JAMES, Thomas - Putnam

THOMAS JAMES - shot by JAMES ROBERTSON -- then ....

The following intelligence was communicated to us by a gentleman of Putnam County who is well acquainted with the facts. On Monday the 28th ult, Thomas James, a citizen of Putnam County, Indiana while engaged in the performance of his ordinary avocations, a short distance from his residence, was shot by James Robertson, one of his neighbours, who it appeared had harboured for some time personal enmity against Mr. James and some other persons in the neighbourhood. It seems that Robertson after having determined in what manner to avenge himself, transferred his real property, consisting of 3, 80-acres lots, to two small boys. This property was handsomely situated and on it he might have lived in happines -- but he had determined on murdering James, and two other men and a woman in the neighbourhood. After having examined the respective residences of each, with the determination of murdering the whole, he crept up privately on Mr. James and shot him; the ball passed through his arm above the elbow joint and entered his body at the lower ribs - the ball lodged in his body - Mr. James ran and shouted with all his power, which alarmed the perpetrator so that he did not attempt to pursue his intention any further; but returned home immediately and told his wife that she must go out on the farm and prepare it for a crop, for he did not intend working any more himself; and after forcing her and the family out, he charged his gun, and tied a small cord to a pin that held in the chinking of the wall of the house and to the trigger of the gun, and placed the muzzle against his breast then drew the gun towards his bosom and by that means set it off, and put an end to his existence in a few minutes. His wife hearing the shot returned to the house and saw her miserable husband in agonies of death, who it appears had lost sight of all social feeling or moral obligation; and became the arbiter of his own fate, to evade the justice of the law. Mr. James who received the wound is yet living and if his intestines are not cut with the ball, may possibly survive it.   --- thanks so very much to Adina D for this great piece !!