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Larkinsville Alabama
April 18" 1867-

Gen. J.B. Callis
Huntsville
Ala.
Gen - 
I have just been informed that you wish to be informed as to the particulars of a murder that occured on the 23rd of March at Larkinsville. My information derived from one of two union men who were present, which is a follows
It appears that sometime since the surrender the boy that was killed (James Sloan) presented an old gun at Mr. Young (the murderer) which very much provoked Young. The boy (I so call him for he was only about 18 years of age) assured Young that he was only in fun and to convince Young of the fact handed him the gun for his own inspection, which it appears was satisfactory, and professed to be willing to pass the matter as all in sport - Notwithstanding his professions of settlement upon this subject he appease to have retained this as the basis of a grudge, and availed himself of this occasion to revenge himself.
From the statement of my information they had other hard words of minor importance, but the gun affair was the recognized foundation of the difficulty in question.
Young Sloan informed Mr Young that he was unarmed with the exception of a pocket knife, but would fight him with that if Young would divest himself of his revolver