BATTLE AT A CHURCH DOOR.

Waikato Times, Volume 2537, Issue XXXI, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

BATTLE AT A CHURCH DOOR.

A most sanguinary affair is reported in despatches received by tho last arriving mail steamer fro:r. Now York, It appears that, just as the minister at the Laurel Fork church, ue.;r Kuwillo, Tenr.esjco, was giving out his text, on the evening of Sunday, the Sth inst., there was the report of firearms, as if a terrible battle was waging at the very door of the church. Women and children fainted, and the men rushed pell inell to the door. In a very sh rt time the lit'.le church was transformed into a rude hospital. When the firing ceased, it was found that about sixteen men lay wounded on the ground, whilst two—a man named Emal Lawson and his son, aged thirteen —lay dead The encounter was between two factions, all of the men being desperate, reckless characters It seems th.it originally a quarrel arose between two men, named Michael Rose and William Fustian, about a five dollar bill, which the former accused Fustian of stealing. Fustian is said to ha\e waylaid Rose and wounded him, whilst the latter in defence shot off a portion of Fustian's ear. 15ach party afterwards collected arms and ammunition, and the feud was taken up by the friends of both men. On the Sunday in question the Fustian chin came down to the church in the hope of meeting a portion of the Rose faction. They, however, were surprised to find all of their enemies, but notwithstanding this they opened fire. The Rose faction seemed quite prepared, and the shooting was general, being kept up nnt,;i the ammunition was exhausted. Fustian's three brothers-Tom, Jim, and Ems-were wounded, it is feared fatally. The fighting cased for a time, to burv the two unfortunate Laws'.n-, but it was feared that it would lie renewed.