May 27^th
[FIGURE] I went to the office early this morning whare
I was informed that James Johnson son of Luke Johnson
was shot last night by one Gibson there were 4 of them
together, Jason Luce, James Johnson, Gibson & another one, some
words passed between Gibson & Johnson when Gibson drew a pistol
cocked it & drew it upon Johnson when Luce took the pistol from
Gibson & uncocked it & gave it back to Gibson He then again cocked
it & a few words passed & he drew his pistol & shot James Johnson
the balle entered below the chollar bone on the left side Just escaped
the Left Lung broke the upper rib went downward through the
body Dr'^s France & Anderson was sent For they cut out the
ball on the right side of the spine of the back. As soon as I herd
of it I went down to see him in the upper story of James
Townsend House I found him lying on his back suffering
in much pain when the ball hole was open or uncorvered the
wind would come out of it evry time he breathed like a whistle
the Physicians staid with him till morning & came while
I was there Dr France thought he could not live over
24 hours Mrs Woodruff Sisters Hiyde & Whitney called to
see him I went to the Council House saw Thomas Williams
& Gibson the Murderer in conversation together Williams will
plead his case. S. M. Blair will prosecute. I soon returned
to James Johnson who was suffering much Mr Miner
& myself took care of him. Many called to see him. He
continued to Fail his limbs & all his lower extremities
seemed paralized & he could not move them & had no
sensation in them which was a strong proof that spine
of the back was injured he continued to fail till 15 minutes
past [blank] oclok when he said to me I cannot stand it
I cannot lie here, I must get up And he flung his
arms wildly over his head & in about a minute more
he breathed his last. I asked him if he had any word
to say to his Father he said No ownly he wished him
to hasten to him as soon as he was dead We sent for
the coronor Dr Clinton who came & swore a Jury of
6 men who herd the Testimony of the men & surgeons
the Jury all not being satisfyed a post mortom examination
of the body was Entered into it was found that the ball had passed
through the left lung & gone through the spine of the back and it was
a wonder that He lived as long as he did As soon as the examindation
was through the Jury retired to another room & brought in a
virdict of came to his death by a Ball shot from the pistol
held in the Hands of one [blank] Gibson. I immediately went
to work had the body washed shaved & laid out Mrs Woodruff
made his shroud I staid with the corps with Brother Miner &
another Man till 3 oclock waiting for the coffin to put him
in but it did not come. Brother Luke Johnson arived at about
dark having rode some 75 miles and was thoroughly used
up he did not come in to see the corps I went to bed about
4 oclok to get a little rest. The men planted sugar cane