The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-27
ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE MIR.
THOMAS DEvEREAUX.
The Assassin Blows His Own
Gee
Thumb Off.

About - o'clock Friday night a shot wal
fired at the corner of Erato and Baronne
streets Officer johnson, who was standing
at the corner of Thalia and Baronne streets
Immediately proceeded to the place and
found that an attempt had been made by
some unknown assassin, who was concealed ir
vacant lot opposite, to assassinate Mr..
Thomas Devereaux, as he was in the act Of
entering his domicile, next to the corner o.
Erato, on Barronne street.
On close investigation the officer found
that several bullets from the assassin's gun had
lodged in the door post and which came within
an ace of killing Mr.. Devereaux's wife, who
had just opened the door and was standing in
the doorway when the shot was fred On
searching the vacant lot opposite the house,
it was found that the shot had been fired
from a double barreled shotgun, the rem
nants Of which were found scattered about
the lot, which showed clearly that it had
bursted in the cowardly assassin's hand when
he fired it off.
A large piece of flesh was also found close
to the fragments of the gun, which also dis
closed the fact that the gun bursted at the
breach of the left. hand barrel, and blew the
Eassassins left thumb off close to the wrist
There was also found traces of blood where
The man retreated through lot toward Erato
street. A lady residing in the immediate
vicinity heard the report Of the gun and ran
to her window looking into the lot, and saw a
man retreating through the rear Of the lot
and out toward Erato street.
wheelbarrow, with an empty barrel
placed on top of it, had been placed against
the fence on the inside by the assassin to stand
on, in order to shoot over the fence at Mr..
Devereaux as he entered the door of his resi-.
dence.
The fragments of the gun was brought to
the Second Precinct Station.
ARREST OF THE ASSASSIN.
Information was received at the Central Station
at 10 o'clock, that man had been conveyed to
the Charity Hospital, suffering from wound in
poral Smith Immediately started for the hospital,
and on. arriving there found man who gave his
name as John III. Mcclure, but who afterwards
turned out to be the scoundrel J. W. Ward, who,
it will be remembered, attempted to murder
Capt. A.. F. Wald, who was leaving his house,
near the battle ground. below the United States
barracks, about o'clock on the morning of the
9Th of May, 1875.
Ward used large knife upon his victim, in
f1icting some eight or ten cuts about his neck
and face, and beating him in the most brutal
manner. When the subject Of his brutality was
as he thought dead, he left him and attempted
to make his escape A party of negroes, at that
time working upon the roads, hearing OF the out
rage, noticed the way in which the desperate
went and took up the pursuit.
Not being acquainted with the country, this
man Ward maze a mistake and went in the
wrong direction. The negroes who knew every
inch Of the ground cut across, and heading him
off succeeded in capturing him. He was taken
to the Parish Court in the parish OF st. Bernard,
where he was released on bonds.
A few weeks after this the trial Of Ward was
called, when 1t was discovered that he had left
his bondsmen in the lurch and departed for parts
Nothing further was heard OF the
man until the tn OF July, when he was rear;
Station. He was afterwards released on $1,000
bonds, which are now forfeited.
This noted fcoupdrel was lying in bed in
ward No 8, with his left thumb shot of, and
which proved conclusively that he was the party
that tried to assassinate MIR. Devereaux. His
face was horribly burned with powder, caused
by the bursting Of the.gun.
Ward states that he was shot in the hand by
some unknown party at the corner of Religious
and Rousseau streets, about o'clock Saturday
under arrest AID LET. in the hospital in charge OF
an officer.
Mr.. Devereaux appeared before the First Mu-
nicipal Police Court, and made an affidavit
against him for shooting at him, with intent to
commit MURDER while lying in wait.
He arrived at the hospital at O'Clock Saturday
about three hours after he was shot.
MR.. DEvEREAUx'S STATEMENT.
Mr.. Devereaux states-This was the second at
tempt made to assassinate me. About two weeks
ago when got to the door OF my residence
heard two caps snap, one right after the other,
and heard piece of wood fall IN the yard oppO-
SITE paid no attention, as it was windy night,
and thought that the wind had caused the
wood to fall in the lot. Last night got to the
door and rang the bell and stood facing the lot
for about minute and a half before my wife
came to the door, and it was when l turned my
back to go into the front door that the shot was
ired.'
Mrs. H. Lewis, who resides in the rear Of the
vacant lot, states that she heard the report OF q
pistol about midnight, and jumped out Of bed
and ran to the front window. She heard some
one walking on the planks In her alleyway lead
ing on Erato street, and saw the man walk up to
the fence inside Of her yard and jump over. She
asked him what he was doing in her yard, but he
made no response. Mis-. Lewis saw that his left
hand was bleeding; marks Of blood were found
on the fence where he climbed over and through
the al eyway from the rear portion of the yard.
Another party who Identifies the man as Ward,
met him running towards Dryades street with
his left hand in his pocket, and asked him who
had fired the shot: he did not answer, but kept
straight ahead, and made his escape.
The officers searched the lot last evening and
found the footprints Of the assassin Ward where
he had jumped over the fence on Baronne street
to conceal himself in the lot. Underneath Of 8
small shanty. used for storing away coal, was
found the ramrod Of the gun, caps, powder and
shot, and the marks where the gun had laid in
the mud for come length OF time.
Another portion Of his thumb was found in q
barrel of water near where the gun exploded.
A portion OF the barrel struck and went through
q tin pipe leading from the top Of the shanty,
and lodged in the wood. The portions Of the
hand found were placed in alcohol and turned
over to the property clerk to be used - evidence
az ainst him when Tie matter is brought before
the courts, together with the fragments Of the
gun, caps, powder, etc.
Wants and To Rent inserted in the BULLETIN for