New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-26
The Challenging Party Killed.
ARREST OF SOME OF THE PARTIES.

.
yesterday morning, which resulted in the
death of Mr.. Paul E.. Laresche, Jr., son of
Paul E. Lsresche, Esq, extensively known
as a notary public III Exchange Alley. The
other party in the affair was Mr.. Bossier, a
deputy constable in the Third Justices
Court.
The difficulty between the parties, it ap-
pears, originated in the Third Justices
courtroom on Friday afternoon, when some
irritating words passed. After Laresche
had left the courtroom and gone to his
fathers Office, he was followed by Bossier, in
company with another gentleman. Mr..
Bossier called Mr.. Lsresche to
come out, saying he wished to
speak to him. AS soon as Laresche had
stepped outside the door, Bossier without
any words slapped him in the face; Laresche
returned this with blow which knocked
Bossier down. By this time the brother of
Bossier reached the spot, and there was an
attempt at pis .ol drawing, but friends and
bystanders interGered and the parties were
separated.
The result of the quarrel was challenge
by Mr.. Larescbe, and the combatants met
yesterday morning at eleven O'Clock, in the
parish of st. Bernard, some distance below
the city, near the United States Barracks.
Mr.. Lsresche was accompanied by Messrs.
Marcel and V. Smith as his seconds and DR..
Berjot as his surgeon, while Messrs. For
stall and Labatut acted as the friends and
DR.. Rance as the surgeon of Mr.. BOssier.
The ground was marked off at forty PAGES,
and double. barreled shot-guns, loaded
with slugs, were the weapons selected. At
the first fire the weapon of Mr.. Bossier
missed fire. At the second fire Mr.. Laresche
received bali in the right side Immediately
under the ribs, the ball passing entirely
through his body. The unfortunate young
man was conveyed to the dwelling of his
parents on Royal, between Hospital and
Ursulines streets, where he died at half past
four O'Clock last evening.
The preparations for the duel were con-
Quoted with so much secrecy that, although
the Chief Of Police received some inkling
of it and detailed force of police for the
purpose of preventing it, the fatal tragedy
had been acted out before its whereabouts
could be ascertained. One of the Laresche
brothers Yves arrested in the Second District,
but he refused to give any information, and
was placed under bonds to keep the peace.
The combat was conducted with all the
punctillio incident to the duello. One of
the combatants, Mr. Bossier, is cripple,
having lost leg in the last war, but the
weapons used evidently placed the hostile
parties on a cruel equality.
In recounting this unhappy affair there is
no wish to raise the veil before the agony of
domestic grief caused by the untimely death
of the victim of honor but who could
witness the silent woe of the father, the
frantic sorrow of the mother, sisters, and
brothers, of the venerable grandmother,
bowed under the weight of eighty.four years,
and not curse the barbarous "code of
honor that sends to an untimely grave a
youth so talented, so full of promise as Paul
E. Laresche Jr.? He was but few months
past his twentieth year. Well may it be
hoped, that among other benefcent changes
soon to take place, the laws for the sup,
preston of dueling may be revived in full
force, and no longer remain dead letter
We learn that the original cause of the
quarrel was upon the merits Of Anthony
Sambola as a lawyer.
1t is said that the father of Mr.. Bossier
was killed in duel several years age.
We are not aware of any duets
having taken place among the La
resche family, although they are well
known as high.spirited race. 1t is in
deed reported that the aged grandmother,
amid her poignant grief, still felt consola-
ton at the thought that her darling son had
died the death Of brave man.
The place chosen for the duel is somewhat
remarkable, and was probably selected to
prevent interference by the police, as the
vast majority of duels that have occurred in
this section have been fought either on
Metairie ridge, in the parish Of Jefferson, or
on the right bank of the river.
In fact during the last thirty years but
one duel has been fought in the neighbor-
hood OF the fatal one of yesterday, and that
took place in 1852 between Mr.. Frost, then
editor of the old Crescent, and DR.. Theodore
Hunt. That duel, like the one Just record.
ed, was fought with shot-guns, and resulted
in the death of Mr.. Frost by the first fire.
Mr.. Laresche, the deceased was just
completing his legal studies, and making
preparations for admission to the bar.
The funeral of young Laresche will take
place this afternoon at four o'clock from
the residence of his parents.
Mr.. Bossier was arrested last evening and
imprisoned. Surgeons Berjot and Rance
were arrested as accessories. A rumor was
current that the seconds, Messrs. Marcel,
Smith, Forstall, and Labatut, were arrested,
but we think it mistake. The Chief of
Police, Major Williamson, expresses a de-
termination to bring the participants to
justice, and to hereafter so closely watch
any effort to fight duel that the parties
will not have time to take coffee, not to
mention pistols.
BURGLARS COMMITTED. - The four men
who are accused of breaking into the
private dwelling of L. Holdrieth, 5Ol
Josephine street, and stealing therefrom
-four, clothing, and money, have been sent
before the Criminal Court. Their names
are Nelson Childress, Prince McFarlane,
John Jones, and Oliver Nichols. Childress
was caught carrying away a sack of the
flour, which now stands in evidence against
him.
RAID AGAINST SwINE.-The policemen Of
L.