New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-01-14

moist, sweaty and nasty clean through. The rair
fell heaviest at night.
1 FREE DIsrEssARY.-Report of Tho Free naner
opposite the Charity Hospital on common street
4 Cases treated SATURDAY. January u 4
/ " =, Monday, Jannary 9. * *
Wednesday, :. ii. y y
Previously treated IL 4Sd
I7T4o
| FATAL AFFRAY AT THE 81. CHARLES HOTEL
On Thursday afternoon two citizens of Madison
parish, in this State, had rencounter in the 70.
| tunda Of the st. Charles Hotel. One was M
| Charles N. Harris, planter, and the other was
pr. " h. Peck member Of the Lep;sIature
Weapons were drawn on both sides. Harris shot
at Peck, but did not bit him OF any one else. for
| wonder, the rotunda being crowded. as II alwavs
| is at this season.
One story is, that Peck had his pistol out but
| held it upwards and did not fire. because m the
rush and confusion of the moment he could not
| get good sight at his enemy. The affair natur-
any created the greatest excitement. Mr.. Hidreth,
the lessee Of the hotel, had Harris arrested. Peck
made no complaint. AT night Harris was released
| by his friends going his security. He asked the
officer for his weapons consisting of a revolver.
derringer and knife. The officer refused to
\
| disposed OF. He urged as an excuse that he ex-
pectea 70 nave 70 renew the difficulty, and wished
| to be prepared for it. Not being able to get the
weapons, he went away without them Yesterday
morning he honored his bond by appearing before
Recorder Summers and paying fine of $50.
Between and o'clock yesterday afternoon the
two gentlemen had another meeting in the same
place, and Harris was instantly killed. The Coro-
| nial investigation not being held yesterday, we
had to obtain our own information, the best we
could. We will give the statement Of Mr.. w. B.
Martin, who was in company with Harris when the
| fatal meeting took place:
| I was standing with Mr. Harris at the office
counter of the hotel He was settling his bill with
the clerk and had number Of bank notes in his
| hand, when DR.. Peck came up and spoke to him
| What he said ! did not hear but Harris, facing
| round to him, and appearing to be much excited
nervously, said to him. al am not prepared for a
difficulty now Some other words passed, and
Harris said, :" am not afraid Of you" Peck then
| drew revolver, and Harris also drew one. Peck
| fred first. They exchanged several shots how
many cannot tell Harris rereating, and finally
taking refuge in the wine room "a little upstairs
bar-room at the side of the hotel office.) Peck
| drew knife and pursued; Harris got over the
counter; Peck jumped over the counter after him.
caught him in the corner, and finished him with
his knife. followed, and seeing this said to Peck
For Gods sake, stop, you've killed him already"
AT that he stopped stabbing Harris, and came out
| The bartender who witnessed the finale of the
tragedy said that when Harris rushed into the
room, he stood for moment trying to conceal
himself behind the glass door: whilst SO standing,
he discharged his pistol accidentally, he thought,
as the bullet entered the woodwork latteraly on
the other side Of the door. Harris then ran to the
counter, keeping close to the wall, got over the
counter, and squatted down i the corner behind
it, At the same moment, Peek came running in
with knife in his hand, sprahg over the counter,
caught Harris in his corner and plunged his knife
into him several times.
Harris never said word, and, when picked up,
was dead His body was carried to his room and
laid on bed. Peck, after finishing his work, re-
turned to the rotunda. The people in the rotunda,
who had lodged and scattered in ali directions
when the shooting began, now came surging in a
crowd around Peck. He had his bloody knife in
his hand, and Was replacing itin his sheath, when
he exclaimed, stand back, gentlemen, don't
crowd me " Lieut. Dryden, arriving, asked him
to give up the knife. He refused. Some of the
crowd said, "That's an ser, surrender.n He
quietly gave up the knife, surrendered and was
taken to the First District lookup. The stories Of
GOODNESS and composure of Peck, before and after
the tragedy.
What led to the first rencounier on Thursday, we
are unable to state, 1t is supposed to have re-
suited from some old difference at their home in
Madison parish
Deputy Coroner Soraparu being notified, soon
arrived to set about holding his inquest. A few
witnesses were secured, but in order to obtain all
the witnesses possible, the inquest was postponed
till to-day. The post-mortem examination was
made, however, by DR.. Berthelot. The following
wounds were found: One shot in the right shoulder
shot in the right side, between the seventh and
eighth ribs, penetrating the liver; one shot near
the middle of the breast between the first and sec
ond ribs; two stabs in the left shoulder laying the
flesh open to the bone one stab in the left arm,
and stab in the left side, between the fifth and
sixth ribs, penetrating the lung. Total seven
wounds, three by pistol and four by knife-three at
least being mortal. The dead man was left, to be
taken charge of by his friends.
The ST. Charles Hotel being crowded, with a
Thousand or more guests from all parts Of the
country and of the world, it may easily be ina.
gined what an excitement has peryaded that build
ing through the desperate proceedings of the last
habit Of loungng and talking, and smoking and
reading
MORE EXCITEMENT AROUND THE ST. CHAR1Es
HoTEL.-Whilst the tragedy above narrated was
still the buzz around the st. Charles Hotel yester
day afternoon, the report of pistol in the crowd
down stairs set everybody to jumping around and
looking six ways for Sunday. 1t was found that
the shot proceeded from a drunken STRANGER
named John Boyan, and that the good genius of
the hotel had waited the bullet clear Of all parties
Officer Carr seized the man, and met with the
fiercest resistance, getting his clothes torn and
covered with mud, and finding it necessary to ac.
cept the help Of other officers in the Job of takino
him to the lookup. 1t is said that the man fred
his pistol at no one in partieular-being aetuated
by q drunken frenzy stimulated, no doubt. bv the
previous excitements of the day at that place.
We heard that some one else shot at somebody
or something around the hotel during the afternoon
but failed to get the particulars
ROMANCE OF THE POLICE CouRrs.-Raeordor
Long had number of interesting cases before lin;
for investigation yesterday.
Our readers will remember that some fine a 80
one Walter Bell, alas Scotty, the sailor.runnar
and ringfghter, was tried for violating the nersap
of young Irish girl named Ellen Lecomte and
that his prospective trip to Baton Rouge was avoid.
ed through the influence Of his friends. who ont
around the girl and persuaded her to marry him.
The marriage took place about two or tbraa
III