Monday, August 26, 1889
HOMICIDE AT HARMONY

Two Highland Farmers Have a Fatal Quarrel about Honey 

Full Particulars of the Tragedy as Told by an Eye Witness 
- The Prisoner Interviewed
 
Late Saturday night news was received in this city of the murder of 
John Wm. HOOPER, son of ex-county commissioner Charles H. HOOPER 
of Jackson district, near Harmony, by his neighbor T. W. SHOW.  Since then 
this has been the leading topic of conversation here.
 
The tragedy occurred about five o'clock Saturday afternoon, at the residence 
of Show.
 
The particulars of the affair, as told a representative of THE NEWS by an 
eye witness, are as follows: 

Thomas SHOW, aged 35 years, and Wm. HOOPER, aged 26, farm small tracts 
of land near Harmony.  Both are married men.  Show has a wife and five children, 
and Hooper a wife and three children.
 
On Thursday last Show found a bee tree in the woods on the land of a Mrs. GAVER.  
He then asked permission of the lady to cut the tree down, which was given; she 
also loaned him an axe to fell the tree.  The tree was cut down, and a portion of 
the honey was presented to Mrs. Gaver, and the balance Show took home.  
Hooper, on learning that Show had cut the tree, became very angry and claimed 
that he had discovered the tree first and marked it.
 
It is an unwritten law in that neighborhood for the finder of a bee tree to claim 
the honey, provided he cuts a certain mark on the tree.  Show says the tree was 
not marked, and that he was entitled to the honey after obtaining the permission 
of Mrs. Gaver.  It is stated that Hooper then threatened to kill Show.  After Show 
heard of this, he went down to see Hooper to talk the matter over with him, and 
said that if he was in the wrong he would apologize.  Hooper had retired when he 
reached his residence, but he called him and Hooper asked him to wait until he 
came down.  Show answered, yes; but afterwards walked up the road a few paces.  
Hooper called to him saying that he would pass his house shortly and "sink him 
in the ground".
 
No further conversation was had until Saturday evening about 4 o'clock when 
Hooper passed Show's house, it being on his way home from Frederick.  Hooper 
stopped and asked Mrs. Show, who was at the woodpile, where her husband was.  
She replied by telling him to please go on home and not quarrel any more about 
the bee question.  He then became somewhat boisterous and applied some profane 
language to Mrs. Show.  Her husband, who was digging potatoes back of the house, 
on hearing his wife abused, came around.  Whereupon Hooper drew a revolver, 
and pointing it at Show, threatened to kill him.  Show, not wanting to have any 
trouble, persuaded him to put the pistol in his pocket.  They then began to talk 
the matter over, when Hooper again drew the revolver, this time cocking it.  
Show backed a few steps and went in the house and procured a shot gun; coming
out, he told Hooper to put that revolver away and go home.  He put the revolver 
away the second time and Show set his gun on the ground.  Then Hooper and 
Mrs. Show began to quarrel and, becoming exasperated, she picked up a stone 
and threw it at Hooper which he dodged.  On raising, Hooper aimed his revolver 
at Mrs. Show, she being quite near at the time.  At this moment Show raised 
his gun and fired, the charge taking effect in Hooper's neck and head killing 
him almost instantly.
 
Show went immediately before Magistrate BRANDENBURG and gave himself up, 
and Theodore BRANDENBURG and John LEATHERMAN, were deputized to 
take him in charge.  Not many hours after, the prisoner was lodged in jail.

A representative of THE NEWS called at the jail this morning and had a 
lengthy interview with the prisoner.  He is about five feet, ten inches high, 
weighs about 150 pounds and has dark hair and moustache.  He is a son 
of Samuel Show and is a laborer by occupation and has always bore a good 
reputation.  He seemed so very sad over the affair and said:  "It was an awful 
thing to be compelled to do what I did, but I couldn't stand by and see my wife 
killed."  He said that up to the time of the quarrel about the honey, she and 
Hooper had been on good terms.
 
When Hooper left Frederick Saturday afternoon for his home, he was said 
to have been under the influence of liquor.  Yesterday, Justice Frederick 
BISER of Myersville, summoned a jury of inquest, which, after meeting at 
the home of the dead man and viewing the remains, took testimony in the case.  
The following verdict was rendered:  "That Willie HOOPER, found lying dead, 
was killed by a gun shot fired by the hand of one Thomas F. SHOW."  
The tenor of the evidence was of self-defense for Show, the evidence of Hooper's 
nephew, a small boy, not being taken.
 
Mrs. Show and her little children are said to be almost crazed by grief, and 
have nothing to live on.
 
On October 24, 1889, Thomas F. SHOW was found innocent of any wrong-doing 
in the death of John W. HOOPER. Show had shot Hooper to death in a dispute 
over a beehive in a tree west of Middletown.

[submitted by VC]