New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-01
ANOTHER BLOODY DEED
Assassination of District Attorney Long
THE AFFAIR INVOLVED IN MYSTERY
FURTHER INVESTIGATION PROBABLE

Early Yesterday morning, Grstave Ire
vale, porter at the Customhouse, on enter
ing the office Of United States District At
torney Alanson b. Long found that gen
tleman lying upon the floor in n pool of
blood. The police and Coroner Avila were
soon summoned and an inquest was com
menced. but the Jury, after an examination
of the body and the room, the private law
office of the deceased. and his lodging apart
ments. were unable to come to n definite
conclusion as to the cause of his death, and
adjourned their deliberations until to-
morrow.
Mr., Long was found with both wrists cut
across. a horrible wound across his throat,
in two gashes, a cnt upon the upper part Of
his head, and two wounds upou his
head, caused by blows, one of them deep.
Beside this his shirt bosom was cut across
the bottom, evidently having been divided
by some sharp instrument. Blood was over
his lounge, upon his table, upon the window
and walls and in various other places about
the room He was found on his back After
receiving his wounds, it was evident that he
had sought for help at the window and
doors, near one of which he had fallen ex-
hausted and there bled to death. Some five
feet from his body a.razor was picked up.
Who used it
The deceased was gentleman of great
intelligence, absolutely correct habits. in
perfect health, young, talented and beloved
for his int gritty ,unwaveclng good nature and
trustworthiness. A Republican, he had no
political enemies. When nominated for a
.iudgcship, two years ago, he ran long way
ahead of his ticket. With his brethren Of
the bar he was universally popular. APP
pointed TO the important post of United
States District Attorney at an unusually
early age. he had won, in the discharge Of
his official duties, the connnendation OF the
public and the government. His private
practice was extensive and lucrative. No
one left him who had once employed him as
counsel. 50 zealOus and successful had he
been in defending and maintaining his eli
ents' interests. Financially he was com
fortably situated, with every prospect of
attaining an ample fortune within a com
parativelv short time. His reputation as a
sound and successful lawyer was constantly
growing. His family and other personal
relations were OF the happiest character.
His friends considered his prospects Of the
t;lirpst and brightest kind and he could not
have deemed them otherwise himself. So
that we can not see any motive on his part
for self-murder.
A contemporary has limited at some tenn
porary alteration of mind on the part
of Mr.. Long some years ago. We uuder-
stand the fact to be that AIR. Long, soon
after he graduated at college, was afflicted
by stroke Of paralysis, from which he
fully recovered after several sea voyages
and extended travel over the European
continent There was never any trace Of
insanity about him OF any member of his
family.
How. then, can we account for his violent
death if we acknowledge his professional,
personal and official position to have been
altogether pleasant, his health perfect, his
blood free from any faint of insanity, and
his disposition genial and trusting
From an intimate friend of Mr.. Long. we
learn that he was. when overtired. in the
habit of throwing himself upon his lounge.
placing both hands beneath his head, and in
that position indulging in brief repose.
Suppose that some one of the desperate
characters. whom Captain Long has prose-
cuted before the United States courts dur,
ing the past year, had stolen upon him in
his secure hour last Sunday afternoon,
while his official letters laid before him un-
opened, and all about him bore the decorous
air OF the best DAY of the week, and the vii
lain had attacked him III his sleep9 a razor
with strong. quick sweep drawn across
the throat OF the unfortunate victim from
one side to the other, and repeated might
readily have severed the tendons and arter-
les of either wrist. The already murdered
man would have staggered to his feet, to
have been met with further attacks from
the fiend in possession of the razor.
blow upon the head, and another across the
body, with that dastardly weapon proving
insufficient, some heavy thing was next
taken to effectually and Immediately still
the moving corpse. Then the demon having
completed his task, could quietly retire and
close the spring-locked door secure. that no
discovery could be made before the next
morning.
Is not this hypothesis reasonable! ! We
wait for the verdict of the Coroncfs jury,
and meanwhile a post mortem examination
is likely to take place. we are informed, at
the instance of some friends OF the deceased,
in order that something like correct scien-
titic deductions may be Drawn from the
nature of the wounds as to the character of
their source.
Mr.. Longs funeral was very nurnerously
attended. The services were performed by
Colinthian lodge, F. and A. NJ, escorted
by Orleans Commandery Knights Templar.
The pall-bearers were Master Masons, Royal
Arch Masons, and members of the bar.
Among the last we noticed NJ. NJ. Cohen,
Esq, II. {. Miller, Esq, j. q. a. Fellows,
Esq. and George w. Race, Esq. A large
number OF the legal fraternity were in at
tendance, many officers OF the courts. State
and federal, and some of the occupants of
the'bench.