ADLER, Levi -1860 - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

A terrible and fatal encounter took place at Covington, Fountain County on Thursday, Aug 30th in which Levi Adler, the proprietor of the Merchant’s Hotel in that place lost his life at the hands of Wm. H. Mallory, a prominent lawyer and leading politician of the same county. The circumstances of this shocking affair are substantially as follows: Mr. Mallory was involved in a law suit with Joseph Ristine of Covington and the jury had just returned a verdict against him when passing out of the court room in a very unconveyable state of mind, he encountered Mr. Adler, between whom and himself an old grudge existed, standing in conversation with another gentleman at the head of the first flight of stairs.  Mallory passed on and Adler remarked to a gentleman with whom he was conversing, “There goes the meanest man in Fountain Count d___d son of a b___h.”  Mallory heard the remark and turn round in an excited manner said, “Take that away or he will get hurt.” A few words were exchanged and it is said that Adler put his hand in his pocket as thought about to draw a weapon when Mallory drew a bowie knife and rushing upon the deceased, stabbed him in four different places. The first or second stab took effect in the neck just below the ear making an incision two and a half inches deep, severing the jugular vein.  The gentleman who witnessed the encontre started for the Clerk’s office a few steps distance for assistance and had but just crossed the threshold when Adler staggered in after him the blood gushing from the severed vein at every pulsation and falling full length upon the floor, instantly expired. The corpse lay in a pool of blood as it fell until the close of the coroner’s investigation and presented a revolting spectacle. Mallory gave himself up and was lodged in jail. The coroner’s jury returned a verdict in accordance with the facts. The Fountain Circuit Court is now in session and the accused will be put upon his trial immediately. The affair has created an intense excitement in Covington and throughout the county.  In the evening a crowd gathered upon the jail and threats of lynching were openly made by Adler’s friends.  Mallory’s friends were on the ground, resolute and determined and the first indication of mob violence would have been the signal for a terrible conflict.  Happily no demonstration was made and before midnight all was quiet.