Richland beacon., 1874-05-16
The Bayou Macon Boat Robbery
and Murder.
FURTHER PiRTICURS.

our ln ,mant, was parity incorrect
as is usually the case with the hrat
nving rumors which 90 out from such
a tragic occurrence We have since
learned the full particulars, and are no
less surprised than sorry TO learn of
the three young men charged with
the black and hcartlcsS crime, viz: i.
J.. and 4. l.. NORRIS and HENRY
LEWIS, son Of Mr.. &. Lewis, near
whose place the deed was perpetratcd
These young men, few years since,
were school boys, near our old home
in Monroe County, Alabama, where
they had gone from this State. being
related 10 one Of the most highly re-
spected and esteemed families in that
county. We give the facts Of the
case, as related by the Franklin Sun,
of Friday last, which says:
"A deep feeling Of establishment,
gloom and horror pervaded our
whole community on Tuesday even
ing, when the news reached here Of
the preparation Of most horrible
murder, on the Bayou Macon, near
the lower line Of this parish, the in
centivc Of which was the acquisition
Of few dollars. The establishment
was caused at tie announcement that
the parties accused should stand charg-
ed with participating in any deed of
lawlessncss whatever, much less one
Of so heinous nature-gloOm at the
murder and the consequent angus h
and distress which it was known it
would cause the respected families,
relatives and friends Of the accused
and horror at the daring deed, the
conception and execution of which by
the parties engaged in it appears more
fancful than real or as if inspired by
perfect halucination and mental all
Iteration, rather than of intelligent
minded persons in their right senses.
The facts as given to us by Mr. Da-
yid Fclon are as follows:
a trading boat belonging to Mr..
Arbucklc, of Pennsylvania, was on
Monday going down the Bayou Ma.
con When about three miles below
C.. Lewis and s S..g dis AAseSa. where where
the Macon runs up stream, and
where it was necessary to tow the
boat down, Il skiff and a dug out were
seen approaching the boat from above
by the man on shore who was towing
her along with a rope. This man
was Mr.. Graham, brother-in-law of
Mr.. Arbuckle. The boat was a little
out from the shore, and when the
men in the skitfs, who had their faces
BACKED, approached her, two jumped
on board and one ashore One of the
former immediately fired n pistol at
Mr.. Arbucklc. who was on the upper
deck, and other shots followed; the
man who jumped ashore guarding
Graham the while and keeping him
from going on board. Arbuckle ran
down into the cabin, greatly agita,ed,
when his wife asked him what was
the matter, and be replied 1--WE are at
tackled" She Immediately ran into
the watcrclosct and locked herself up.
Firing continued in the cabin, which
one of them entered by the door and
the other by window, remaining in
side for some time after it ceased.
On coming out, the three took Ora
ham some distance in the woods, and
left him, one Of them saying that that
was the way they made their living.
lie went back to the boat which Mr..
kennie reached soon afterwards, bav-
ing heard the firing, and they lowed
her back to Mr.. KS. On examination
Arbuckle was found dead on the floor,
having one shot in the head, one in
the neck and two in the body. He
had $500 in his vest pocket, which
was gone, as well as the rings on his
fingers, his watch, and pistol, a sew
en- shooter.
The news Of the murder spread on
Tuesday morning, and many persons
went down to the boat, including
Thos. McVey, Justice Of the Peace
and Coroner Of the parish, and David
Felon, constable. The matter of hold
ing an inquest was discussed, but as
Mr.. Kennels is in Ca;ahoula, it was
considered questionable whether it
would be lawful to hold it. The
above narrated facts We're, however,
ELECTED from Mr.. Graham and Mrs.
Arbucklc. Graham also gave the fol-
lowing descrip IN Of the men: One,
he said, was pttering man, one
glib SPOKEN wfilc other seemed
modest and silent. Nesnce, by the
description given, Tbos. l.. and A b.
Norris and Henry i. Lewis were
pitched upon as the guilty parties, and
warrant for their arrest was on aft.
davit issued and placed in the hands
Of Constable Felon. That afternoon
the body of Mr.. Arbuckle was brought
up and buried in the Oakley grave
yard, and at the burying Mr.. Graham
pointed to Henry Lewis who was
present and said he was one Of the
party. Mr. Felon had in the mean
time gone home, and soon afterwards
proceeded to form posse as quietly
as possible intending and expecting to
capture the parties before day next
morning, as he felt certain be would
find A. b Norris at Mr.. Sisson's and