The principal reminder of that tragedy today is Short's tombstone in Bethel Chapel Cemetery, very near the church where the fatal encounter occurred, located due north of Woodburn and very near the Clarke-Lucas county line.
Canada was 19 when he died, felled by a knife wielded by Hiram Fierce, about 22, and scheduled to be married within days of the fatal encounter. Canada lived near the church with his parents, Andrew (1789-1877) and Leanthe (1805-1887) Short. Andrew has been identified by some as a retired Methodist preacher.
Intrigued by the brief report in The Democrat, I turned to The Clarke County Sentinel of Jan. 7, 1870, for a more detailed account, published as follows:
+++
Fatal affray --- An unfortunate affray occurred on Tuesday evening, December 28th, in Liberty township about four miles east of the town of Liberty, at a church known in that section as "The Chapel," between a young man by the name of Kennedy Short and another by the name of Hiram Fierce, which resulted in the death of the former.
It seems that some two weeks previous to the sad occurrence, the parties named above with several others, were at a singing school where several of the young men conducted themselves not altogether in accordance with the strict rules of etiquette or propriety, and were complained of to the authorities who had them arrested and imposed a slight fine. This naturally aroused their spirit of resentment, and they determined to get even with the informer if they should find out who it was --- some threats being indulged in.
On the Tuesday evening in question young Fierce --- who was a newcomer in the place --- met Short on the steps of the church just after meeting had closed and told him that he was the person who informed the authorities and said that he (Fierce) had been told that Short was going to lick the informer. When they had nearly come to blows, Fierce informed Short that if he struck him he would do so at his peril as he was prepared and called upon the bystanders to witness his words.
Some of the church members interfered and urged them to go into the road off from the church grounds and settle the matter. They went some 30 rods away where the wordy altercation was resumed. Hard words passed until Short became so exasperated that he struck Fierce a blow with his fist between the eyes, knocking him down, breaking the bridge of his nose and blacking one eye. By the time he was on his feet, this was followed up by another blow which settled him a second time. Both now came together and clinched and the fight continued for some length of time and when separated they were some 30 rods from the place where it commenced.
Short was unable to stand, and when examined it was found that a gash had been cut across his thigh some six inches in length, also stabbed in the shoulder blade, and a hole about two inches in length cut in the abdomen from which over 30 yards of his intestines were protruding. In the condition he had continued to fight for several minutes, not knowing that he had been cut, and only quit, as he said, because his strength seemed to suddenly leave him.
It was certainly a bloody affair and if reports are true, some church members and others deserve severest censure in urging on the fight and not allowing them to be separated after it had commenced. Mrs. Short, mother of the deceased, a feeble old lady over 70 years of age, came from her home, which was about 150 rods away and got between the parties after her son had received his death stab, from which she was taken away and held by the main force and the brutal contest allowed to proceed until weakness from loss of blood stopped it.
Of course no one knew that a knife was being used with such fatal effect, not even the victim, but respect for a mother's entreaties even in a daylight fistfight should certainly receive some consideration from even the most hardened.
Young Short was conveyed home where everything was done for his relief that could be, but to no purpose. He lived until Friday evening, unconscious of everything. With his expiring breath he spoke the name of his murderer, "Fierce," and his soul was before his Maker. He was about 20 years of age, the youngest child and only support of his parents, who are very old and in destitute circumstances, now having sufficient means to defray the expenses of their son's burial, a subscription being taken up among the neighbors for that purpose.
Short is reported to have been a civil, inoffensive and industrious young man, never before having been engaged in any altercation with any one, and would not this time if it had not been forced upon him.
Hiram Fierce, the murderer, was arrested the next morning, and held in custody by the constable until towards evening, when he was given into the hands of Mr. Ashby, the officer's father, for safekeeping. The prisoner was to have been married on the following Sunday (last Sabbath) to a daughter of a Mr. Young, living nearby, and desired to go and see her on the Wednesday evening of his arrest, and in company with Mr. Ashby did so. While there, he complained of being unwell and the privilege was granted him of lying down in an adjoining room. From here he made his escape, and up to the latest accounts we have, has not been captured.
Mr. Keller and Selden Stacy started in pursuit the following morning and tracked him about 12 miles, to a widow woman's near Newbern, which place he reached about twelve o'clock and stayed until morning. He reported that he was out buying cattle and had been thrown from his horse and injured. A dark hat and coat which he had on when he left had been changed for those of a light color. He is about 22 years of age and it is reported on good authority that he ran away from Ohio for shooting a man with whom he had some trouble, and from Illinois to this state for stabbing a cutting a man with a knife. His third effort at taking a life has been too successful.
Mr. Keller and Stacy are still in pursuit and it is believed they will finally arrest him, a result which is devoutly wished for. He was making his way east on foot between the two lines of railroads and had nearly two days start. This we believe embraces the main facts of the case and is as near correct as could be written without being on the ground in person. As fast as anything further transpires of importance in relation to the matter we will keep our readers posted. We are under many obligations to our esteemed friend and fellow citizen, R.R. Parrott, and A. Ward of Liberty for the particulars and information from which the above is compiled.
+++
A somewhat more balanced assessment of the fatal encounter between young Mr. Short and Mr. Fierce emerged in the days the followed the stabbing and that was reported upon in a lengthy follow-up, published in The Clarke County Sentinel of Jan. 28.
By this time, Hiram Fierce had been apprehended (or turned himself in), saying he had fled because he feared a lynch mob, and was in custody. Inflamed passions had cooled.
Hiram was able to argue successfully that Canada was the aggressor in the fight and that he was acting in self-defense. And everyone who looked at the fight objectively agreed that several men of the neighborhood, having attended the service at Bethel Chapel, too, had actively encouraged the two men to fight it out and therefore bore some responsibility, too.
Hiram eventually was set free, went on to marry Elizabeth Young later that year and they settled down to farm in Clarke County for a time, producing two children --- Laura Madge (Ashcroft), 1873-1949; and Claude Merle, 1877-1966, who died in Lucas County and is buried at Goshen Cemetery.
The marriage ended before 1880, however, and Elizabeth married Samuel Walker as her second husband on Feb. 17, 1887, in Clarke County, and moved thereafter to Harrison County in western Iowa.
I have not been able to figure out what became of Hiram Fierce after 1887, however.
No comments:
Post a Comment