New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-30
RAMPANT BARBARITY
An Old Man Murdered in Cold Blood
in De Soto Parish.
HE HAD ONCE BEEN A REPUBLICAN

fourth instant:
We learn from gentleman who passed
through Keachi on Saturday last, that con-
siderable excitement was exhibited in that
place owing to the dastardly murder of
Squire Headrick Thursday evening last.
Squire Headrich was an old PRESIDENT of De
Soto parish, and was always held in esteem
by the community at large as good, quiet
and inOtfensive citizen.
1t seems that Thursday last white mans
party meeting was held at Logansport,
which was largely attended by people from
Texas as we'll as by residents of De Soto
parish. At the close OF the meeting, at
which there were some infammatory
speeches made, twenty or thirty mounted
men went after DR.. Custer and Squire
Headrick. who had at one time been acting
with the Republican party. DR.. Custer
escaped, but Squire Headrick was mur-
dered and his body thrown in the woods
and not found until the following Saturday
morning, when an inquest was held, the
verdict of which we have not learned as
yet.
DR.. Custer arrived in Shreveport yester-
day morning, and stopped at the residence
of exMayor Crowell, where he was inter-
viewed by our reporter:
Parties here who were acquainted with
Squire Headrick think that love of whisky
by lawless men was the cause Of his muir
der, as he had openly proclaimed himself
member of the White mans party and
published card to that effect about three
weeks ago 1t is to be hoped that the good
citizens of De Soto will leave no stone
unturned to bring to justice the vile authors
of this dastardly murder, and unless the
guilty parties are brought to Justice the act
will certainly be looked upon by the outside
world in suspicious light. It demands
immediate attention.
The Shreveport Times OF the twenty- fifth
gives the following account:
Saturday night was receive a note from
De Soto parish stating that while Squire
Headrick and DR.. w. s. Custer were re-
turning from a political meeting OF the
white people at Logansport. in De Soto
parish, very near the Texas line, they were
Overtaken by body of unknown men; that
Custer escaped, but Squire Headrick was
taken into the woods and murdered, As we
did not know the party from whom the note
came, we deferred any statement of the
| matter until we could obtain further in
formation. The material points of the story
have since been confirmed by DR.. Custer,
who is at present in Shreveport.
The impression which has got abroad that
Headrick was killed on account of politics is
entirely erroneous. Squire Headrick has
always, we believe, been regarded IN his
parish as an honest, quiet and law-abldlng
citizen. and though at one time conserva-
tive Republican, he has been an earnest
advocate of the white mans movement,
and only week or ten days ago published
q card IN this paper announcing bis con-
nection with that movement DIR. Custer
| Is also associated with the white mans
| party. There is no earthly reason, there
fore, why either Squire Headrick or DR..
Custer should have been injured by the
advocates Of the white mans movement,
even admitting the absurd idea that its
| advocates are numbering ali their opponents.
| 1t seems that there are several persons on
| the Texas side OF the line between whom
and Squire Headrick there existed fierce
feud, and it is supposed that those parties
| took advantage of the excitement which
had been raised by whisky and politics to
perpetrate the murder. This is a reasonable
theory of the horrible affair and is sustained
| by the statements of DR.. Custer himself.
But be that as it may, it is evident that
most foul cowardly and brutal assassina-
tion has been perpetrated, and we hope the
authorities will use every means IN their
power to ferret out the cOwardly perpetra-
tors of it and bring them to justice.
The Times, which has within few days
ceased glorying in the. ''red handed work"
| of its political allies, endeavors to find an
other cause for the crime than politics.
theory hardly borne cut by the Mansfield
Reporter, an extract from which is copied
| in the following extract from the South
scestern- Telegram of the twenty-ffth:
The time has arrived when it behooves
| every law abiding citizen in the State OF
Louisiana to unite in determined effort to
repress and eradicate the iawless spirit and
| diabOlical recklessness that for some time
past has manifested itself in some portions
| of this State. In the South we have the
boundless gifts of nature poured upon Us
with prodigality and lIxuriance unsur-
passed in any section of the civilized world,
and yet the hand of man is used to mar
and dlsigure country that should bloom
| like the rose gardens of Sharon and pro-
duce for the inhabitants all the blessings
and comforts that can be expected or looked
for in this world. Yet, what do we see!
Murders and outrages of almost daily oc-
currence.
At the present. time, when political feel
ing controls and party acerbity rises to the
surface, the majority of offenses are charged
to the bitterness of partisan influence In
mary cases the charge is true; in others it
is not sustained. Many desperadoes will
avail themselves Of occasions like these to
give vent to their ungovernable passions
and thereby create feeling that, once
aroused, can not be repressed without
bloodshed and violence. The recent dia-
bolical outrage in De Soto parish, in which
one law-abiding and inofensive citizen was
brutally murdered, and another forced to
lice from his home and family Is sutfl-
GENTLY strong to bear out our remarks
1t Is possible that Squire Headrick was
butchered on Thursday last for motives
OF private revenge, but the fact OF bis
having formerly taken part with the Re
publican party. the character OF the
speeches said to have been made at Logans-
port on the day on which the poor, helpless,
unoftending old man was massacred,
coupled with the following remarks from
gan, In regard to DR.. Custer, whose life was
also sought, and was only preserved by
nasty flight, leads us to think different. ny
the allusions to one of the parties evidently
referred to in the subjOined remarks clearly
show that politics, as much as whisky or
private feuds, had to do with the terrible
and cold blooded tragedy.
In reference to the political meeting az
LOganspOrt on the twentieth, the Mansneld
reporter OF the twenty-second, says:
quite an interesting meeting was held
at Logansport. in this parish, on last
Thursday. A large and enthusiastic
crowd was in attendance, and the people
seemed determined to do their whole duty
during the present campaign. Messrs. Pike,
Hall and E. w. Sutherlin addressed the
meeting, and their utterances elected the
hearty applause of their hearers. Carpet
baggers and scalawags made themselves
scarce in that locality. DR.. Custer was
present, and if he runs as we'll for the State
Senate as he did when he left Logansport,
he won't be far behind at the end OF the
race. We have not vet learned how he
came out in his race from Logansport but