BECKETT, James B. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

A slight error occurred in our account of the fatal stabbing affray near State Line last week.  It was Beckett who was killed, not Clem as was previously published.   -kbz

Wednesday nights last week a terrible tragedy occurred at Zachariah Clem’s near the State Line, Warren County.  On the evening mentioned there was an apple cutting at Clem’s to which a number of young folks repaired, among them a young man named James B. Beckett, a school teacher in that vicinity.  Beckett, it is said, was there without invitation and was ordered to leave the house.  He did so, going to the road about 100 yards from the house where he tarried until the party broke up.  Zachariah Clem and his son also went down the road after the apple cutting, young Clem remarking that if they (he and his father) found Beckett there would be a chance to attend a funeral.  Arriving at the road they met Beckett, who asked why he was ordered away from the house. One of the Clems replied that it was enough for him to know he was not wanted there and asking him to take back some names he had used, drew a bowie knife and stabbed Beckett in the left side, below the ribs and again higher up, the blade glancing off the ribs.  About the same time the senior Clem plunged a dirk into the back of the wounded man.  During this cowardly attack on Beckett, a young man named Griner also rushed to the attack but was promptly knocked down by Beckett’s brother who then pursued young Clem who fled like a villainous coward and secreted himself beneath his mother’s skirt.  Beckett ran a quarter of a mile after he was stabbed to his uncle’s where he died on Monday last. The wildest indignation and excitement prevails throughout the community where this bloody tragedy occurred.  Clem and son were arrested before the death of Beckett and on examination before Justice Lucas at State Line held to bail in the sum of $1500 each.  We suppose they have been arrested since Beckett’s death but have no information to that effect, Becket (sic) was a man of good character and much liked by his acquaintances.  He had but recently begun a term of school in the neighborhood.  He was a relative of Dr. Boyd of this place.  Zack Clem is described as a very wealthy but ignorant drinking, violent man.  What the real cause of this blood tragedy is we are not informed but learn it was some trifling family feud.  The facts as given above are in substantial accordance with testimony elicited during the preliminary examination of the Clems.  We believe we have never chronicled an act which was more cowardly and diabolical than this one seems to have been.   - kbz