(E Miller)
A horrible sight I'll now relate,
On Yadkin Elk it did take place,
On Christmas morning at nine o'clock,
The people met an awful shock
At Marshall Triplett's this begun
The brothers met, it seemed in fun
They drank together all as one,
And then the trouble it begun
Then Marshall seemed to stand in the rear,
and struck Columbus with the chair,
"There is one thing that I do know,
You drink only to save your own"
They met in combat near the barn
Mrs Triplett went to stop this wrong
Columbus stabbed Marshall in the thigh,
And left him on the ground to die
Then Marshall's wife in great distress
Stayed by her husband while in death
The children's screams was heard around,
Which did produce a solemn sound
Then Lum went off at to go away
And met Gran Triplett on his way
At Leroy Triplett's this was said,
Lum said to Gran, "Your father's dead"
Lum said to Gran, "I'll let you know,
I've killed your father at his home
I'll now surrender up to thee
You treat me kindly if you please"
Gran said to Lum, "One thing I'll do
If you killed father I'll kill you"
He then beat Lum at a dreadful rate
And made bad bruises on his face
Gran then took Lum to Wautauga jail
He went behind the bars to stay
Those beats and bruises they inflamed,
Which brought Columbus to his grave
Those brothers sleep in the same graveyard,
Their wives and children troubled hard,
Their resting place there sure must be,
Till they shall rise at Judgement Day
At Judgement Day we hope they'll rise
To meet their Savior in the skies
To sing God's praises o'er and o'er,
And be with Christ forever more
The sheriff then went on the round
To see if Granville could be found
There at his home he did abound,
And at that place he was then found
Sheriff Webb held court up in our town
And sent him on to the chain gang
For eighteen months he there must stay,
Except the governor hear him pray
Young men, take warning by this case,
Don't use strong drink while in life's race
Leave all such stuff then far behind,
And your kind parents you should mind