Miami Union

April 4, 1874 

LEFEVRE, JAMES - Through His Ribs - INTO HIS RIGHT LUNG - FATAL RESULTS OF A DRUNKEN QUARREL - A fearful cutting affray, which resulted in the death of one James Lefevre, occurred at the residence of Enoch Pearson, a short distance from Tippecanoe City, on Friday night of last week.  About 10 o'clock that night, Lefevre came to the house of Valentine Pearson near Tippecanoe, and asked admittance, saying that Enoch Pearson had stabbed him and that he was dying.  He was admitted and medical aid summoned, when two cuts were found on his body--one on the hand and a frightful cut of between three and four inches in his right breast.  It was found that the third rib had been severed and the right lung penetrated.  On Saturday morning Lefevre was brought to the Infirmary, where he lingered until five o'clock Monday morning.  The evidence before the Coroner's jury elicited the following in regard to the occurrence.

     Enoch Pearson came into Tippecanoe City Friday afternoon, and there met James Lefevre, whom he asked if he could get any whisky in that town.  Lefevre replied that they could not get any there, but could by coming to Troy.  They came and purchased a pint at one place--which Lefevre stated to witness they drank on the premises--and a half gallon at another place.  They returned home--arriving at Pearson's at about 9 o'clock in the evening.  Lefevre started to leave Pearson and go to his home, but was persuaded by the latter to go into the house and get some supper.  He consented, and the two went into Pearson's house, where a quarrel arose between them--about the whisky, or something else--in which Lefevre received the wound which caused his death.  Immediately Lefevre left the house and went to Valentine Pearson's.  Enoch Pearson also left home shortly afterwards and fled to parts unknown, though the officers of the law are in search of him, and it is not probable that he will long elude them.  The Coroner's jury returned a verdict "that the deceased came to his death from wounds received at the hands of Enoch Pearson--caused by some sharp instrument unknown to the jury--that said killing was unjustifiable, and caused by the use of intoxicating liquors, and that said liquors, and that said liquor was purchased in Troy, March 27th, 1874.  From the nature of the wounds it is supposed that the instrument used was a knife, though there was nothing in the testimony elicited that would warrant the jury in so asserting.  A hatchet found in Pearson's house had the appearance--to the naked eye--of bearing blood-stains, and it was at first thought to have been the weapon, but when subjected to chemical action and placed under a microscope showed no signs of such use.

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