New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-26

AsT2E:7 FIGHT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
a Reign of Terror Existing
THREATS TO BURN HOUSES


Magnolia. il ordinarily quiet town, but its
serenity has been disturbed on two or three
occasions. The first occasion was the detal-
cation OF Colonel c. b. Young, once resi-
dent OF New Orleans. who was appointed
Sheriff Of Pike county By General Ames.
and who absconded with about thirteen
thousand dollars belonging to the county
treasury.
The ncxt occasion on which the serenity
of Summit w:,s disturbed was the assasslna
tian of Sheriff Prewet', who. while convey
ing a prisoner from Summit to place OF
security N another part OF the State. was
shot down in car on the jackson railroad,
by disguised mob, WHO brutally murdered
the Sheriff for the purpose OF rcscuins their
fellow criminal.
But the last occasion on which the town
of Summit has bcca rendered a by-wOrd
and renroach. was more recently. One
evening. gone two weeks since, while a
party of gentlemen We're playing cards for
amusement. among them DR.. Ferguson.
son .: Judge Hurst formerly a Judge Of
the Supreme Court Of Mississipuil, entered
the room in a half intoxicated state and
proposed game ;or money. DR.. Fer
guson said he would retire, rs he did not
play cards for money. A, this young Hurst
took oien,e and accused DR.. Ferguson Of
insulting him in refusing to remain.
DR.. Ferguson could. If h. had chosen.
have inflicted summary punishment on the
boy. who WAS hi, inferior in size. but he
chose 70 avoid controversy, and as the
lights We're suddenly extinguishel. that
! ended the affair for the night
A challenge followed from Young Hurst.
| which was accepted by Dr. Ferguson. after
consultation with his second the conditions
bein. that the duel should he fought with
double barrel shot-gunS. at distance OF
thirty PAGES. on the Arkansas shore, some
where opposite Memphis. These conditions
did not satisfy Hurst and his friends and
| being unwilling to light on the terms named.
resor; was had to attempted assassination.
DIR. Ferguson. who resided with his aged
mother. wa, advised that il WAS unsafe for
| him 10 90 into the street. This advice was
| followed especially as he had no arms. and
| mother residence were patrolled to prevent
| arms from Aein. conveyed to him. l: hap
| pened. however. that both Or. Ferguson
and his second. 4 gentleman whose home
| was in Memphis, obtained AIMS: and after
| the Hursts had threatened 70 burn down the
! mothers house unless she compelled her son.
| DR.. Ferguson. ~ 20 into the street, he did
20, and there an ai.ay occurred. last Satnr-
day. Hurst and Ferguson shootin, at each
other. Hurst received slight flesh wounds.
| bu: DR.. Ferguson was shot in his ri ght
hand, where two balls are still lodged.
hind the door sho: again at DR.. Ferguson.
the ball lodging in his shoulder.
| Faint from the loss of blood DR.. Fer.u-
| son was taken to the residence of a citizen.
| where, at last accounts. he remained. But
| not satisfied with the mischief they had
DONE the IIursts threatened to fire that resi-
! dencc unless DIR. Ferguson was sent out into
tn. street, to be brutally murdered. The
| threat was made to shoot every person who
! came out Of tho burning house. in order to
make sure and kill DR.. Ferguson. But
| Judge Hurst, the father, was told by the
! occupant of that house, that if ono house
| was burned another could be, and he might
! find his own house in flames.
! One evening prior to the Saturdays shoot
| ins. DIR. Ferguson, unarmed. was at the
| residence of this same gentleman. where he
| now lies suffering from wounds. when
Judge Hurst. knowing that he was there
| and unarmed. went to the house with Il
shotgun and two rcvolvers, and demanded
| that DR.. Ferguson should come out, SO that
he mi ght shoot him. The host declined to
allow an unarmed man to go out to certain
death, and Judge Hurst exhausted his
vocabulary Of abuse, and then SUNK off
when the host asked him il he had got
through and pointed to him the gate.
The town was awcd, amazed, and fright
cncds by the boldncss and rccklcssness of
the Hursts and their adherents. BY the
IIursts we mean the father (once IA Judgc},
the son who sent the challenge, and
Younger SON Some OF the lfursts, after DR..
Ferguson had been shot second time. sup
posing that he would 80 to his mothers
house, went near there armed for the pur-
pose of waylayins and assassinating him.
The aged mother. in her grief and alarm,
seen. the sneaking towards, went ont and
told them that if they wanted to shoot her
son they must do it through her own heart;
but this did not move them in their murder
Ous intent.
The Hursts. since the woundin. of DR..
Ferguson, patroled around the station, go
that he should not be sent to this city for
treatment and at the last accounts, he was
lyin. at the house OF his friend in high
state of dclililm, from the effect Of his
wounds. the unskilltul surgeon being unable
to extract either of the two balls in his
hand, or that in his shoulder.
The reign of terror in Summit is complete.
The Mayor did not dare interfere, and SO
remain ed secluded in his residence. Even
the telcgraphic operator did not dare, till
two days elapsed, to send a message to this
city for member of the family, Il young
lady, to return to Summit. Nor did he dare
to send message to Governor AlcOrn, from
the mother of Dr. Ferguson, desiring him
to send military protection, till the Sunday
after the shooting occurred, though it was
nut into his hands before that time. The
jackson Pilot OF Tuesday says, and we copy
all its errors:
We learn that an affray occurred at Sum-
mit on SATURDAY. last between Judge Hurst