New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-31
The Killing ut Big Cane.

We mentioned last week the killing of
two colored men, Wallace and Bruce Small.
at Big Cane, on the fifteenth instant, by w.
NJ. Keller. We learn from the officer who
held the inquest some of the particulars.
The day before the killing Sunday
in one of the stores at Big Cane, Wallace
Small, who was drunk stepped upto Kel-
Ter and told him that he (keller) was good
man, but that he (Small) was a better one.
He alluded TO physical strength. Keller
pushed him off and told him that he was
drunk and to go away. Small went in front of
the store and invited Keller to come out
and settle the matter by a fist fight. Keller
went out and hammered him on the head
little with his pistol, when Small went off.
threatening to return, it is said, prepared to
fight Keller i'll a different manner. Next
day (Monday) Wallace Small and his
brother Bruce Small went to Big Cane
with their wives to attend to some business
at one of the stores.
Arriving there, Wallace was told that he
had better settle his difficulty with Keller,
because, from the reports in circulation.
something serious was likely to grow out of
it. He replied that he was drunk when he
had the difficulty with Mr.. Keller; that he
knew not what he was about, and was
willing to apologize. Keller was sent for,
and said he was willing to let the matter
did. After transacting their business, the
two Smalls and their wives left for home
Keller followed after them with double
barrele,l gun. He returned in short time,
and stated that while passing the Smalls in
the road he stopped and inquired of Wallace
if tie difficulty was not settled, and that he
replied that it was for arhile; whereupon.
he shot him; and that, Bruce Small then at
tempted to draw his pistol on him, when he
shot him also
1t is stated that Bruce Small. while at
Big Cane. just before being shot, was in his
shirt sleeves, and that no pistol was visible
about him.
Their wives, who were with the Smalls
when Keller killed them, give the other
side of the story. They say that Keller on
riding up behind them, exclaimed; oval
lace, helrs afioat and the Jordan's arising
Wallace protested that the difficulty be-
tween them had been amicably settled: but
Keller without saying anything further,
Immediately shot and killed Wallace with
one barrel of his gun, and then shot and
killed Bruce with the other barrel.
Keller was not arrested, but left the par
ish few days afterward, it is said, going
by way of the Atchafalaya and Mississippi
rivers in the direction of New Orleans
Such occurrences as this are lamentable
in the extreme, and we are sorry that they
are not less common. Since this affair it
has oeen said that Congress erred in leav-
ing out that part of the Ku-Klux bill max
ing the inhabitants of district responsible
in damages for the crimes committed with
in its limits, for such responsibility would
put a stop, in great measure, to murder
by causing the prompt arrest and punish
ment of criminals and the expulsion of bad
characters from the district. We have no
organized ku-Klux in our parish, but law
less characters, singly or in bands, often
commit depredations and acts of violence
for which the community at large are in no
wise responsible, except that they are negli-
gent in having the guilty parties brought to
punishment.
The only way the South can escape Ku-
klux laws under the present government
is to furnish no occasion for their enforce
ment.