Person:John Hooper (26)

this from The Valley Register, Aug 24, 1889

Shot His Neighbor Dead--John W Hooper Shot and Instantly Killed At "Highland" This Valley by Thomas F Show

The Result of a Quarrel About a Bee Tree

A Deplorable Affair

    Between 4 and 5 o'clock last Saturday evening, John William Hooper, aged 27 years youngest son of Ex-County Commissioner Charles Hooper, a well-known farmer of "Highland", this valley, was shot in instantly killed by his neighbor, Thomas F. Show, aged about 34 years.  The shooting occurred in front of Show's house and was witnessed by no one but Charles Hooper, 9 or 10-year-old nephew of the dead man, Mrs. Show, and John Nichols, who has been making his home at the Show residence.  Immediately after the shooting, Show walked to Harmony, three miles distant, where he gave himself into the hands of Justice John N. Brandenburg, who deputized Messrs. Theodore Brandenburg and John Leatherman to convey Show to Frederick, and deliver him to the sheriff. About eight o'clock the same evening, Justice Frederick Bisor, of Myersville, went to “Highland” and summoned a jury of inquest, which after meeting at the Show premises, visited the home of the dead man and after viewing the remains, took testimony in the case… defense of Show, but was all one sided -the evidence being taken but that of Mrs. Show, John Nichols, and Mrs. Show's mother and sister, who were in the home at the time of the shooting. Dr. Zimmerman, of Myersville, examined the body and testified as as to the cause of the death.  The verdict rendered was as follows: "That Willie Huber, found lying dead, was killed by a gun shot fired by the hand of one Thomas F. Show." The jury was composed of the following persons: Samuel Harshman, foreman, Thomas Klein, Samuel Naille, Samuel Early, John W. Early, Charles Flair, John Fisher, George Babington, David L. Summers, Ezra Baker, Charles Muck and John J Funk.

    The Scene of The Homicide

    A representative of The Register visited the scene of the homicide Sunday afternoon.  “Highland” is a small settlement situated right in the midst of the Catoctin Mountain, about two miles east of Ellerton, and 7 1/2 miles northeast of Middletown. The homes of Hooper and Show are about a half-mile apart on the same road, and each consists of a small dwellings and a little tract of land on which the men raised truck for market.  Hooper's house was reached first, and hear a dozen or more persons were found standing in front of the house discussing the sad affair; while within the little dwelling were a crowd of weeping friends and neighbors.  The following particulars of the homicide and its cause were obtained from a reliable source:

    Origin of the Difficulty

    Sometime ago Hooper, while roaming through the mountain, discovered a bee-tree on the land of Mrs. Gaber.  He marked the tree with an X which was to indicate that it belonged henceforth to him, as a law, which is common in all mountain regions, gives a bee-tree to the person who first put his mark on it.  On Wednesday Show came across the tree, and on Thursday he cut it down and gave Mrs. Gaber some of the honey, and the balance he took home.  Previous to this, Hooper and Show had been on the best of terms, but upon learning what Show had done, he became very angry and told a friend that he could whip the _________ ________that cut his tree down.  Hearing of this remark, Show, accompanied by John Nichols and one or two others, came down to Hooper's house about 10 o'clock Thursday night and dared Hooper, who was in bed, to come out to the road.  Hooper replied by telling Show to go home, that he [Hooper] was going to Frederick in a day or so, and would stop on his way back and settle the matter.  Show then left, but before doing so, it is alleged, told Hooper that while in Frederick, he had better engage his coffin and bring it with him. On Saturday morning Hooper, accompanied by his little nephew Charles Hooper, took a wagon load of vegetables to the Frederick market, and on the return, had to pass Show's house.
    
    The Quarrel

    Hooper's little nephew tells us the following story: On arriving at Show's house, which sets in from the road a short distance, Hooper stopped and asked Mrs. Show, who was in the front part of the lot, where her husband was.  Mrs. Show began quarreling with him. Hooper then alighted from his wagon, and as he did so, Mrs. Show struck him with a stone.  Hooper and then advanced toward Mrs. Show with a revolver in his hand,  which was hanging carelessly by his side, and pushing the woman aside, called for her husband, who was at work back of the house.

    The Fatal Shot

    Show responded to the call and came for with a hoe in his hand.  Some words ensued, during all of which the revolvers still hung by Hooper's side.  Finally Show went into the house, and procuring his shotgun, came out to into the lot and fired at Hooper.  The load took effect in the left side of the unfortunate man's neck, and he fell forward on his face, dying instantly.

    Mrs. Show's Story

    On the other hand, Mrs. Show states that Hooper drove up in front of the house, and alighting from the wagon, called her vile names, whereupon she hurled a stone at him.  Hooper then took a revolver from his pocket, but allowed it to drop to his side.  Her husband, hearing the quarrel, came from behind the house, and seeing Hooper with a revolver in his hand, told him to put it away.  This he did.  The two men then engaged in a quarrel, during which Hooper again took the revolver from his pocket.  Show then went to the house, and getting his gun, came out in told Hooper to put his pistol away.  He did so, and then Show said his gun down against the fence.  Mrs. Show then had some words with Hooper, when he pushed her aside, at the same time drawing his revolver, and pointing it at her.  At this instant, Show thinking she would be killed, picked up the gun and fired, with the above results.  After Hooper had fallen to the ground, Mrs. Show went to his side and raised his head.  Seeing he was dead, she exclaimed, "My God, Tom, you have killed him." At this exclamation Show also advanced and after seeing that Hooper was dead, took his gun to the house and walked to Harmony, where he surrendered himself to Justice Brandenburg, who committed him to jail.

    Hooper's Pistol Found in His Boot

    After the shooting, Huber's pistol was found in his boot, a fact which goes to show that the unfortunate man did not have the revolver in his hand when killed.  It is thought that in attempting to put his revolver in his pocket, it slipped inside of his pants and dropped down into his boot.  Had the pistol been in his hand when shot, Hooper could not have gotten it to his pocket, as he so dead the instant the gun cracked.  This will be an interesting point in the trial.  When Hooper was killed he was standing outside the gate and Mrs. Show was within two or three feet of him.  He fell forward with half of his body in the lot.  Twenty-two holes in the neck of the dead man, several of them large enough to almost admit the end of the little finger, showed where the fatal load had entered.  There was also an ugly scar on the chin which was made when he fell. Hooper leaves a wife and three small children.  She was formerly Ms. Creis  [Lucretia].Shuff, daughter of Benjamin Shuff. Show has a wife and five children, and destitute circumstances.  Mrs. Show is the daughter of Hezekiah Suman. 
    At times Hooper was in the habit of indulging in intoxicating drinks, and occasionally would get wild while went under its influence, but nevertheless nearly everybody in the community liked him, and the greatest sympathy is felt for his family and parents. The Register representative was unable to find anyone who was willing to say that Hooper was intoxicated when killed.  On the way to jail, Show told Mr. Brandenberg that he did not think Hooper was under the influence of liquor.  Show was not very popular in the community and it is said was in a manner supported by Mr. Charles Hooper, father of the dead man.  As regards the shooting, there is but one opinion at “Highland” and vicinity, and that is unanimous against Show. Some of the most prominent farmers in the valley resided in that section, and every one of them declared the shooting was not justifiable. |S5

This from The Catoctin News, Aug 30, 1889

published by Melvin Americus Emeranth

"Mel" Biser Account of the Fatal Shooting of John William Hooper by Thomas Show 

Quarreled about a Bee

Shaw in Jail

    On Saturday afternoon last week, about 4 o'clock the citizens of Highland, about five miles south of this place, were horrified to learn of the fatal shooting of one of their citizens, a young married man by the name of John William Hooper, by a neighbor Thomas F. Show.  As is customary on such occasions, there are quite a number of versions of the affair, but we will give the facts in brief as reported to us by a reliable party who was present during the inquest. Not long since, J. William Hooper and Thomas F. Show got into a dispute in regard to a bee which they had found.  On Thursday night last, Show, accompanied by several men, went to Hooper's house, which is about one-half mile from Show's, and called for Hooper to come out and settle the fuss.  The Hooper did not go out, but replied by saying he would see him some other time.  It is sad Show then made threats, and told Hooper he should prepare a coffin until they would meet, for he would kill him.  Saturday, Hooper, with his nine-year-old nephew attended the Frederick market with a load of berries. Hooper evidently had been drinking some during the day, and when near Show's house, on their return in the afternoon, they stopped at a spring by the side of the road.  Hooper got out of the wagon and engaged in a conversation with a man by the name of Nichols who had been stopping with Show for a month or two past, and who happened to be at this spring at this time. After a short conversation and "a drink", Hooper went to Show's gate and called for Show. While here, he got into a fuss with Mrs. Show, and Mr. Show, who was in the potato patch, came to the scene, and after a brief quarrel went into the house and returned with a shotgun, and in a few moments thereafter, fired the deadly shot.

    Hooper was standing just outside the gate when shot and fell through the gate-way into the yard.  Show was about 10 feet from Hooper when he fired the shot. The load took effect in the left half of Hooper's neck, killing him instantly. The boy drove the team home and reported the sad affair, and in a short time a large crowd gathered at the scene.  Magistrate Bisor of Myersville was sent for, who came at once with Dr. Zimmerman, and its impaneled the following jury: Samuel Harshman, David L. Somers, John W. Early, Ezra C. Baker, George W. Babington, John J. Funk, Samuel Early, Charles Flair, John Fisher, Charles W. Muck, Samuel Naill and Thomas Cline; who rendered a verdict that "Hooper came to his death from a gunshot wound in the neck, inflicted by the contents of a weapon in the hands of, and used by, Thomas F. Show". As soon as Show saw what he had done, he started with his wife to Squire Brandenberg's at Harmony, where he thought to report his case and returned home; but was taken at once to jail by persons deputized by the squire. Show is a married man and has five small children.  Hooper… leaves a widow and three small children.  The family is very much prostrated at the sad affair, and the neighborhood will never forget this occurrence." |S6

This from The Valley Register, Nov 1, 1889

NOT GUILTY Thomas F Show Acquitted of the Murder of John W Hooper

The case of Thomas F. Show, indicted for the murder of J. William Hooper, at Highland this valley, on the 24th of August last, which was taken up in the Circuit Court of this county on Wednesday of last week, was concluded Friday evening by the jury rendering of verdict of not guilty. The jury retired at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon and agreed upon a verdict of acquittal four hours later. The verdict was somewhat a surprise to the people of the valley. |S7

1. ↑ Charles Strausbaugh. Charles Strausbaugh, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author E-mail:CSTRAUSBAUGH at WOH.RR.COM.
2. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004).
3. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004)
   report three page 17.
4. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004)
   report three page 9 and 17.
5. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004)
   report three pages 3-8.
6. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004)
   report three page 12 - 14.
7. ↑ Maurice Edward Routzahn. Ed Routzahn reports, Recipient: Kristina Kuhn Krumm, Author Address:Frederick, Maryland. (August 2004)
   report three page nine.
8. ↑ murdered by Thomas F Show. Thomas was the son of Henry and Mary Ann(Geisinger) Show. His wife was Ellen Suman