The Carbon Advocate

The Shooting Affair at Audenried.

The Hazleton Daily News, of the 13th inst., says:—

Our correspondent at Audenried sends us the following account of the circumstances which led to the killing of Oliver Richards, near that place, in December. He writes as follows: Previous to the affair, Wm. Goldstraw, Anthony Fauless, Alex Wallace, Geo. Wm. Wills, set out in company to Beaver Brook, better known as French's town, to procure some pigeons for a shooting match, they were to have some time during the week. On their way back they stopped in Mr. Fowler's Hotel, and one of the party treated, Goldstraw, being a member of the Sons of Temperance division of this place, taking cronkbier. They then went down to M. Wills's, where they sat until about eleven P. M. when Goldstraw and Fauless, started for home. On their way they met Oliver Richards, McNulty, and Dunlan, and as they passed McNulty, said there goes Goldstraw now, and the trio turned back after them. McNulty had threatened Goldstraw before, and knowing this, and the character of the men he had to contend with, stopped as soon as he found they were following him, and believing that his life was in danger drew his revolver, and commanded them to stand back. They took no heed of this whatever but still pressed on until they were within arm's length of him. Knowing that the time for action had arrived, and determined not to shoot if possible, Goldstraw threw his revolver from his right to his left hand, dealt McNulty such a blow that sent him to the ground, then fired a shot in the air to scare them back if possible. Just then Richards, who was the hindmost of the party, jumped to the front, at the same time putting his hand into the inside pocket of his coat drew out a revolver and exclaimed "I will show you how to shoot." Goldstraw saw by this time that they intended to take his life, and that the time to defend himself had arrived, ordered Richards, three times to stand back or he would shoot him, in fact he delayed so long that had he hesitated a second longer it would have been too late, as Richards had the revolver at his breast. At this crisis Goldstraw fired, the shot taking effect in the left side and passing out the right breast.

[He] ran at once to J. F. Blinks, Coal and Iron Police, of this place. Squire W. E. Beven, impaneled a jury of the most respectable and disinterested men of our town, who after examining all the witnesses gave an impartial verdict, that Oliver Richards came to his death by a pistol shot in the hands of William Goldstraw, in defence of his own life. The Jury were Thos. Dougherty Foreman A. Lufkin, Charles Howell Frank Faltz, A. Dugan, and George Feurer. Goldstraw is represented as a quiet inoffensive young man, much beloved by all who knew him, while Richards was known as a desperate and reckless man when excited by passion or drink.