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 twenty-six, 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.  Where-upon Hooper 
drew a revolver, and pointing it at Show, threatening 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 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 to 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]