the capitol. He turned to Alston and said to him, "You go in and get your dinner. I will see that he is stopped in this matter." Colonel Alston went into the Berron house. Governor Colquitt went immediately to his office, and before he sat down he sent for Captain Nelms. Captain Nelms came and he told him hurriedly about the difficulty. Nelms said he had heard about it. The governor then told Nelms to go at once and stop Cox and arrest him if necessary before he left the house. Governor Colquitt said he thought Alston was eating his dinner at the Berron house. Had no idea that he had followed him to the capitol and was waiting to hear from Nelms, and in less than ten minutes after Nelms left the office, he heard the firing. He first thought the firing was between Nelms and Cox, because he thought that Alston was not in the building. The killing occurred in less than ten minutes after he heard of any difference between the parties. The Wrong Man. It was Professor B. F. Moore, as Cox discovered when he had passed around into the middle of the room to the entrance behind the counter and half drawn his pistol to shoot at the supposed enemy. The colored messenger inthe office, Peter McMichael, saw the movement and was prepared to frustrate the shooting. When Cox saw the party was not Alston he turned and went out, making his way up stairs into the executive department in search of Alston. Alston in the meantime went back to the treasurer's office and sat down. He again spoke of the impending difficulty, being told that Cox had just been there hunting for him. He said that it was "a terrible thing to be forced into a difficulty with a man who was hunting you down, as Cox was doing him." Almost immediately after this Cox came again into the treasurer's office and found Alston there. Cox and Alston were both considerably excited, but Cox seemed to be exceedingly angry as well. They began the controversy again, Cox telling Alston that he had treated him wrong and had to answer for it. Alston got up and putting his hand gently upon Cox, said to him: "Mr. Cox, I do not want to have any difficulty with you about this matter, and there is no need for it. Let us drop it now. It will do you no good to kill me, and do me no good to kill you--not a bit in the world." Cox replied in an abusive manner and continued to denounce Alston and to urge him on to the affray. It was thought his object was to goad Alston to make the first attack. At the time only Treasurer Renfroe and the tax-collector of Gilmer county were in the office, Captain Nelms coming in soon after. While the quarrel was in progress the Gilmer gentleman remarked that Cox was abusing Alston beyond endurance and that Alston ought not to let a man talk to him in that way, but ought to kill him. Treasurer Renfroe, fearing the difficulty, told them not to have a fight in his office. Upon this Cox Invited Alston Outdoors to settle the matter, but Alston declined to go, repreating that he did not want any difficulty. Cox replied that he should have one. Alston said if he could not avoid it he supposed he would. Cox told him he could not get out of it, and Alston asked him if he wanted to begin it right then. Cox said that was as good a place as any, and that a difficulty was what he had come for. He went to the front door of the room and attempted to shut it. Treasurer Renfroe told him not to shut that door, but Cox paid no attention to him, but seeing that it was hooked back to the wall, he unhooked it and shut it. He then turned and advanced towards Alston, who also rose and stepped forward. Captain Nelms ran between them and catching each by the shoulder with his hands, but as he did so Both Men Drew Their Pistols and began to fire at each other with great rapidity. Captain Nelms fell back upon the table, and Treasurer Renfroe and the other man were standing in the room next to Marietta street and near the door where Colonel Alston was standing in front of the stove. Colonel Alston, when he arose from his chair, had his coat buttoned across his breast, but he unbuttoned it and drew his pistol from an inner pocket. His was a self-cocking pistol, and this enabled him to get the first shot at Cox, the ball striking Cox on the left side of the upper lip and penentrating the mouth and jaw. Cox then got into the corner and fired at Alston, but but missed him and the ball went into the wall behind. Alston then fired twice in succession, his second ball sriking Cox in the left hand, fleshy part between the thumb and fore-finger, and the third shot going wild and burying in the plastered wall about a foot from the floor and close to Cox--so close, it appears, as to have gone through the breast portion of his coat as he stooped and leaned sideways to avoid the shot. Cox then rose and fired his second shot, the ball penetrating the right temple of Colonel Alston, about an inch from and level with the eye. It ranged through the brain and lodged under the scalp at the back of the head on the left lower side. Colonel Alston Staggered, Reeled and fell in the other door, athwart the threshold, bleeding profusely and unconcious upon the instant. Mr. Cox changed position from the corner to the opposite side near the table, but seeing the effect of this shot he did not attempt to shoot again. He was bleeding himself copiously from the wounds in the mouth and in his hand. HE said to Treasurer Renfroe: "We are both of us killed!" and then he went into the front room and laid down upon the lounge. The shots had been heard all around and through the building, and men came running to the scene of the tragedy. The spectacle at this junction beggars description, and sickened all who saw it. The floor of the room was slippery with pools of blood, and yet the faint blue smoke from the pistols was creeping along the ceiling in search of an outlet. One of the men was lying upon the floor at full length, with the blood streaming from that horrible shot in the head, and the other was moaning upon the sofa four or five feet away, with the blood choking him and flowing from his mouth and his hand dripping as though taken from a pool of crimson li?e-blood. On the floor were found a pistol ball and some of the teeth knocked from Mr. Cox's mouth when he was hit. The picture was one that baffled imagination and nothing so vivid in its silent testimony of the desperate affray so fatally closed could be put upon canvas or in printer's ink upon this page. Vast Crowd of excited people were gathering at news of the tragedy and the rooms, the vestibule and the windows' faces were packed with the curious and anxious throng. The police and physicians were speedily on hand. Drs. Love and Todd took charge of Colonel Alston, and at once began to try and revive him and bring him to conciousness. Dr. Taber was in charge of Mr. Cox and did all in his power to relieve him of his sufferings. The wound in Colonel Alston's head was at once pronounced mortal; those of M. Cox were declared painful, but not serious. Colonel Alston was placed in an easy position and restoratives applied, while his wound was sought to be staunched and his head bathed. The affair came on at 3:20 p.m., and for nearly two hours the men were cared for by physicians and friends. Colonel Alston became very restless, and urged his way over clear across the room in his struggles. He returned to consciousness once and only for a brief moment or two, Mr. Frank Gordon, son of Senator Gordon, was promptly at his side and in reply to his quesion Colonel Alston once pressed his hand as a sign of recognition and faintly called hisname, "Frank." Then with a struggle he said: "I am dying--." "Let Me See My Wife." Between Colonel Alston and his wife has always existed the ???derlest and sincerest love and confidence. In all circumstances they were more like the youthful lovers of the long ago than the husband and wife, with well-grown children at their sides. It It was his last sane request -- that never failing devotion crystallized into expression - "Let me see my wife!" She was at her home in DeKalb County, all unconscious of the calamity that had overtaken her husband and doubtless preparing his welcome when his return should be made. The carriage was at once sent posthaste to bring her to his bed-side, for soon after he was taken upon a stretcher and tenderly ???? ??? bed ???? in the ???? of Mr. Walker? in the Grant Building corner of Marietta and Broad streets. In this connection it may be significant beyond their knowledge, when upon leaving home that morning Colonel Alston said to his wife, that he would get his business arranged that day and "AFTER TO-NIGHT I WILL BE AT HOME!" When the night came to earth it had already closed down its eternal veil over the mortal eyes of the man. Mr. Cox was removed in a carriage to the residence of Dr. ????? 82 Decatur street, where he now lies closely attended by his friends. He was taken into custody by the police and a member of the force is kept at the house to guard him until he is able to be removed and delivered to the sheriff. As the case does not appear bailable, in that event he will have to go in jail to await the meeting of the superior court on the last Monday and last day of March. Additional Comments: Part 2 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/fulton/newspapers/bathedin2691nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 12.2 Kb