Catahoula Parish in the Headlines
Exerpts from area newspapers 1800's
Submitted by S L Buchanan
The Ouachita Telegraph
Saturday, June 11, 1870
Page 2, Column 4
State Senator Beares, of Catahoula, died recently in the same city from the
effects of a pistol wound received under rather mysterious circumstances.
His mistress, Hattie Hamilton, was arrested for complicity in the act, but was
released. Catahoula and Winn parishes are without a Senator.
The Ouachita Telegraph
Saturday, January 8, 1887
Page 2, Column 1
J.S. Robertson fatally shot Nelson Newman near Trinity. Both prominent planters
of Catahoula.
The Ouachita Telegraph
May 12, 1888
A negro boy with a wooden leg, age about 17 years named George Washington, way
laid, shot and killed W.H. Taylor, white, a citizen of Catahoula parish while
he was plowing in his field. The boy was caught, and as the following
account from the Harrisonburg News would indicate, neither his wooden leg nor
the distinction of passing under the name of the Father of his Country saved
him:
The boy was captured by the constable of the ward and a posse who started for
this place with him – but up to this writing they have not reached here.
It is some distance from here, the roads are bad and the woods are thickand
it is conjectured that he might have escaped from the posse. He probably
escaped a trial by jury but the crime was a horrible one and if he got “lost”
in the thickest of those thick woods his fate was well merited.
The Ouachita Telegraph
Saturday, August 23, 1873
Page 1, Column 6
BLOODY ATTEMPT TO ARREST.
Two Men and One Woman Killed in Catahoula Parish!
The undersigned, armed with warrants by the Hon. John I. Morgan, Judge of the
8th Judicial District Court in and for the parish of St. Landry, State of Louisiana,
of date 13th of August, 1873, for the arrest of one Cyriacque Guillory and one
Benjamin Guillery, proceeded to Little River in the parish of Catahoula, and
to the residence of said Guillorys, on the morning of the 19th inst.; and knowing
the desperate character of said men, proceeded quietly to surround said residence
before daylight, and remained still till after sunrise; when Cyriacque Guillory
came out of the house to feed his horse. He was hailed and commanded to surrender,
as we had a warrant for his arrest. He was further told not to run as the house
was surrounded and he would be shot. In defiance of this, he called to his brother
Benjamin to bring him his rifle, and who
appeared at a window at the same time and fired on us. Then a lady appeared
on the gallery with a shot gun in her hands. Cyriacque was told plainly and
repeately not to move. He started at a quick pace toward the lady — we
suppose to get the gun, or to run under the house to make his escape when he
was again asked to halt. He again refused, when we in the legal discharge of
our duty found it absolutely necessary to shoot him down. At the same time Benjamin
Guillory, after the fall
of his brother, ceased firing and retreated to the back gallery. Three of the
POSSE being on guard in the rear of the house hailed him and demanded a surrender,
as he was getting over the banisters and off the gallery. He at once presented
his rifle at Mr. Lewis one of our deputy sheriffs, who not only to protect his
own life, but in the discharge of his official duty, shot him dead. By an unfortunate
accident, for which we cannot account, Mrs. Cyriacque Guillory was wounded,
and we are sorry to hear, dangerously so.
It is proper to state that we asked two citizens of the vicinity to enter the
residence of the messrs. Guillory, after we had surrounded the house, with the
view of arresting these parties, without resort to force, and that no one was
willing to do so. We regret exceedingly the wounding of Mrs. Guillory, which,
from the voluntary exposure of her person, we think was unavoidable; and what
we have done in this case was in pursuance of our official duty, and as good
citizens of our State;
and we hold ourselves responsible to its Courts for any illegalproceedings on
our part.
C.C. DUSON
J.B. JACKSON,
D. ORTEGO
C. D'LAFOSSE, JR
W.C. LEWIS
E.S. ANDREWS
Deputy Sheriffs and Posse.
The Catahoula News, in which we find the above, contains the following further
particulars:
On the morning of the 19th inst., on Little river, in this parish, about 11
miles from Trinity, Cyriacque Guillory and his wife, and Benj. Guillory, his
brother, were shot. Benj. Guillory died immediately; and the other two have
since died. The facts connected with the killing of these persons, are set forth
in the card of Mr. Dudson and others, in this issue. The unfortunate woman was
enciente.
Saturday, December 8 , 1888
A Desperado Shot Down by an Actor.
NATCHEZ, MISS., Dec. 4 – The news comes to-day of a shooting scrape at
Troyville, La., which resulted in the death of one man and the wounding of another.
L.L. Stubbs, who was in charge of a stave factory, a short distance above Troyville,
was a quiet man when sober, but when too much under whisky’s influence
was a desperate man. He has been noted for his
escapades, especially his insults to ladies when drunk. Last night at Troyville
he grossly insulted a lady who has charge of a hotel. Not satisfied with this
he repeated his insulting remark to the wife of a member of the Nickel Plate
show, which left this city for Troyville last week. The lady’s husband
interfered, resenting the insult which had been offered both ladies, when Stubbs,
true to his reputation, fired upon and wounded him, and in return received a
shot which produced death. The slayer made his escape.
Stubbs, it s said, has a very unsavory reputation and was recognized as a desperate
man, and his taking off is looked upon as a good deed. – Times Democrat.
(Note: Troyville was the original name of Jonesville)?
Saturday, December 15, 1888
Another Assassination.
Information reached this city yesterday of the assassination on Saturday evening
last, in Catahoula parish, three miles below Harrisonburg, of Mr. R.N. Stegall,
who formerly lived in Natchez. The report as it came to us, is to the effect
that on Saturday last, Mr. Stegall, who has been residing at or near Trinity,
went to Harrisonburg on business. He was returning to
his home in the afternoon, and when about three miles below Harrisonburg, he
was shot by some one in ambush on the roadside, the weapon used being a shotgun,
his right side being torn to pieces by the discharge, and he being knocked off
his horse. While in the throes of death his assassin stepped up to him, and,
placing a revolver to his forehead, fired two more shots into the dying man’s
head, thus completing his awful work.
The shots appear to have attracted attention, and the assassin hearing assistance
coming, incontinently fled, leaving his shotgun behind, which it is hoped may
lead to his identification. Mr. Stegall was a quiet, inoffensive man, and it
was not thought that he had an enemy in the world.He lived at one time in Natchez,
being the engineer at the ice factory and
doing other work here, and was well thought of. He leaves a large family who
were entirely dependent upon him for support, and they will perhaps suffer.
While no motive has been ascribed for the crime, there are certain parties suspected
(said to have gone over to Catahoula from Natchez,) and they will be arrested
when found, if, indeed, they have not already been taken into custody. –
Natchez Democrat.
Noah Tayor, a worthless negro living at Harrisonburg, was arrested the day after
the murder on suspicion, and the evidence pointing to his guilt, he was taken
from jail and lynched by a mob.
The Monroe Bulletin
Wednesday, June 24, 1885
Page 2, Column 1
Miss Augusta L. Walton committed suicide on Sicily Island, Catahoula parish,
on the 17th inst., by cutting her throat with a pocket knife. She was a niece
of ex-Governor Lepwick of Virginia.
The Monroe Bulletin
Wednesday, September 23, 1885
Page 2, Column 5
CALDWELL.
From the Monroe mail-rider we learn of the killing of T.J.
Curtis, of Ward 5, by Frank G. Eason, on Tuesday evening of this week, We did
not learn any of the particulars except that they quarreled at Eason¹s
house and Curtis left, going in the direction of his home and Eason followed
after him, and when somewhere near his father¹s, Mr. J.A. Eason, four or
five hundred yards from where they had quarreled, he overtook him and fired
one shot which proved fatal. Both are young white men, and each have families.
Curtis is from Catahoula parish and has been here about three years; Eason was
raised in this parish. Up to time of going to press there has been no arrest
made. Watchman.