Lexington Weekly Intelligencer, June 7, 1882
Lexington, Mo.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT
Arnold T. Ewing Accidentally Killed at Higginsville
Tuesday morning last Arnold T. Ewing was accidentally shot and instantly killed at Higginsville. The circumstance are about as follows: Monday night Sheriff Elliott started out with a posse, consisting of Joseph Bowman, Frank K. Tutt, David Callahan, Jos. Chinn and Ed. Claypool, all armed with Ballard rifles or carbines, to hunt up some horse thieves supposed to be in the neighborhood of Higginsville, and after an all-night horseback ride, returned to that place about 7 o'clock Tuesday morning. About the same time Messrs. Frank Trigg and Arnold Ewing arrived by the Chicago & Alton road from Waverly. Both parties stopped at the Occidental hotel. During the night-ride the horse of Mr. Chinn gave out, and Mr. Bowman, who had removed the carriage from his gun, rode along behind, and occasionally urged Chinn's horse forward by prodding him with the muzzle of his gun. Sheriff Elliott got through with his breakfast first, and coming out, reached over the counter and took a gun, which he supposed to be his own, but which proved to be Bowman's. When Bowman came out he took Elliott's gun, supposing it was his own, and empty, of course. On the hotel portico Bowman found Frank Trigg and Arnold Ewing, who engaged him in conversation, while all the members of the posse had gone ahead, and one or two of them were calling back to him that he would be left if he did not make haste as the Lexington train was about to leave. As Bowman started off he had the gun on his right shoulder, and Ewing called to him: "Tell all the boys ta ta." Bowman, still moving off, slightly turned to make a reply, at the same time shifting the gun from his shoulder into the hollow of his left elbow, where he was carrying a gun coat, and in doing so, by some means the gun was discharged, and Ewing fell mortally wounded, and died in a few seconds. The ball struck Ewing near the point of the left shoulder blade, ranged upward, and came out on the right side of the neck, then struck under his jaw bone, came out through the right cheek, and passed through his hat brim. Some of the by-standers say that he exclaimed, "I'm shot," while others think he never spoke or breathed afterward.

Esquire Payne, of Higginsville, summoned a jury, and held an inquest on the body. Mr. Luce, editor of the Higginsville Advance, was called upon to act as clerk for the magistrate. He favored us with his notes and the following is the evidence, so far as we were able to abstract it from the notes:
Alex. Smith: Noticed the men, and inquired who were these dirty looking fellows; said to Bowman, nothing in the run; I was at the Presbyterian church when the gun went off; I think Bowman and Ewing were twelve or fifteen feet apart; saw Ewing fall; Bowman had the gun across his right arm; I thought the ball went through the right side of his neck; helped lay out the corpse; think the shot was accidental; did not see the gun cocked.
A.J. Groves: I was at the hotel to see what the posse was doing; was within three feet of the men; they were fooling with the fun; Bowman started up the sidewalk with the gun in his right hand; Bowman said to Ewing "Look out! I'll shoot," and Ewing fell; they were eleven steps apart; don't think Bowman knew what he had done; Ewing's back was toward Bowman when the gun went off; Bowman did not see Ewing when the gun went off; Ewing was standing straight; was in the act of going into the hotel when the gun went off.
Frank K. Tutt: The cartridge was taken out of Bowman's gun; all the guns were Ballard rifles and carbines; Bowman had Elliott's gun when he shot; Elliott had previously tried to get the cartridge out of the gun, had failed, and had probably left the gun half-cocked.

The following is the verdict of the jury:
Higginsville, Mo., June 13, 1882

We, the jury, after a careful examination of the body, and hearing the evidence, find that Arnold T. Ewing came to his death by an accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of Joseph Bowman.
H.L. Groom, Foreman
I.H. Reed,
R.B. Brown,
Chas. Hoeffer,
O.A. Jones
I.W. Avitt
The remains reached this city Tuesday noon, and were taken to the residence of Mr. E. Winsor, where they remained till 10 o'clock Wednesday, when they were carried to the Methodist church, and from thence to their last resting place--Machpelah cemetery. Dr. Prottsman delivered a sensible and touching address at the church, which was filled with friends of the deceased. Deceased was nearly 35 years of age, an agreeable, social gentleman, and is deeply regretted by all who knew him. He had been deputy clerk in various county offices for several years past, and had a very large circle of friends and acquaintances. Peace to his ashes.

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