Confederate soldier (unit unknown), who, when visiting home on a sick furlough, was shot in an encounter with Confederate conscript/deserter hunters, near the old Stoneberger's Church & School, near what is now Stanley, Virginia.

"I notice in the last issue of the News and Courier that Joseph R. Broyles had asked my old friend J.R. Seakford [Seekford] for information in regard to the killing of a man by the name of Norman [Thomas Jefferson Nauman]. Although past my 80th milestone in life, in sound mind, sufficient to set both Mr. Broyles and friend Seakford right on that most unpleasant subject from the fact that I was an eye-witness to that sad affair. The victim was Thomas Norman, son of John Norman. He was a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia and was at home on a 10-day sick furlough. There was a gang of conscript hunters as they were called at that time (I mean by that they were men sent from camp to arrest and bring back for duty all men who had deserted without leave). This gang of conscript hunters were under the command of Lieut. Perry Kite, son of Jacob C. Kite and Rolf Kite, son of David Kite, of Honeyville. These two men were first cousins. They were both at a home near and had sent two men to get Thomas Norman. The men were Al Campbell and a man named Richards. They got Norman, who showed them his sick leave, but neither of them could read it. He then agreed to go with them to the officers of the gang to reach the furlough and they had to pass by the school that was being taught by Thomas M. Offenbacker, who was a brother-in-law of Mr. Norman. This being near the noon hour, and Mr. Offenbacker seing that some trouble was going to take place dismissed school. By this time Norman and the two men came to the school house and Norman went in and took a seat on the front bench and spread his arms out at full length hold to the back of the seat with each hand. He wore heavy sheep-skin gloves. The two men ordered him to come out and he refused. They then asked Mr. Offenbacker to put him out. Mr. Offenbacker told them that he could not put him out and told some of the school boys to go and find Lieut. Kite. The late William D. Knight and myself went for the officers and just as we got back near the school we heard the shot, and there was much excitement in the way of crying of relatives. The man that shot him was blowing the smoke out of his gun. The shooting occurred in this way- Before Kite got there Norman came out of the school house and knocked both Richards and Campbell down in the snow (it was then snowing fast) and he started to run toward the old Stoneberger church, but by the time he was only 20 yards away, they had gotten to their feet and one of them shot him dead, the bullet hitting in the back of the head, near the top splitting his head from the back to the forehead, near the top and spilling his brains on the ground, so you see he was not hit in the back nor did he run through the fields as Mr. Seakford has been erroneously informed."

"I do not know which of the men did the shooting, Campbell or Richards. One of Norman's uncles, whose name I withhold, offered a large sum of money to the man who would kill the one that shot Thomas Norman. He was carried in the school house and the stain of that man's blood was still on the floor as long as I knew the place."

"Now I am not the only persons that tells the truth, but if anyone ever gives a different account of this dastardly and cowardly act it will not be correct. I am not finding fault with Broker Jake for I feel sure he gave the best at his command, but in this I am one ahead of him. And now until I write again soon. J.H. COFFMAN"

PART TWO-ALL WRITTEN IN 1932

"Will you please find room among your columns for the following letter which I am writing to my friends in Luray and Page County. I have been paralyzed for the past 3 years haven't walked a step. In regard's to J.H. Coffman's letter about the death of J.H. Norman. I want to say that Alfred Campbell was the man that killed him and lived at Needmore, Page County. I knew him well and lived close by him for years. He often related his story regarding the shooting to me (personally) and after reading Mr. Coffman's letter in last week's paper I found correct in every respect. Mr. Campbell was never known to go to any public places. He told me that the Normans were looking for him and if they found him, it would mean certain death for him. In 1878 I did pursuade him to go with me to Luray to get my marriage license. He went but I could'nt get him within a half mile of town...

I remain your friend, SAM HENRY MIDDLETON"