This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: BACON, BIRD, BYRD, COLE, COLEMAN, DAVIDSON, EADY, EDDY, GANN, HAMMOCK, McCAHEY, McSWAIN, NEWSOME, WIGGINS, WOOD Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Xd.2ADE/1456 Message Board Post: “MURDER NEAR THE COLUMBUS FACTORY.—A tragedy happened in one of the operative houses, generally the most orderly of orderly places, of the Columbus Manufacturing Company, located some three and a half miles from the city, Saturday night about nine o’clock. A party was in progress at a house occupied by the BYRD and WIGGINS families. A fight occurred in front between Ben WIGGINS and Jackson BYRD, two visitors. Jas. W. BYRD, another visitor, went among them and was stabbed six times, one blow completely severing the artery on the left side of the neck. He died almost instantly. Three parties concerned have been arrested and put in jail—Jackson BYRD, Fin and Ben WIGGINS. They are respectively the brother and brothers-in-law of the deceased. Another brother, Isaiah BYRD, brought them to the city and delivered them to the authorities. The commitment trail will be held this morning at 10 o’clock, at the Court House, before Justice! s McCAHEY and Charles COLEMAN. Several who witnessed the affair, say Ben WIGGINS struck the fatal blow. The trial may develop the fact. The entire party are employees of the factories, were under the influence of liquor and went out there from Columbus. "Coroner WOOD, with the following jurors, and Dr. BACON as examining physician, held an inquest over the body: S. DAVIDSON, Foreman; D. McSWAIN, H[enry] P. EDDY, A[rchibald] H[ood] COLE, W. C. HAMMOCK, J[ohn] NEWSOME, H[enry] C. GANN. The verdict was [that the] deceased came to his death from a wound inflicted in the neck by a knife or some cutting weapon in the hands of parties unknown to the jury.” [From the “Columbus, Georgia, Daily Enquirer” newspaper, Tuesday, 22 NOV 1870, p. 3, column 2, top.]