The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-02-24
(Frorn the NO. Times
The Cafahoula vendetta

The terrible tragedy, which occurred in
Catahoula parish. on the steamboat 81.
Marys. Is the sequel, we trust to an old feud.
which has ragged in that parish tor fifteen or
Charles Jones and Gen. st. John Liddell.
were prominent planters and citizens of the
parish. Col. Jones Is a native. we believe. of
Kentucky. and Is about fiftY-five years old.
He married a Cincinnati lady of wealth.
purchased a large plantation in Catahoula
parish, which he has cultivated for many
wears. General LiddeH is native of Will
kinson county, Miss. was cadet of W est
Point and we believe held commission in
the United States Army For the greater
part of his manhood he has been planter
in Catahoula, where, and throughout this
State and Mississippi, he had acquired the
strong friendship of large circle of friends
and relatives. Both gentlemen served IN
the late war on the Confederate side, Cen
Liddell commanding fine brigade, which
he handled with great skill and galantry -
He was especially prominent in the opera
tions around Mobile. when that city was as
sailed and beleagured by Gen. Candy. Gen.
Iiddell has recently been made a widower
and Col. Jones's wife is now in Europe.
The feud between these two neighbors
commenced. some twenty years ago. in an
incident which. though enveloped in some
mystery as to the cause. was well calculated
to engender bitter hostilities. A lady OF
NatcheZ. who was sOiOurnlng at Gen. LID
dell's house. conceived herself grossly in
suited by something which was reported to
her as having been said by Col. Jones. She
demanded of Gen LidGell to accompany her
to Jones, in order to obtain reparatiCn for
the alleged offense. Liddell could not re-
fuse her request. Arriving in front of
Jones's house. he was called TO the gate. and
a conversation ensued between him and the
lady. which was terminated by her drawing
pistol and shooting him in the face, and as
he turned to move off another shot was fired
into his body. These were very severe
wounds, and Col. Jones was laid up for
long time with them. Jones determined to
hold Liddell responsible for this act. and a
long series of threatened assaults and pre-
parations for duels and fights between the
principals and their friends followed. The
whole country was kept disturbed for sew
eral years by this feud. Several rencontres
resulted from it and the parties all went
armed and made arsenalS of their houses. in
apprehension of assaults On one occasion a
certain party who was friend of Jones, and
who was reported to have gone. with Others
to the town of Monroe, and with view of
engaging Il general fight with a party of
Liddell's friends, in returning from town i'm
his Gig was shot and killed in front of Gen
Liddell.s plantation. Gen. L. was charged
with this homicide. his Trial was moved to
another parish and he was acquitted.
Shortly before the war there vas an ar
mistice and an agreement to terminate the
feud between the two gentlemen but they
never became friends or held any inter-
course with each other.
Quite recently the old feud broke out
again from the same unhappy affair which
led to the melancholy tragedy of tue homi-
eide of Mr.. John Nixon. This gentleman
was FREUD OF Col. Jones, and although
Gen. Liddell had no connection with that
homicide, and there were no friendly rela-
tions between him and the gentleman at
whose hands Mr.. Nixon received his death
blow. the controversy growing out of con-
test between Jones and Liddell for the pos
session of the latter's property, which had
been sold under a mortgage and bought by
Mr:Cammack. became so bitter as to revive
the old hostility. and a,difficulty has been
constantly apprehended between them.
1t is sad indeed, that that difficulty should
result, as it has, in the killing ofa gentleman
of the chlvalric character of General Lid
dell, under circumstances of the horrible
and sanguinary nature of those reported to
US.
General Liddell was a gentleman of fifty
eight years of age, and he was greatly es-
teemed by all who knew him.