Clinch Valley News, Jeffersonville, VA

April 30, 1909

MAN KILLED OVER WOMAN "SHINER"

Tragedy Reported From Russell County - Corner Stone Laid. - Other Russell News.

Lebanon, Vr. April 27th.--

Finney & Fletcher lost 18 sheep by worthless dogs last week. They succeeded in killing a few dogs.

A case was before a Justice last week in regard to some sheepkilling, dogs, and the owners of the dogs refused to have them killed, and a warrant was sworn out, the evidence was that two parties saw these particular dogs leave the sheep bleeding and dying, and they followed the dogs to their homes, and found blood on them and as they did not see them kill the sheep the Justice rfused to give verdict against the dogs. Such evidence would hang a man but not sufficient to convict worthless sheep killing dog.

Rev. G. M. Gibson, D. D. of Mo., is visiting his sister Mrs. John C. Bausell, and Mrs. Purcell, of Copper Creek, He preached to a large and appreaciative audience at Sulpher Church Sunday, Doctor Gibson is a Russell County boy, was educated at Emory & Henry College and entered the ministry, and some twenty years ago went to Missouri, and his last appointment was at El Paso, Texas, as presiding elder of the M. E. church, south. He resigned to accept the presidency of a female college in Missouri.

A team attached to a buggy drive by Ogden Thomas and Lon Powers became frightened Sunday and ran way. The only damage was a broken buggy tongue.

Dr. A. K. Gilmer's mule team, hitched to a wagon, ran away on Monday, but they had up grade anddid not gain much headway, and were stopped near the Baptist church.

Not withstanding the inclement weather last Friday, a large concourse of people assembled to witness the laying of the corner stone to the Masonic building. Dr. J. C. Pruner, of Mendota, was master of ceremonies and everything was done to perfection.

Rush Smith, colored, shot and mortally wounded David Kiser near Castlewood Sunday evening. The cause of the tragedy was Kiser's wife, who had sold the negro some liquor, as she is a noted moonshiner, and when he sampled it he found too much water in it and demanded his money, and they had a dispute, and some insulting language was indulged in beween the Kiser woman and the nergo and Kiser started into the house and the nergo thought he was going after a gun, and shot him through the head. At this writing he is still alive, but no hopes of his recovery, and doubtless before this appears he will have passed to the great beyond. Kiser was a kind man and married "Susan" Fraley, noted moonshiner of that conmunity. Deputy Sheriff Gibson lodged the negro in jail.

Mrs. Haskins of California, and Mr. Paul Mason, of Abingdon, are visiting Mrs. Watts of Elk Garden.

Dr. T. E. Chapman, of Norton, was in town Saturday. The doctor is a Russell county boy, and_by his untiring energy has forged his way to the front and is a successful physician. Dr. Gilmer informs this scribe that the health of Lebanon and surrounding country never was better than at this writing. Not a case of typhoid fever in the county. The sanitary condition is not improved and he cannot account for it, only the water from the Jessee spring is purer.

The general opinion prevails that the editor of the Clinch Valley News never owned a scythe. - J. W. B.