Chris Carpenter shoots Charley Bending; who recently stole R. Hemingray's lawnmower

CRACK! CRACK!

Chris Carpenter Shoots Charley

Bending.

Charlie's Wife is Chris' Housekeeper, and

That’s What the Matter.

Chris G. Carpenter and Charles Bending, both of Covington, had a misunderstanding early yester­day afternoon in Covington, and Chris shot Char­ley twice. Chris was arrested by Officer Cavanagh, of the Covington police, at his home, a few mo­ments after the shooting, owned up, and after de­laying the officer only until he could put a clean shirt on, went quietly to jail. There were two shots and two wounds, one ball grazing the head and the other burying itself in his left hip. This wound is very painful, and may prove dangerous. Bending went to Dr. Thomas, in Covington, as soon as he was shot, and then walked all the way over to Mayo street. Newport, before giving up.

Carpenter is an engineer at Lovell & Gedge’s to­bacco factory, Covington, and a man of steady, quiet habits and peaceable disposition. Bending is also an engineer, and works at H. Schulte’s wagon factory, Newport. %%He has lately served a short term at Frankfort for grand larceny, stealing a lawn mower from Mr. R. Hemingray.%%

CARPENTER'S SAY

He talked with entire freedom in the Marshal’s office to our reporter immediately after his arrest, and said, in substance: "Bending has been threatening my life because I let his wife work at my house. I live at No. 62 West Seventh street, up­ stairs, with my two children. My wife is dead. While Bending was at Frankfort his wife came to work to support herself. After his return she went to him, but afterward left again on account of ill- treatment, as she said. He threatened me so often that 1 got that old rusty pistol out, and got it ready and used it when out at nights. I wasn’t afraid of him, except that he might jump out of an alley at me or come up behind me.

"At the time of the shooting he came to my house, stood at the door of the front room, abused his wife, and finally talked about killing her. She shut the door and locked it, and he then walked back to the kitchen window, looked in where I was sitting by the stove, shook his fist against the window and swore be would have my life before sun­down. I said "All right. I’ll be with you," jumped up got the pistol off a shelf and started after him. He ran down stairs and into the street, and just as I reached the gate he gathered something from the ground to throw. 1 fired, and, as it appears, grazed his bead. He kept making at me, and I fired again, hitting him on the hip. He then ran off. There was no trouble between us, except the wife trouble, and he never accused me of any thing except persuading her to work for me in­stead of living at home with him. Mrs. Bending and my little boy, about twelve years of age, saw the whole thing, 1 believe."

CHARLES BENDING,

The man who received the wounds, was also called on by our reporter where he lives, on Mayo street, Newport, he gave the following as his account of the affair: "Shortly after dinner I visited my wife on Seventh street, in Covington. I was standing in front of the house talking to her, when I heard her halloo. 1 looked up and saw Carpenter coming to­ward me with a pistol. As he approached me he said, "1 will kill you, G—d d—n you." As he said this he fired at me. The ball passed through my hat, just grazing my head. I ran, as soon as he fired, behind a tree, when he fired again, the ball striking me in the hip, where it now is. I am suf­fering very much from it. Not quite two years ago I was sent to the Penitentiary for borrowing a lawn-mower. As soon as I left for Frankfort my wife took up her residence with Carpenter. I turned home from the Penitentiary about two months ago, when my wife and myself commenced housekeeping in Covington, but this did not last long, for Carpenter soon won her back to him. My wife told me that Carpenter had a pistol, and in­tended shootiug me. His son told me the same thing." Bending was suffering very much from talking, so the reporter did not press him further. Where he now is is a little one-room shanty, badly furnished. He was lying on a mattress on the floor, covered with but one quilt, and by himself without any one to wait on him. When asked when the ball was to be extracted he said the doctor would call in the morning. He says it nearly killed him to walk to Newport, but he did not have money to ride over on a street-car.

MRS. MAGGIE,

The wife of Bending, was called on at No. 62 West Seventh street, where the shooting occurred, and gives her story as follows: "About a quarter past twelve o’clock I heard somebody coming up the steps, and soon heard a knock at the door. I told Mr. Carpenter, who was in my room, that it was Charley’s knock. I went to the door when l saw it was Bending. He said "Good morning; are you coming to Newport to live with me?" I said "No, not until you can do better and not beat me up." He started away and I shut the door. After he had been gone a few seconds he hallooed to let him in, saying he wanted to knock my G—d d—d head off. I answered if that was what he wanted he could not get in. He then commenced knocking on the window, and shook his fist at Carpenter, saying to him. I want to cut your G—d d—d heart out of you, you s—n of a b—h! I will have your G—d d—d life before sundown, you s—n of a b—h!" When he said this Carpenter jumped up and got a pistol off the cupboard. I jumped in front of the door, but he pushed me aside and went out, repeating, "I won't let him call me a s—n of a b—h." I heard one shot, bbut did not see the shooting. I followed him out as soon as I could. I saw Bending on the outside, bleeding, when he said to me, "You see he has shot me; what shall I do about it?" I told him that I didn't care what he did; that both Mr. Carpenter and myself defied him. After Carpenter did the shooting he came back to his room and commenced loading his pistol. Carpenter has warned him repeatedly not to come to this house except on Sundays, when he allows him to come and see his little child. I despise him and will not live with him. He lies when he says Carpenter and myself are man and wife. I am only Mr. Carpenter's housekeeper. He is a perfect gentleman, and never so much as said an insulting word to me."

Mrs. Bending proceeded, giving her husband a good turning-over, when the reporter reminded her of his uncomfortable quarters, and that there was no one there to wait on him. This seemed to weaken her a little, and she asked if she could go and attend to him without prejudicing Carpenter’s case. Being answered yes, she said she would go and see him this morning, but it would be like handling a rattlesnake to touch him. [not finished]