The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-08-27
ALOoiSIana n0el.

j LOUISIANA DoeSe
In the parish of st. James to-day, DIR.
Gray, u member Of the Legislature, and
n. Richard, Deputy Sheriff, fifteen PAGES.
The first two shots neither hit. The
third shot both fell, MORALLY wounded.
Each man was hit in tho right side I'M
der the armpit. Gray expired almost
Instantly, and Richard a few moments
after.
The quarrel grew out Of tho recent
parish Republican Convention. There
was split in the party, and ono faction
was driven from the convention with
black c, cs and bloody noses.
After that those left in the convention
fought among themselves, and when the
deputy shcriiis rushed in to make ar.
rests the convention turned upon the
latter and beat them terribly. After the
convention II. johnson, editor Of the ST.
James Scmtinel, and J. Helm, editor Of
the st. James Republican, each cspousing
one of the factions, opened - newspaper
warfare, and they became very bitter to
ward each other. The division in the
radical ranks was thus widcncd and Gu
couraged by the respective adherents,
and Johnson was u: last urged 10 make
personal physical attack on Helm,
which he did, by beating him with
stick Oh Saturday last. Helm did NO,
resist the attack, nor did he aftcrward
demand satisfaction. His puerilc con-
duct so incenscd Johnson that he chaI-
lcngcd Helm to mortal combat; but
Helm refused to fight. Richard, how
cve-, cspouscd Helms cause, and public,
ly insuIicd Johnson for the purpose OF
maxim. him fight. Johnson challenged
him on Monday, and the hour, place and
weapons were selected. Tho au:hori.
ties got wind Of it, arrested both men
before they could meet, and placed them
under peace bonds. DIR. Gray then came
forward and loudly proclaimed in pub
lie that both parties were towards, and
were afraid to fight. Richard would
not submit to such insult, and determine
cd, despite his peace bonds, to fight the
man who had traduccd him. lie sent !;
friend to linn on Monday night, and, the
challenge being promptly accepted, the
hour for the fight was fixed at half pas,
six this morning, in 4 wood near tb,
river bamk.
AT tho appointed limo bo:h men ap
pcared on the scene, each attended 10y
two seconds and u surgeon. Both were
calm and collected, and after their usua
civiii,ics and prclimina: les, they took
their places, fifteen PAGES apart, armed
With Smith 4 Wcsson siX.barrcIcd re
volverS. At The wor,l both dilivcred The
first fire simultaneously, and both shot
an:,ed trifc wide, and the c"mbclani'
remained unhurt. \ second fire Wa
demanded, and again did the men firm.
aud stolilly discharge the weapons, but
for the second time neither shot took q:
feet.
AT this iuncturc the seconds sought
TO effect "a cessation Of hostilities, and
protested against further proceedings
rs enough had been done to satisfy
wounded honor; but Gray demanded ;
third fire, and declared that he woul,
continue to demand a repetition unit
on. or both parties should fall. The
seconds had, therefore, no recourse, and
once moro the cnmbatants faced cacl
other, still as firm of nerve rs ever. Al
tho word the sound of both weapons
rang out upon the morning air together
and on the instant both fell forward, fla
upon the ground, as if they had beer
logs. The seconds and surgeons ran
quickly to them, and saw at once tina,
in each case the deadly messenger had
thoroughly done its savage work. Both
were struck in the side, directly under
the arm, and neither spoke word after
the the fatal shot. Gray died instantly
and Richard breathed his last less than
two minutes aiterward.
Both were whlto men, and lifelong
residents of tho parish. Previous t.
their political differences they had been
warm friends, and their terribly end has
had an exceedingly depressing inflncnc.
in the community where they lived
Special dispatch to Chicago Tribune o
August 18th.