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Birch River Monthly Spotlight June 2001 - The Boggs Shootout In a scenic bottom on upper Birch River near Boggs, gunplay erupted in 1894 that led to the Birch watershed version of the famous duel at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. In about sixty seconds, two men died and three more were seriously injured.Brothers Cal and Henon Fleming had just entered the Boggs store and post office when three bounty hunters from Virginia followed them into the little building, six shooters in hand yelling "Hands up!." Then the gunfire erupted. Cal Fleming, 21, who had a reputation for being fast on the draw, was hit three times and killed instantly. Henon Fleming, 29, was the target of perhaps fifteen shots, and he got off four shots with deadly effect. One of the bounty hunters, George Branham, died and the other two, Cap Hall and Dock Swindall, were wounded but recovered. The incident had roots in Virginia, where an entire family had been wiped out in what became known as "the Pound Gap murders." The Fleming brothers were accused of the murders and sought safety on upper Birch at the home of a brother in law. Cap Hall and his associates learned of their whereabouts and also learned that they came to the Boggs store and post office on a certain day of the week. They were waiting there when the brothers arrived. Henon Fleming was hit in the mouth in the fusillade of bullets, tearing away all the teeth on the left side of his jaw but he recovered and stood trial in Webster County Circuit Court, where he was acquitted of the shooting of Branham. He was also later found not guilty in Virginia of the Pond Gap murders. He returned to West Virginia and became police chief at Richwood and later at Camden on Gauley. He died in 1943 at the age of seventy-eight and is buried at Cottle in Nicholas County. Cal Fleming is buried at the Boggs Cemetery ar the mouth of Barnett Run in Webster County. |
