Star and Banner [Gettysburg, Pennsylvania] November 29, 1850 Shooting and Subsequent Death The following singular incident is re- lated in the St. Louis Intelligencer of the 11th instant: A few hours previous to the arrival of the steamer Amazonia, on Saturday, Mich- ael Wynn, of Pittsburg, Pa., died on board from the effect of pistol shots received at the hands of one Dr. R. Crane, a citizen of Grand Gulf, Miss. The circumstances attending this melancholy affair are thus briefly related to us by Capt. McBride: On the upward trip of the Amazonia from New Orleans, while the boat was ly- ing to at a wood yard for the night, be- tween island 36 and 37, on the night of Monday, the 4th inst., the deceased Mich- ael Wynn, and Dr. Crane, both cabin passen- gers, quarrelled, at a game of cards, and were on the point of coming to blows, when the Captain stepped in and preven- ted a difficulty. Wynn left the cabin and went below, and was soon followed by Crane, who says he designed going on the Duroc, which boat was lying alongside.- On the lower deck the parties again quar- relled, Wynn using some abusive language, whereupon Crane drew a revolver and fi- red four shots, all of which are supposed to have taken effect. The officers, crew, and passengers, alarmed by the firing, ran to the spot, and found Crane and Wynn standing within five feet of each other the latter smoking a cigar. The captain again interfered, and told the parties they must cease fighting and go to their rooms, or both go ashore. Crane first left the deck and soon retired for the night. Wynn re- mainded up until a very late hour conver- sing and smoking in the Social Hall, and to the repeated inquiries of Captain Mc- Bride and others as to his injuries, stoutly denied that he was hurt, although two bul- let holes were plainly visible in his clothes. On the following morning, [Tuesday] Wynn did not get up as usual, and, in the course of the forenoon, Capt. McBride and several others called in his state-room, and insisted upon his wounds being dressed, but he obstinately refused, and would not even suffer his clothes to be taken off. He re- mained in this condition regularly receiv- ing his meals from the cabin table until Saturday morning, when he arose, was shaved by the barber of the boat, put on some clean clothes and again retired. - Soon after he sent for the captain and made some inquiries regarding hospital ar- rangements in this city, and expressed a desire to be sent to the best regulated, as soon as the boat reached port. An hour or so later, and but a few moments before the boat touched at the landing, some gen- tleman in the cabin called in his roam and found him in the last agonies of death. Yesterday morning the Coroner of our city was called upon by Capt. McBride, and held an inquest, at which the above facts, in substance, were elicited, and a ver- dict was returned that Michael Wynn, the deceased, came to his death from the effect of pistol shots, fired by the hands of one Dr. R. Crane. Upon stripping Wynn's body, it was discovered that not less than four pistol balls had taken effect, all in the region of the hips and groin, and producing frightful wounds. His coolness at the time of the recounter and subsequent conduct, can a- lone be accounted for from the fact that he was partially intoxicated, and remained in that condition nearly up to the time of his death. He was destitute of means, the captain having but a short time previous to the difficulty loaned him a small sum of money. Dr. Crane, we are informed, was on his way to Louisville, Ky., to attend the med- ical lectures this winter, and when the Amazonia, reached Cairo he got off and proceeded up the Ohio, and is, up to the present time, no doubt unconscious of the fate of his victim. ----- Original Message ----- From: "The Thill Group Inc" <ttg-inc@comcast.net> To: <WYNNE-GENEALOGY-SOCIETY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:55 AM Subject: [WGS] Fatal Gambling Affray > Adams Sentinel [Gettysburg, Pennsylvania] > November 25, 1850 > Fatal Gambling Affray - In a difficulty > about a game of cards, on board the steam- > er Amazonia, in a recent passage to St. > Louis, on the 13th, from New Orleans, Mi- > chael Wynne, a citizen of Pittsburg, was > shot by a Dr. Crane, and died there from.- > Although four balls had entered his legs > and groin, Wynne persisted that he was not > hurt, and refused to allow any examination > to be made. Crane is suppose to be a stu- > dent at Louisville. > ttg-inc@comcast.net > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ttg13/ > > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >