Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-07-11

The Little Family Tragedy.


NER's INQUEST.
A Winchester correspondent of the Baltimore
Gazette says that the facts upon which the jury
OF inquest in the Little homicide case based
their finding that Lycurgus Little was guilty of
premedtated murder of his brother Clinton
are substantially as follows There had been
a grudge and family quarrel between these
brothers for at least fifteen years. The imme-
dlate cause of the affair was a disagreement
about money matters. 1t is said that early in
the morning Oscar chOked his mother Mrs
Little, and told her that there would be a corpse
in the house by 10 o'clock, if she did not mlnd.
1t was in evidence before the coroner that the
family were sitting at the breakfast table-Mrs
Little, Clinton, Gilbert, Columbus and Wal
lace-when Lycurgus and Oscar entered the
room, locked the door, and began to tire; for
some reason the pistol of Oscar would not go
OF, and this, 1t is believed saved the lives of the
rest of the family. That of Lycurgus did, and
the first ball entered the thigh of his mother,
Mrs. Little, which, it is thought and hoped,
was unintentional She, seeing the weapon
pointed at Clinton, attempted TO shield him
AT the second fire of Lycurgus' pistol the ball
took effect in the groin of Clinton, passing
uowRwarI, ana at the post norton examination
was found near his knee. When the firing COM
menced Wallace, the younger brother, Jumped
from the window and kicked open the door, as
is stated, and confirmed by the footprints OF it
and the broken lock. In the meantime Column
bus and Gilbert rushed to the rescue, and after
desperate struggle, in which they were both
badly cut by the pistols of the assailants, they
succeeded in Wrestling them from them after
which they fled through the now open door to-
wards the barn. Gilbert took down the rife
and fired at them at long range. They attempt
ed to fire the pistols, but they either did not 90
of or did not reach. The rifle ball did take eff
feet in the leg Of Oscar. The two, Oscar and
Lyeurgus, are now in the county jail of Clarke,
and the county court meets on Monday, when
they will be indicted and possibly tried. How
ever, we presume continuance will be granted
The father of this family, Franklin Little is
extensively engaged in business In Washington
city, and is known as an industrious and honest
man. The home of his family as always been
one of comfort and plenty; his farm large and
productive, having on it a large and handsome
stone house, which has lately been refitted and
undermined. In the place OF the old roof there
Is now handsome Mansard, and the old st air
case has been replaced by a spiral One. In its
whole arrangement, internal and external, the
premises present an air of comfort and thrift
much of which is due to the energy and ex-
ertions of Clinton Little, who was SO cruelty
murdered This property, we learn, came to the
family through Mrs. Little, and had been
owned by her people for upwards of seventy
years. The sons were all uncOmonly large and
stout men, except Gilbert, who Is delicate,
being subject to hemorrhages, having had
several very severe ones since the affair.
Wallace is engaged in the drug business in
Georgetown, and Is the youngest member of the
business "a mistake-he is a carriage maker \ in
Washington. Is a man of powerful muscle.
Part of this family have red heads and part
black heads, and it is said that there has ALWAYS
cen a jealousy between the red and black
6ssJ.I n,a. lever this may be, those
making the attack were r1i-headed and those
attacked black headed. What will be the
result Of this remarkable affair it is hard TO tell.