Dickens, Charles – American Notes for General Circulation

the Hon. Charles C. P. Arndt, Member of the Council for Brown

county, was shot dead ON THE FLOOR OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, by James

R. Vinyard, Member from Grant county. THE AFFAIR grew out of a

nomination for Sheriff of Grant county. Mr. E. S. Baker was

nominated and supported by Mr. Arndt. This nomination was opposed

by Vinyard, who wanted the appointment to vest in his own brother.

In the course of debate, the deceased made some statements which

Vinyard pronounced false, and made use of violent and insulting

language, dealing largely in personalities, to which Mr. A. made no

reply. After the adjournment, Mr. A. stepped up to Vinyard, and

requested him to retract, which he refused to do, repeating the

offensive words. Mr. Arndt then made a blow at Vinyard, who

stepped back a pace, drew a pistol, and shot him dead.

‘The issue appears to have been provoked on the part of Vinyard,

who was determined at all hazards to defeat the appointment of

Baker, and who, himself defeated, turned his ire and revenge upon

the unfortunate Arndt.’

‘THE WISCONSIN TRAGEDY.

Public indignation runs high in the territory of Wisconsin, in

relation to the murder of C. C. P. Arndt, in the Legislative Hall

of the Territory. Meetings have been held in different counties of

Wisconsin, denouncing THE PRACTICE OF SECRETLY BEARING ARMS IN THE

LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS OF THE COUNTRY. We have seen the account of

the expulsion of James R. Vinyard, the perpetrator of the bloody

deed, and are amazed to hear, that, after this expulsion by those

who saw Vinyard kill Mr. Arndt in the presence of his aged father,

who was on a visit to see his son, little dreaming that he was to

witness his murder, JUDGE DUNN HAS DISCHARGED VINYARD ON BAIL. The

Miners’ Free Press speaks IN TERMS OF MERITED REBUKE at the outrage

upon the feelings of the people of Wisconsin. Vinyard was within

arm’s length of Mr. Arndt, when he took such deadly aim at him,

that he never spoke. Vinyard might at pleasure, being so near,

have only wounded him, but he chose to kill him.’

‘MURDER.

By a letter in a St. Louis paper of the ‘4th, we notice a terrible

outrage at Burlington, Iowa. A Mr. Bridgman having had a

difficulty with a citizen of the place, Mr. Ross; a brother-in-law

of the latter provided himself with one of Colt’s revolving

pistols, met Mr. B. in the street, AND DISCHARGED THE CONTENTS OF

Page 159

Dickens, Charles – American Notes for General Circulation

FIVE OF THE BARRELS AT HIM: EACH SHOT TAKING EFFECT. Mr. B.,

though horribly wounded, and dying, returned the fire, and killed

Ross on the spot.’

‘TERRIBLE DEATH OF ROBERT POTTER.

‘From the “Caddo Gazette,” of the 12th inst., we learn the

frightful death of Colonel Robert Potter. . . . He was beset in his

house by an enemy, named Rose. He sprang from his couch, seized

his gun, and, in his night-clothes, rushed from the house. For

about two hundred yards his speed seemed to defy his pursuers; but,

getting entangled in a thicket, he was captured. Rose told him

THAT HE INTENDED TO ACT A GENEROUS PART, and give him a chance for

his life. He then told Potter he might run, and he should not be

interrupted till he reached a certain distance. Potter started at

the word of command, and before a gun was fired he had reached the

lake. His first impulse was to jump in the water and dive for it,

which he did. Rose was close behind him, and formed his men on the

bank ready to shoot him as he rose. In a few seconds he came up to

breathe; and scarce had his head reached the surface of the water

when it was completely riddled with the shot of their guns, and he

sunk, to rise no more!’

‘MURDER IN ARKANSAS.

‘We understand THAT A SEVERE RENCONTRE CAME OFF a few days since in

the Seneca Nation, between Mr. Loose, the sub-agent of the mixed

band of the Senecas, Quapaw, and Shawnees, and Mr. James Gillespie,

of the mercantile firm of Thomas G. Allison and Co., of Maysville,

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

Leave a Reply 0

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *