Paulding County GaArchives Obituaries.....Nottingham, Mr. September 1881
************************************************
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:
Skye Sonczalla-Driggs skyeld@comcast.net July 1, 2006, 6:58 pm

The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 18, 1881 
Nottingham, Mr. 

18 Sept 1881 (The Atlanta Constitution) The Paulding Tragedy. Yesterday a 
Constitution representative met a gentleman from near Douglasville who was 
acquainted with the particulars of the Mitchell-Cook shooting affair, which 
occurred between Douglasville and Powder Springs Friday morning. “You see.” 
said the gentleman. “the parties were J.F. Cook, his stepson Joe Mahathy, 
William Mitchell, his son and a man named Nottingham. For years past there has 
been an old difficulty between Mitchell and Cook and on more than one occasion 
the tragedy of yesterday came near being enacted, but both men were men of 
standing and friends kept them apart. Mitchell lived on a farm in Douglas 
county and Cook in Paulding county. Their farms adjoin and this was the cause 
of the original difficulty. I can’t tell you the particulars but it was 
something about a line fence that caused the first fuss. On last Monday Cook 
found a lot of Mitchell’s hogs in his corn field and drove them out. Mitchell 
happened to see Cook driving his hogs away, and made an assault upon him. He 
was accompanied by a young man named Nottingham who was working for him, and 
the two were too tough for Cook, who was compelled to abandon the battle 
field. This renewed the old difficulty, and Cook swore he would be revenged. 
Last Friday morning Cook again found Mitchell’s hogs in his corn field. He 
sent Mitchell word that they were there and then went home and armed himself 
with an old musket loaded with shot and ball. Accompanied by his step-son, Joe 
Mahathy, Cook then went back to the corn field for the purpose of driving the 
hogs out, but was met by Mitchell, his son, aged about eighteen years, and 
Nottingham. The sight of the trio did not frighten Cook and his son, and they 
went for the hogs in gallant style, but the Mitchell’s came to the defense of 
their property, and a general fight ensued. it seems that Nottingham, who was 
a stout young man, rushed at Cook, who told him to go away, but with threats, 
Nottingham continued his advance until Cook fired. Cook’s aim was good, and 
Nottingham fell dead with a dozen holes through his heart. The elder Mitchell 
then struck Cook with a stone knocking him down. As soon as Cook fell Mitchell 
jumped upon him and began stabbing him with a knife, Mahathy, Cook’s stepson, 
then picked up the musket and struck the ender Mitchell two fearful blows over 
the head with it, crushing the skull terribly. When the battle was over 
Nottingham was dead, Cook was badly wounded having received three ugly knife 
cuts, and Mitchell was unconscious. As soon as possible the wounded men 
removed to their homes where Dr. Pool of Douglasville, and Dr. Cotton, of 
Powder Springs visited them. Cook’s wounds are pronounced serious but is 
believed that he will soon recover. Mitchell’s injuries are thought to be 
fatal. The gun was a heavy weapon and the skull was so badly crushed that the 
brain oozed out. The affair occurred in Paulding county and the coroner held 
an inquest yesterday over the body of Nottingham. After a careful 
investigation a verdict of justifiable homicide was rendered. The affair has 
created the wildest excitement. 


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/paulding/obits/n/nottingh4601gob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 3.8 Kb