On a May afternoon in 1856, an angry
John A. Bell rounded this corner
carrying a large hickory stick. He passed
by Edward Perine's fine brick store, and
continued south down the sidewalk.
Under his coat, he carried two pistols
and a knife. He was not here to shop.
Dr. Matthew Troy had filed a civil suit
against Bell, but at that moment, he was
sitting under the shade of a Chinaberry
tree in front of his office. Head down,
he was reading the paper. When
Bell reached Troy, he beat him until
the hickory stick broke. Battered and
bruised, Dr.Troy rolled into the street.
There three members of the Bell family
quickly surrounded him, all with pistols
drawn. Fortunately for Troy, his two
brothers-in-law ran to defend him.
Shots were fired. When the smoke
cleared, John A. Bell was dead in the
street; his father, John R. Bell was dying.
Dr. Troy recovered from the attack, and
won his suit against Bell's estate.
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