The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-20
The Carnival Of Crime.
A MAN AND HIS WIFE MURpEREp-THE
DAUGHTER FORCED TO ELoPE WITH
THEIR MURDERER.

A MAN AND HIS WIFE MURDERED-THE
DAUGHTER FORCED TO ELOPE WITH
THEIR MURDERER.
We are in possession of facts con-
nected with the worst murder ever
committed in tliis section of the State.
The circumstances are so horrible that
it seems almost impossible to bclieyr
such a state of depravity could he
reached that would lead to the perpe
tIation of Il crime so daring and h0rri-
BILE. The scene of the unparalleled
crime lies in the County "f Tompi;ies,
and the immediate location is what is
known as Johannesburg Landing, in
the Town of Ulysses. The first init
nation of tragedy was the burning Of
hsuse occupied by man named
Lnrg +, on Sunday night last, and the
discovery in the morning of the char
red remains of the man, together with
the half burned body Of his wife The
skull of Mr.. Lunger exhibited a trac-
ture as though he had been struck Ivy
heavy weapon. This fact went to
show tonl play, and measures were at
once taken to solve the fearful mystery
of which there was evidence. 1t was
soon afterwards discovered that the
daughter of Luuger, Il young girl of Is
years of age, was missing, and also a
young man 10y the name of Ferguson.
who is said to be Il nephew of Longer,
the man found dead. circumstances
indicated that they had taken flight to-
gcther. The girl WAS found yesterday
morning at Swartwood's Hotel, mt
Pony Hollow, in this county, where
she had stayed all night with the
yonng man Ferguson. From her lips a
terrible story of crime and villainy
was learned. She says Furgnson came
to her fathers house on Sunday night
and killed him and her mother with an
axe. She states that she was abed at
the time, and was awakened by a
noise in her fathers room. Getting up
and going TO the door, she saw her ia
Their in the act of rising from the bed,
and Ferguson near him with an uplitt-
ed axe. She saw him strike her ft-
ther on the head, she says, killing him
with the blow. Ferguson turned to
her and swOre he would kill her also if
she did not run away with him. She
could no nothing bat comply, as Far
guson seemed determined to kill her
also. Her mother lay in the bed Will,
her head cut open and dead, Ferguson
first having killed her with the same
axe with which he dispatched the old
man, who was awakened by the noise
made in killing his wife, and met the
same terrible fate. Ferguson, so the
| girls story goes, set fire to the house,
and, impelled Ivy fear, she went with
him. They stopped Monday night at
Lwaitwood's ut Pony Hallow, both oc-
cnpying the same room. The land
lord mistru~tea that something was
wrong, and detained the girl tue next
morning, net letting her go on with
the young man. Last evening two Off :
GERS arrived in IIorsehcads, whittier
they had tracked the murderer from
Suliivanville, where he was seen yes
terday morning. A man bearing the
description given, was seen in Horse
heads about noon. He went into
ThoIne's grocery and purchased two
apes. He is represented to be about
% years of age. tail, light-haired,
sandy complexioned person. 1t is
thought he took the road to Big Flats
on leaving the villnce The officers nj
once weat in that direction, going to
the village, but could find nothing Of
their man there. This morning they
were in this city giving information
to t'epoiice Of the affair, and putting
them on their guard. 1t is said the fr,.
lgitive carries gun. Up to the pres.
ent time he has not been arrested, bu,
it is not probable that he can mack
longerescape arrest. The cause of the
Reported double murder is that the
Young man was in love with the Cir
aud that her parents refused to counte.
nance his attentions. Ont Of revenge
it is supposed he committed the horri
bic deed.