Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1875-08-07
Murder in Aberdeen.

Capt. VIM. de il. Hooper, a young
and talented lawyer of Aberdeen,
Miss, and the law partner of Gen.
Samuel Gholson, was foully murdered
in that city last Tuesday afternoon.
The Examiner, of wednesday, thus
describes the cruel deed:
Capt. VIM. de B. Hooper was enter
ing the door of the Courthouse, and
just as he was about to ascend the
steps leading to the Courtroom where
the Chancery Court was in session,
he was suddelly addressed by
young man by the name of Bradley
jones' sou of the late Nelson d. jones'
and turning Lalf around to respond,
was shot dead in his tracks No
other cause can be assi gned for the
foul assassination than that ill-feeling
had for some time existed between
the parties in reference to an estate
matter that was about to come Oh for
trial. The affair created the most
intense excitement in the city, and
there can be but little doubt that the
fornalities of trial would have been
dispen ed with, had not the murderer
been consigned to the jail before the
crowd commenced to assemble.
We dislike TO discuss a matter Of
this kind ere the facts are drawn out
before committing court, but enough
has transpired to show that the affair
was premcdl,ated, and occasion for
the execution of the vile plot patient
ly sought. This thing has gone far
enough /; we cannot trust our safety
and happiness to ignorant jurors that
seldom convict, and venal Governors
that so often pardon. This thing
must stup-it must stop right here.
We must take the matter in hand our
selves, and hereafter visit with the
same swift and terrible retribution,
the ravisher and the doer of unpro-
yoked murder. To-day we mourn
one of our noblest ana best, Shutdown
in his tracks as mercilessly as though
be had been q dumb brute, and no
one knows who may be the next.
One of the noblest, braYest hearts
that ever love inspired, or chivalric
feeling stirred to manly deeds, has
ceased its tbrobbing one Of the
truest friends and most generous foes
that ever tr0d the earth, has passed
forever from among those who cherish
ed aud loved him. a child in simplici-
ty; a maiden in tenderness {; patriot
by instinct and nature; sage in
wisdom, be was man among men,
and those who knew him best and
loved him best believed that glorious
future, in the language of man,
awaited him. Cut of in the noon
day of health and activity, and while
life was full of happiness and promise
without a moments warning, ant
without even the meagre satisfaction
of parting word or a parting bless
;; ing, be has gone to his last home
leaving an image in a thousand sor
rOwful hearts that time cannot efface
Capt Hooper, was the son Of the
!, ! late Johnston Hooper, of Montgom
cry, Ala, one of the best known
editors and bumorists in our sistel
State. The Examiner closes it
notice of the murdered man as fol
. lows:
= : Capt. Hooper leaves broken
hearted wife, a widowed mother,
brother and two little children t
mourn him With that deathless grie
l. that balks all efforts at assuagiDg
and in every portion of our county
= friends bound to him by such ties a
. seldom unite man to man without
'o common paternity, will weep for hir
, as for q brother gone down to tb
y !, cold and silent grave. Peace to you
D. ashes, Will Hooper! God be wit
y, y, you in the realm beyond the trackles
~ stars, and give to those who lived
,, your great, big, generous, lovin
~ heart, that calm that falls like a
angels mantle when the fountains {
Id the soul have exhausted their flov
as and those stepped in affection haS
~ escaped the horrors of madness. W
~ loved you as We have seldom love
III man, and We will not soon cease
" miss you aud mourn you.