New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-03
Local Intelligence,

THE INQUEST IN THE CASE OF PERRY
lYoys-A Desperate FighL-After a neces
sary delay, Coroner Creagh yesterday com
menced taking testimony in the ease Of the
death Of Oliver Perry lyons. Yhe evil
,'eDcs elected, So published below, war
Santed tho jury in returning 3 verdict that
death was caused by 5our incised wounds
a. tho hands of Sohn Henry now lying in
critical condition in the Charity Hospital.
20 will be seen that, considering the well
known character Of the two men, the fight
was one Of the most desperate ever recorded
Oy Us. Rough and terrible as were mortal
o0mbats in the mines of California in early
slavs. none were more terrific and cour-
6geous than this:
%. S. M. Eaton sworn-On Monday. &c
sober %, about ) 2. NJ, l was at the saloon
Merchants Exchange, No. IbS COMMON
strcet, sitting at a table with a friend, con
versing; Henry and Lyons, the latter de
ceased, entered together; Henry was in
quest Of the gentleman with me; both men
approached us, Henry remarking to my
friend, "You are the very man l want; |
have been hunting you half the day; please
give me that order for a hat now my
3riend stepped to the cigar stand with
Henry and wrote what he seemed to be
asking for; Henry expressed his gratitica-
tion and invited US to lake a drink with
Sim; Lyons observed, "1f that is an order
for a hat you had better make 1t
qwo:' Henry replied, What's the
matter with you? Have you no style
about ynu2" As the beer was
brought, Lyons and Henry commenced dis
Gussing politics in the fourth ward; Henry
said to Lyons that they would pull together
81 $500 IL %hc hnYrp with THANH thu Tyyn
eeemed on good terms, but they showed
symptoms Of having drunk freely; they
spoke about Wilt and Sypher, and drank
20 their health, and proposed to support
those gentlemen; Lyons, as II to emphasize
his remark drew his revolver from hls side
DOcket and threw it down On the table with
considerable violence; Henry responded By
drawing a sheath knife and dashing it dow
BY the pistol; / asked them if they were re-
bearsing private theatricals; at my request
they pocketcd their weapons; Lyons asked
Henry to treat to cigars; Henry said, Ger
calmly, 60 get one and l will pay Tor IT..
Lyons got two cigars; Henry seemed annoyed
and said, lyon are not the mar | took you
for:' they were then on their feet; a few
sharp words were exchanged, but Henry
became apparently pacifed; during the
talk Lyons approached Henry, when L
heard a sharp sound caused by q spring III
a metal matchbox cover IN Lyons, band;
Henry, starting back, asked, What IS
that ~ LYONS. smiling, held up the box
and said, That's what's she natter
Henry said he thought Lyons had pulled
his Gun on him, and said let's have no more
of that; Lyons walked away a few steps.
when, turning, in reply to some expression
by Henry, asked, DO you want to quarrel
with me ~ Henry replied, III you wish
it;o Lyons then put his hand IL his coat
pocket; Henry walked slowly toward him,
,,--- I,rIjpCr a litfIps Harry draw his
knife and Lyons drew his pistol, the draw
iDg being almost simultaneous; Henry
raised his knife. having drawn it from its
scabbard: some harsh words passed be-
tween them; Lyons apparently attempted
to 90 out, but stumbled: jostlipg against
Henry slightly; they watched each
other closely; Lyons steadied himself,
raised bis pistol and fired, and in nearly |
the same instant Henry's knife de-
scended on Lyons breast; Henry
turned slowly and walked toward
the door; Lyons followed him, and present
ing his pistol within two feet OF henry's
head. fred again; Henry turned and
stabbed Lyons again: | think neither shot
took effect; Lyons then stepped back and
fired again, missing fire; Henry rushed on
him and stabbed him in his abdomen; as he
did so Lyons fred his third shot, which shot
took effect: Henry rushed on him again and
stabbed him again in his abdomen.
James Gardiner-Heard four shots fired, !
but saw nothing at that time, as was in
sile my shop, No. l6l Common street. Mon
day evening, a few minutes after five O'Clock;
after the shots we're fred | stepped to my
door and looked; saw mems legs by the
screen in the barrOOm; after the first shot
a small space Of time elapsed, and the three
other shots were close together; saw Henry
90 the banquette, a knife in his raised
hand; he fell into the gutter, backward, |
I =. 80. = H. rvn4ap hIo laT9 m tina side |
walk; did not see the other man; two po-
licemen lifted Henry from the gutter and
placed him in a cab, taking him away.
j. L. Harloe-Was in the tailor shop NO.
l6l Common street at the time of the diff
Guilty; heard the report of a pistol, as II on
the opposite side of the street; saw a man
staggering there, against the wall by the
Merchants beerh0use; he sat down III q
chair, but quickly arose., and advanced a
step or two, at the same time firing a pistol;
saw another man standing with d KNIFE IN
his raised hand; the blade was very bright;
looked away a second, and when | turned
again saw q man in the gutter, and another
standing between two policemen; the tai
man. the one who was in the gutter, mad
tba knife. did not know either OF the men.
Charles Bushing-On the twenty-elghth
of October, in the evening, was IN the par
room No. 1853 Common street; gave Henry
change for a IS bill; Henry and other men
were at a table drinking; | then Went to
the rear of the room; heard q Shot f!red
shortly after; saw smoke near the cigar
stand: when | reached the front Henry was
partly in the gutter; heard three other
shots.
Manuel Oranto-On Monday evening
October Is. | was in No. 1853 Common street;
four or five men entered the bar-room TO-
gether: Mr.. Henry told me to give Lyons a
cigar: keep the cigar stand; deceased took
cigars; Henry paid me for thom; when
| was at my stand saw Lyons have a metal
lie match box; he opened the cover and 1t
snapped; Henry was talking to some one
then, and when he heard the noise he turned
toward Lyons and said: Don't snap your
nm at me-take your hand from your
Docket;' Lyons then showed Henry the
box in his hand; | saw no more, but
soon heard the report Of a pistol; the ball
passed close by my head.and struck a glass
me; saw the two men clinched; the
screen near the door was partly turned
over, which broke a glass on the wall; after
tbat I heard W more shots; they went out
tbe bar-room at different doors. Lyons be
hind Henry. Lyons firing one shot at Hen
head: during the trouble the men did
Int sneak q word that | heard.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Houghton was
=, r,;r~ oh1a IA send j. H, DOnO-