Shot and Killed by Chap Osborne at The Furnace
The Southwest Journal in its last issue gives the following correct account of a very deplorable killing that occurred at the furnace at this place on last Wednesday afternoon. On last Wednesday about two o'clock p.m. at the furnace at this place R. C. (Chap) Osborne shot and killed his (Osborne's uncle by marriage. A few minutes previous to the shooting there had been fighting between Osborne and two of Belcher's brothers, Ike and Jim, who loaded iron from a block where Osborne worked as an iron breaker. There was another block from which two other men loaded, and it was claimed too many heavy bars of iron were thrown to the Belchers to be loaded. This brought on heated words and the two Belchers attacked Osborne, but other workmen soon separated the men. At this time Prentiss Belcher came down from the casting house with an iron bar in his hand, but on being told that the trouble was over he stuck the bar in the ground and stood still for a short time, when Marshal Belcher, a brother of Prentiss and the other Belchers, and a father-in-law of Osborne, and who is the police officer at the furnace, came up and noticed Jim and Ike Belcher and Osborne to appear before the Mayor at three o'clock to answer to the charge of fighting. Osborne then requested that Prentiss Belcher be noticed to appear also to answer to the charge of threatening him with the iron bar. Prentiss then replied that if he had to go he would go for something, and witnesses stated that at this juncture he stepped toward Osborne with his hand in his pocket; however a search of his pocket afterward failed to show any weapon. Marshal Belcher was standing between the two men but quick as a flash Osborne drew a 41 calibre derringer and shot Prentiss Belcher in the upper right breast, from the effect of which he sank to the ground and died in a few seconds. He never spoke after he was shot. He was about 40 years of age and leaves a widow and seven children, one of whom, a daughter, is married. After the shooting Osborne was brought to town and lodged in jail over night, and Thursday was given a preliminary trial before Mayor Horton and Squire A. M. Lee, who bound him over to the Grand Jury now in session at Wise. He was taken to the county jail Friday morning. He is originally from Tazewell county, but has lived in the vicinity of the furnace at this place for about 12 years where he has heretofore borne the reputation of a peaceable man.