Benjamin Franklin Hopgood
I have been researching my great-grandfather, Ben Hopgood, and found this information at the library in Henderson, Kentucky.The newspaper article was dated May, 1895:
BULLETS IN HIS BODY
Ben Hopgood, a saloon keeper, fired four bullets into the body of Tom Douglass, at Morganfield, Thursday night.It is generally believed that the shootig was done in self defense.Douglass died at ten o'clock yesterday morning.
WHAT CAUSED THE SHOOTING
Wednesday, two dogs belonging to persons in the town were found dead.Suspicion pointed to a barber in the place named Tom Douglass, familiarly known as "Shorty" as the poisoner of the animals.Hopgood told several people that he had heard Douglass threaten to kill the dogs.When this statement came to the ears of "Shorty" he hunted up Hopgood and called him a liar, emphasizing the remark with a string of curses. Hopgood said he wanted no trouble and left the barber.Thursday night the quarrel was renewed in front of a restaurant and Doluglass called the saloon keeper several vile names.Douglass tried to pull a pistol, it is said, but the hammer caught in the lining of his pocket.The saloon keeper, fearing he would be killed, began firing.
Ben Hopgood surrendered himself to the town marshal and was placed under guard.