A Feud Between Two Negro Farmers Nearly Results in the Murder of One of Them
Officer J. M. Saunders (c.), of Tipton county, arrived in the city last night by boat with Nelson Anderson (c.), charged with shooting with intent to kill. Anderson and a negro named Wm. Ewing live on Walter Stockton’s farm, about thirty miles up the river. It seems they have been at outs for some time. Recently Ewing had been in the habit of driving his wagon over the cotton of Anderson, and the latter placed posters in his field warning people that they could not drive or ride across it. This Ewing persisted in doing and Wednesday morning the two men had hot words and came near having a fight. Anderson, who was seen in a cell at the stationhouse last night, stated that Ewing had threatened to kill him. He thought it best to prepare himself against this threatened assault, and when he went to his field yesterday morning he took his big navy six pistol with him. On the way back to his house shortly before noon, he passed by where Ewing was picking cotton. He claims that Ewing cursed him and started toward him in an angry manner. He threw up the pistol, and as Ewing saw it, he turned to run. Just then, and in ten steps of his adversary, he commenced firing, both shots taking effect in the fleshy part of the thigh. Ewing fell to the ground, but afterwards go up and made his way to his house, which was only a short distance off. Anderson went before Justice Stockton and gave himself up. In default of $500 bond he was ordered to jail, and Officer Saunders will take him to Covington this morning.
Died from his Wounds
A Negro Shot in Tipton County Dies in Memphis
Wm. Ewing, the negro who was shot Wednesday by Nelson Anderson, in Tipton county, near Corona Landing, the particulars of which affair have been published in the Avalanche, died yesterday at the home of his mother on Gayoso Street in this city.
An inquest was held by Justice Hughey, the jury returning a verdict to the effect that the deceased came to his death from two pistol shot wounds inflicted by Nelson Anderson.
Nat Ewing, the brother of Anderson’s victim, departed with the body yesterday afternoon on the steamer Gayoso, for Corona Landing, where the funeral will take place.
Nelson Anderson is in jail at Covington, having been taken from this place Thursday night by a Tipton county deputy sheriff.
[Died from his Wounds, Memphis Avalanche, Memphis, Tenn., 16 Sep 1888, pg 9]
