Halifax County NcArchives News.....Griffin-Parker's Romance Fatal July 21, 1809
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Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com March 9, 2008, 5:25 pm

Friday, July 21, 1809   Edenton Gazette July 21, 1809
   SHOCKING -- It has never fallen to our lot to record a more tragical 
occurrence than the following, which took place in Halifax County, on the 5th 
inst. A young man in that county of the name of WILLIAM PARKER, had for two or 
three years paid his addresses to a MISS DOLLY GRIFFIN, and the marriage of 
the parties was expected; recently, however, MISS GRIFFIN had discarded him. 
On the 5th, they, with some other company, dined at a MRS. HARRIS'S, where 
PARKER behaved towards MISS GRIFFIN with some rudeness. His conduct and some 
expressions which fell from him, excited her suspicions that he meditated some 
serious mischief, and she invited two of her friends to accompany her home. 
When they had nearly reached her mother's, PARKER came out suddenly from an 
angle of the fence, and presenting a gun at MISS GRIFFIN, shot her through the 
arm, and lodged the contents in her side. She fell instantly, and on the 
horses rode by the other young ladies. They were also thrown. PARKER than 
began very deliberately to reload his gun, the young ladies, bereft by their 
fears of the power either of flight or resistance, entreated him not to kill 
them. He told them, he had no such intention, that he was loading for himself, 
and asked one of them for a corner of her shawl for wadding, which he tore 
off. When he had finished loading, he placed the muzzle to his breast and 
sprung the trigger with his foot; it missed fire; he then pecked out the 
flint, and on the second attempt, the load entered his breast -- he tottered 
to the fence, against, he leaned with much agony, and desired the young ladies 
to pray for him; he then walked towards the dying MISS GRIFFIN and fell beside 
her. Both expired in a few minutes. -- Ral. Star

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