The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-02-03
Horrible ARRAY fan a New Or
leans Hotel.
Murder by q Member of tie legislature.

Murder By Member of tie Legislature.
The crowded rotunda of the St. Charles
Hotel was thrown into the most intense
state of excitement yesterday by rem.
counter between Mr. Chas. N Harris, of
Carroll Parish, and Col w. Fl. Peck Of
Madison Parish, a member elect of the
State Legislature. The result of the diff
fculty was the killing of Harris by Col.
Peck
Mr.. Harris came down to New Orleans
short time ago, and Col, Peck arrived in
the city also on the steamer Vicksburg on
her last trip down. Day before Yesterday
Col. Peck and friend with whom he
came down 10 the city, came out from the
gentemep's ordinary, where they had
been dining, and proceeded to make their
way through rather large crowd into the
center of the rotunda.
While going through the crowd, Mr..
Harris, who was unknown to the friend
of Col. Peck, turned round and asked if
| they intended to insult him by pushing
against him. Col. Peck's friend, thinking
from Harrit' appearance that he was drunk,
replied politely that no one intended to
question, looked at Col. Peck, who 1T
once recognized him. Harris. after tho
answer given By Col. Peck's friend, and
looking directly at Peck said, as be pla.
/ ced his hand in his pocket to the latter,
| "D-nyou,yo you did intend to insult me-"
Harris, the moment he finished speaking,
drew pistol and fired at Peck, who was
III the act of placing his hand in his side
pocket for his pistol
After firing and missing his aim, Harris
turned and ran through the crowd, and
Peck, seeing doubtless that he must kill
innocent persons if he fired, desi sted from
doing so.
A short time after this affray Harris
was arrested at the request of Mr.. Hill
dreth, for disturbing the peace of the St.
Charles Hotel by firing pistol in the
rotuuda, and locked up in the First Dis
tEict station house, where he remained I'M
til yesterday morning. When he was ar
rested he had in his room q revolver, a
Derringer Pistol and bowie knife, which
were also taken to the station house. Yes
tcrday he was arraigned before Recorder
Summers and fined $40, which, upon pay
ing, his weapons were handed back to him.
When about taking them away his attor-
ney advised him not to put them in hi.
pocket, but to wrap them up in piece Of
paper and carry them away in his hand,
which he did. lie intended leaving the
city last evening, ard was a, the window
Of the clerks office OF the St Charles pay
ing his bill, when the difficulty RECON-
menced.
Col. Peck, it is said, thought that he
had left the city last evening, but WAS
standing in the rotunda Of the hotel when
the baggage master, who knew him, said =,
Col, there is the man who shot at you
ye~terday;' pointing at Harris, snd Prob
ablv supposmg that Peck was not acquain-
ted with him, added: Don't modest him,
for ana not positive that he is the man."
Col. l'eck, it appears, upon having bis
attention directed toward Harris, who "a
we have before stated, was paving his bill
at the window, and halted a few PAGES
from him with his hands resting upon
his hip.
; At this juncture Harris turned bis lead
; somewhat and saw him, and the state
ments of what occurred during the next
lew moments are somew list coutiictinp-
} The clelk, Mr.. Mayne, who had just hand
ed Harris ten dollar bill in change, saws
that Peck locke d for about quarter of
minute at Harris, then a few ords passed
f which he did not hear, and both drew
I about the same moment, and fired, out be
thinks that Col. Peek fired first.
The firing having commenced, Harris
, re.reaed, and dodgel into the door of tho
, small bar and cigar room, and shielding
himself partly behind the glass door, look
e! out from time to time. Two Of bis
, balls can be seen where they entered-ons
in pillar in a line with Peck and another
IN the wall on the opposite side OF the
room, both high up. Peck, while Harris
retreated, stepped out from the office, near
er to the dining room, and fred several
t shots-three of which took effect upon
9 the person of Harris, and was in that posi-
ton when he was fired at from the room.
Exhausting his pistol, Peck drew his
bowie knife and advanced deliberately to-.
wards the door of the cigar shop, from be-
, hind which Harris had shot, and seemed
to hest ate moment whether to enter
Harris, doubtless seeing his shadow upon
the glass, fired at the open door way, the
, ball of his pistol entering the side or jamb
of the door.
After firing his last shot, Harri. ran
back just as Peck entered the door, and
t got over the marble counter of the bar and
gotinto corner among the bottles. Peck
following sprang over after him, and grasp
ing hold Of him, inficte upon his person
| four stab wounds with the bowie knife.
Thus ended this terrible encounter
Harris was picked up and placed on the
} floor for few moments, and then carried
) to his room nearer by, expiring almost the
| moment he was placed upon his bed Tho
excitement as we have before stated, was
very intense, and the most of the crowd
l got out Of the way at the first firing. Some
! got behind pillars, others ran into the pas
sage leading the dining room and ladies',
parlor, and not few, thinking it was too
late to fly, made shields Of the chairs. A
group of gentlemen were standing convers-
ing Immediately in line with the shot
. 4 from IIar,iO urb.ob L. ~ Ill