Excerpt from the Roper Letter column (dated June 25, 1890):

Mr. Chas. G. SPEIGHT lost a fine horse last night, the horse was shot while in the stable either through the window or door.  The probabilities are that he was killed by a stray shot as there twenty-five or fifty pistols and gun reports heard every nights.

Source: Roanoke Beacon, 27 June 1890, pg 3. Available online at digitalnc.org.