The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-08-29

The ARRAY on Saturday.
A little after noon, on Saturday
last, four colored men were playing q
game Of cards, known ~ lid Sledge,
at Wesley Shepard's, a colored mans
saloon, on Horn street. Dave Sharp
and Alfred Bell, were pitted against
James Revels and Peter Williams, at
a bit o side. The two former are re-
sidents Of this city, and the latter
hail from Ward ), whence they were
driven, some ten days previous, by
the threats Of bodily harm and even
ofdeath, On account ftheir ante.rad
ical principles, by set Of colored
men, instigated and upheld by a Car
pet-bagyer from Massachusetts, Van
Dusen by name, and . Justice Of the
Peace Of the said Ward. A quarrel
sprung up between Alfred Bell and
James Rcvels, for the enormous sum
of thirty cents. which the former
claimed Of the latter. Words ran
high and Mr.. Sheppard pat tl.sm out
Of his establishment, and told them
To- settle their difficulty in the street
if they had a mind to, where the police
could Gee and hear them. AZ they
walked out, Peter William: remarked
that it was not worth the while to
fight abont such a small sum of mon
ey; pulled out a fifty cents bill, hand.
ed it to Sharp, Alfred Bells partner,
who took it and handed back the
change. Alfred Bell continued the
dispute, accused James of being q
swindler, said he could whip him in
four minutes. The lie was given,
and the party vent down the river
bank, at the fact Of Horn street, To
settle the matter in \ hand to hand
encounter. ... -.--
Alfred Bell struck first and the
combatants cliDcheil. James retalia.
ted by striking his antagonist over
the head with the barrel Of his pistol,
aud they both came up tho bank ours
ing and lighting.
Whilst this fIsticutf was going on.
Charles Bell, colored, Alfred's broth
er, came up, jumped on a citizens
horse, galloped home; returned in an
instant with q revolver in his hand !;
exchanged few blows. with Peter
Williams, and commenced firing on
the whites. Now, up to that moment,
not a single ,ehite man had intertered
nor breathed a word. Charles Bell
walked up to within q few feet Of two
peaceab)e, unarmed white citizens,
Messrs. Med. Scarborough and Chas.
A. Billiard, who were standing to.
gether and looking on; raised and
pointed his pistol at Scarborough,
saying at the same time: this is the
s. Of b. who convicted me {;
snapped two caps at him, and dis
charged the contents Of tie three re-
naming barrels of his revolver at
Scarborough aud Billiard, but luckily
missing them. Mr., Scarborough was
a member Of the Jury, who convicted
Bell Of tho brutal crime of manning
and dis0guringa colored man, She'd
rick Brown, BY biting of his nose,
when he, Bell, was on top, aud a
much str"nger and stouter man than
Brown.
Az Bell came up with his revolver ;
passed BY the man who vas fighting
with his brother; struck but 4 few
blows at Williams, and commenced
Immediately his mnrderous attack on
the whites, it is evident that this ne.
gro quarrel was but an excuse to ia.
augurats- tha.xar Of. races, right here
in our city. The whites became Just.
" aroused, armed themselves, and
some Of the citizens pursued and slew
Bell May such BE- the deserved tate
Of all who attempt to bring about
such an atrocious, horrible and dam
nable a visitation, on this, or on any
other community. II. a.-e !
valcour Merity, another co,ored
scoundrel who Was entirely snoos.set.
ed with tho apparest cause Of tn.
difficulty, was thste brsathiux Gre
and fury, and encouraging Alfred
Bell and others, against the ante.
radical c0lnned man TIA t,ro Pascal.