Bertie County NcArchives News.....Fatal Affray in Cahaba June 13, 1856 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com October 28, 2007, 11:06 am June 13, 1856 North Carolina Argus June 13, 1856 FATAL AFFRAY IN CAHABA On last Friday evening about sun down [30 May], a most unfortunate and fatal affray occurred in Cahaba, in which DR.'S TROY and HUNTER, and JUDGE W. H. BIRD, on the one side, and JOHN R. BELL and two sons, CHARLES A. and JOHN A. , on the other, were the parties, which resulted in the death of JOHN R. BELL and one of his sons, JOHN A. BELL. We have endeavered to ascertain the facts as well as we could, and so far, they seem to be as follows: -- Some few weeks ago the dwelling house of DR. TROY was destroyed by fire, and about the same time, efforts were made to fire JUDGE BIRD'S dwelling, no clue could then be had as to who the incendiary was. DR. TROY, becoming satisfied that JOHN A. BELL had been instrumental in burning his dwellingm, instituted a suit before the Circuit Court for damages against JOHN A. BELL. JOHN A. BELL, becoming exasperated at the institution of the suit, went to the Doctor's office on Friday evening and commenced an assault upon DR. TROY with a stick and a drawn pistol. About the same time, CHARLES A. BELL ran up and commenced firing a pistol. DR. HUNTER, JUDGE BIRD and JOHN R. BELL, all coming up about that time, a general firing of pisols and shot guns commenced. JUDGE BIRD shooting JOHN A. BELL, while DR. HUNTER shot JOHN R. BELL, both of whom died instantly, and it was miraculous how CHARLES A. BELL escaped, and in fact, it is most miraculous how DRS. TROY, HUNTER, and BIRD escaped breing shot. The parties, of course, were immediately arrested, and an examination commenced before ABNER JONES, ESQ., which was continued up to a late hour on Saturday evening, when DR. TROY was discharged. DR. HUNTER and JUDGE BIRD bound over for their appearance at the next term of the Circuit Court in a bond of $2,500 each. CHARLES A. BELL, was bound over in a bond of $5,000. This is a most unfortunate affair, such as every good citizen must deplore. JOHN R. BELL leaves a wife and several children to moourn his untimely and unfortunate death. There could not be three more peacefully disposed gentlement thant DR. TROY, HUNTER and JUDGE BIRD, and certainly the circumstances must have been most aggravating to have induced them into so unfortunate an affair. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/newspapers/fatalaff182nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ncfiles/ File size: 3.0 Kb