Reprinted in the Putnam County Herald, 27 January 1938, Page 2.

This is the twenty-third installment of this series of republished items from the old "Cookeville Chronicle," which began publication in Cookeville on October 6, 1877, with Carnes and Cope, editors and publishers.

Issue of October 10, 1878

Circuit court begins next Monday.

We had the pleasure of listening to an interesting sermon, delivered by the Rev. D. W. Southard, at Salem, last Sunday.

The fair was largely attended. The crowds, except a few drunk ones who were never known to behave at a fair or anywhere else, were unusually quiet, and all demeaned themselves in a very commendable manner.

The money order department of the Cookeville post office has issued 57 money orders for the quarter end. ing September 30, amounting to $1,190. 12, fees on same $8.85.

A Memphis paper, in speaking of the horror and distress (yellow fever) of that city says: "Parents have deserted their children, children their parents, and husbands their wives, but not one wife her husband."

Messrs. W. W. Baker, of the "Livingston Tennessean," and W. F. Harrington, of the "Carthage Herald," were in attendance at the fair last week.

"Bloody Work"

On last Friday evening, the most horrible tragedy which has ever occurred in the history of our usually very quiet little town, and one which shocked the feelings of all good eitszens and cast a shadow of gloom over  the whole community, was consummated in the killing of B. B. Gabbert. Mr. Gabbert was a policeman, under the chief marshal of the town, J. B. Shores, and, as the evidence shows, was trying to quash a difficulty between two drunken rowdies. The two men who did the killing were at once arrested and lodged in jail at this place. They waived a preliminary examination and were bound over to court and still remain in jail. The name of one is Farley, and that of the other is Randolph.

In the absence of the coroner, B. R. Womack, Esq., proceeded to have jurors summoned, and held an inquest over the body of the deceased. The following is a brief synopsis of the testimony of some of the witnesses, as taken and handed to us by Mr. Womack: (Then follows the printed statements of the testimony of a large number of witnesses who testified at the inquest, which for want of space is here omitted.)

The following is the verdict of the jury: State of Tennessee, Putnam County

Coroner's Verdict

An inquisition holden at Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, on the 4th and 5th days of October 1878, before B. R. Womack, J. P. for Putnam County, upon the body of B. B. Gabbert there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereto subscribed, who upon their oaths do say: That B. B. Gabbert came to his death on the 4th day of October, 1878, in the town of Cookeville, Putnam County, Tenn, from a pistol shot in the hards of James Farley, alias James Whitaker, John Randolph aiding and abetting, by unlawful means, by both Farley and Randolph.

In testimony whereof the said jarors have hereunto set their hands the day and date above.
J. C. Freeze,
J. M. Whitson,
J. A. Welch,
A. J. Stafford,
H. F. Davis,
W. J. Mills,
J. H. Moore, Juror."