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Note: GAFFNEY LEDGER JAN. 21 1902 DESPERATE FIGHT OF DESPERATE MEN Occurred Friday Afternoon Near The Ci PINK NORMAN IS KILLED As a Result of a Farmers Quarrel Eight or Ten Men Engaged in a General Fight Friday Afternoon Guns and Pistols Were Freely Used - One Man Killed Probably the most bloody fight that has occurred within the bounds of Cherokee county since the battle of the Cowpens, occurred last Friday afternoon between five and six o'clock between Bob Cobb, Son Cobb, James Cobb, and Obe Parker on one side and Pink Norman, Mack Norman, Charles Sexton and one man named Walker on the other and it is said Fred Norman, a youthful son of Pink, was engaged on the Norman side and that of a negro named Mucham lent a helping hand to the Cobbs. All the parties as far as we know are citizens of Cherokee township and live near Cherokee Falls. From the best information that we can get, some of the Cobb boys and Pink Norman have had one or two fights before this, and that bad blood had existed between then for some time. Saturday morning the Cobbs hitched their team to a two-horse wagon and all came over to town on business. Some time after the Cobbs arrived in the city the Normans came. Pink in a buggy and his friends on horseback. Both sides, we learn, availed themselves of the opportunity afforded by their state through her " great moral institutions" to imbibe her "chemically pure" rather freely, but not to the extent to make them disorderly, although some thought that at the time above mentioned the Cobbs, Parker, a man named Martin and the negro named Mucham left the city in their wagons for home. A short time after they left the Norman left, and about a half-mile beyond the city limits on Cherokee avenue between the residences of Tillman Huskey and Mr. W.O. Lipscomb the Normans caught up with the Cobbs and the fight began. At first it seemed between Pink Norman and Son Cobb, who both used double- barrel shotguns, firing at each other until their guns were empty and then met, both shifting their guns and fighting with the breeches until Norman fell from the effects of both charges of Cobb's gun, one of which entered his right breast and the other his abdomen. Norman was also shot in the back with a 38-caliber bullet. While these two were fighting it seemed that the whole party became engaged with pistols, guns barrels- which had been broken from the stocks- knives, rocks and everything else come-at-able and with determination and marvelous bravery on both sides, and until every one on both sides had been hideously beaten, cut or shot, except the youth, Norman, Parker and the negro. Pink Norman died in about forty minutes, Son Cobb, who killed him was badly beaten over the head and face; James Cobb was shot through the side; Bob Cobb, the father of Son and Jim, was hit on the head with a rock. Mack Norman and Charles Sexton and Walker soon left and their whereabouts are still unknown, but persons who saw them making their way toward the rive, say that Sexton was shot through the arm and across the forehead and otherwise badly used up; that Walker was badly beaten, and that Mack Norman was shot, badly beaten, and severely stabbed in the back, and when last seen seemed to be in a precarious condition. As soon as the neighbors could compose themselves after the battle a member of the Mr. W.O. Lipscomb's family telephoned the occurrence to the city, when sheriff Thomas, Deputy Sheriff Lipscomb, Chief of Police Camp and Dr. C.T. Lipscomb mounted horses and were soon on the scene. They found Norman down gasping for breath and were informed that Son Cobb shot him and that Cobb had started with the balance of the Cobb crowd towards their home across the river. They hurried forward rapidly and overtook them just this side of Cherokee Ford and arrested "Son" and bought him back to the city and put in jail; after which the sheriff got County Physician Dr. C.M. Littlejohn, who went to the jail and dresses Cobb's wounds and found none of them serious. While in the post-mortem examination was being made Saturday morning the bullet wound was found and Fred Norman, the youth referred to, was asked if he saw anyone shoot his father with a pistol. He said yes, but didn't know who it was, but gave a good description of Parker who was known in town. Sheriff Thomas and Deputy Sheriff Lipscomb went into town with the boy, and without having his attention called to him saw Parker and told the sheriff "that is the man who shot pa after he fell." Deputy Sheriff Lipscomb arrested him at once and carried him before Magistrate Phillips who committed him to jail. Coroner Vinesett was notified and went to the scene Saturday morning and empanelled a jury composed of the following citizens: R.M. Jolly, foreman; G.W. Webster, J.K. Burton, Felix Robbs, E.B. Moseley, D.B. Bailey, J.F. Fincken, John F. Coyle, J.R. Byers, A.O. Tate, S.L. Morgan, and Jas. T. Burgess, and Drs. B.R. Brown and S.H. Griffith were requested to make post- mortem examination. They made a thorough and careful one, and in their statement before the coroner they described all the wounds minutely and stated " in our opinion death was due to hemorrhage and shock superinduced by either or all of wounds stated above." Mr. M.C. Byers and his son, Hampton, were in a buggy about a hundred yards from and ahead of the Cobbs when the Normans caught up with them. Mr. Byers was sworn and in substance stated that he had fast riding, looked back, saw Pink Norman drive past Cobb's wagon, turn his buggy across the road so as to stop Cobb's team; saw Norman shoot at Cobb; saw Son Cobb return the fire with two shots, both using double-barrel shotguns; saw them meet fighting, when fighting and firing became general. After it was over, went back, saw Norman down and went to him. Norman spoke a few words but was almost dead. Mr. Hampton Byers was sworn and stated in substance about the same as his father, except that he did not go back to the scene, but held the horse while his father did. Fred Norman, son of Pink Norman, was sworn and stated in substance that when his father drove by Cobb's wagon that Son Cobb cursed him; that his father stooped, took up his gun and got out of the buggy, and just as he was between the wheels getting out Cobb shoot him once. His father moved to one side and Cobb shoot him again; that they went together and fought till his father fell to his hands and knees and then Obe Parker shot him with a pistol. He then described the general fight. After the above and some unimportant testimony, the jury returned the following verdict: " We find that the deceased, Pink Norman, came to his death from the gunshot wounds and a pistol wound, thirty-eight caliber, in the hands of one Son Cobb, and Obe Parker accessory." Norman and Cobb were both hard working men and had families
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