New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-08
The Assassination of Representative
Piers0n, Mt Natchftoches.

Pierson, mt Natchftoches.
The following account Of the killing OF
Hon. E. L. Person by Mr.. Cosgrove, of the
Vindicator andithe funeral of the deceased,
is from the Natchitoches Republican Of the
first instant
Christmas day, which should be one of the
Christian doctrine Of peace on earth,
good will toward men," was the scene of
fearful excitement in our usually quiet city.
On Christmas morning, Mr.. E. L. Piers0n,
q prominent young lawyer of this place,
and the white Republican Representative
to the Legislature Of this State, was per-
sonally assaulted on the corner of Horn
and Front streets, by Mr.. j. H. Co,grove,
editor Of the Peoples indicator. This led
to the exchange of shots between the par.
ties, eventuating III a participaney IL the
rencontre by several persons.
Mr.. Pierson was shot near the spine, che
ball ranging upward, exuding on the LETT
shoulder. He was also shot in the muscular
part of the same forearm. AS he ran down
St. Denis street toward Second street, the
CRY was "kill him." ''kill him" He was
closely followed and shot at three times on
Second street. falling against the fence on
bruising his face. Mr.. Pierson bled pro-
fusely as he ran up the streets, the pave
ments being eprinkled with his life blood.
He barely managed to reach his gateway,
and was aided into his OWE dOmicile by his
youngest sister. and died within half an
hour after reaching his home.
One by one, the white Republicans OF this
land, whether natives or aliens, are made
the victims of the vinGictive persecution
and murderous animosity of their political
opponents.
And what more Justice goes unwhipt
Of her Just dues, and no arrests are made
for these crimes committed in broad day.
1t seems to be conceded fact, carried out
with fearful certainty, that men can not
differ politically in this chivaIrous ~ South
ern land.
Oh, brave men of 9 great land. how do
such deeds as that of Christmas day agree
with your traditions of old! Is it part Of
honorable and good men to thus hunt down
one of their own kind, brave, tried, trne
and faithful servant of the people, simply
because he is brave man! File! for shame!
on such manhood! Oh! shame, where is thy
blush9 Oh! manhood, where is thy glory
and greatness!
Mr. Pierson has been consistent follower
of Republican principles since 1872. No
drawer man ever lived. He never faltered
or halted in his advocacy Of his political
faith. He was intrus:ed by the Republican
party of this parish with their political
veal and woe. He took up the guidon Of
warfare, and right manfully did he do bat
tie; SO manfully, forsooth, that No now
sleeps his final rest in our burying ground.
He was followed to his tomb by old and
young, rich and poor, white and cOlored.
There has seldom been seen such cortege.
If there were those who rejoiced at his uu-
timely fate, still there were scores of women
tender-hearted as they always are, these
ministeriDg angels who are last at the cross,
and first at the tomb, as well as strong
hearted men, who did no dishenOr to their
| manhood, to shed bitter, burning, scalding
tears of sorrow over the inanimate remains
of the young and honored dead.
Such scenes as that which transpired in
the American Cemetery last Sunday after
noon can be witnessed bat once in q long
lifetime. Friends and relatives gathered
about the inanimate corpse; even the man
Of God, as he read the funeral service,
catching the infection of profound sorrow,
and reading the sentences of the sublime
ceremony in broken and scarcely audible
voice.
The bar of the city did honor to the de-
ceased by acting as pail bearers. Colonel
David Pierson, District Judge G. Chaplin,
District Attorney NJ j. Cunningham and
DR.. c. Hamlin, members of the bar and old
citizens, who well knew the deceased, paid
the last sad tribute of respect to his re.
mains. linen came little cnllOron anu
beautiful women and almost covered the
burial casket with wreaths and floral trib-
utes of regard and love.
We mourn him as one not lost but gone
before. One more hero in the battle OF life
against political persecution and sectional
animosity. There will be many more such,
perhaps, but they will die, if so God wills
| it, the defenders of that sublime doctrine Of
American republican principle, ito worship
God according to the dictates of con
| SCIENCE" and to exercise the right of suf-
frage as belts one who is greater than a
Roman, whose boast that he wss such was
passport among the nations of the earth,
even in those days of barbarism and gladia-
| torship. Now, even men do not possess the
chance of meeting in the arena OF fighting
wild beasts, but must needs suffer death for
the mere sake of political opinion.
Dangerous Levee.
We earnestly call the attention of the
levee company and General JEFF Thompson
to the very dangerous condition of small
piece of levee-about 400 feet in length-in
front of the property of Widow Joseph
Touzanne, about four miles above Hahn
vile, and ON the same side of the river.
Unless this levee is repaired at once, there