The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-08


sure Ut that Mr.. Hardeman threw tumbler
at Nj Prestidge from the water cooler be-
fore eng into the office am not sure
whethe It was before or after, as I was very
much lxcited at the time. A second shot was
fred lhSn Mr.. Hardeman was standing near
the co4ler.
Mr. Hsrdeman walked, going to and fro,
about 1ixty feet, from the time that the first
shot WIS fred to the time of the second shot.
After de second shot he advancedson Mr.
Prestidgs. think MI. Prestidge threw one
pistol % both at Mr.. Hardeman as he adj
vance1, and then they clinched, and Mr..
Hardelpen struck Mr. Prestidge with q ruler,
which broke. They continued their fight, I
trying 10 separate them; but as fast as would
take ops off they would throy nae off and
clinch again. They being both strong men,
was Unable to do ANYTHING, and no one was
in the pfice but myself They finally
separaasd, and I asked Hardeman if he was
hurt md he told me he was shot
toek him in the front Office and laid him
on thds6fa. called for help; the front door
was or and the crowd was coming in. I
would 5ecognize the pistols II they were
shown me; they were breech-loading d.
ingersI After laying Mr. Hardeman on the
sofa SW that he was bleeding from his side.
In theI Meantime Mr.. Prestidge remained in
the pei oge way, between the Office and the
cotton 6Om; the policemen came and asked
me WI did the shooting; I pointed to Mr..
Presto h as the gentleman.
Tho IS r. Richardson-I am book-keepe
for the tm Of Prestidge, Graham & Co.; on
| Saturd evening, about quarter past 6
o'clocl The 4th Of March, 1876, arrived at
the Of as usual; at about twenty minutes
past 81 1ew Major Hardeman come in; did
not Oh we anything unusual in his manner;
few ements before o'clock Col Pres
tidge lived; observed nothing unusual in
| his n Dner either; did not observe Mr..
Black lme in. being busily occupied; l heard
| these Aree gentlemen 90 into the cotton
room, be room adjoining the office; there is
glass PARTITION between.
| Heal them speak as if in consultation !;
did moi hear any of the conversation with the
exception of the remark by Major Hardeman !:
"It ali p so, it amt SO, and l can prove il"
A few MINUTES later was startled by the report
of the pistol coming from the direction Of the
cotton boom, then followed what seemed to be
scuffla, quickly followed by q second similar
report then leaped over the counter, there
being ely Q partition of glass between US,
| and gof9g towards the door, I was about to
20 OUT On the street, when heard crashing
Of glass.
VEN down the street about twenty-five
yards, then thinking had better go to the
assistance of whoever was in danger, re-
turned 10 the Office and was met at the door
by Mr.. ". G. Wilson, who told me to 60 and
"get nr. Chopin, for Gods sake" inn
mediatGy went after him, and not finding
him at his club, went to his house and suc-
ceeded IN finding him, returned to the Office
and found that Mr.. Hardeman had been re-
moved. r don't know who did the shooting.
or who5Ad the pistol. The breaking of the
! glass o6uarred after the shots we're fred.
W. CT Wilson, Jr-I am employed as cot
| ton clet3 in the house of Prestidge Graham l.
Co. OaSaturday evening, between and u
| o'clock, March 4. 1875. was standing in the
door, co1Aer of Perdido and Carondelet streets;
Mr.. PrGidge came in and bid me good even
ing; 1 vlIked in after him, called his atten-
ton to 4bracket in the Office which needed
fixing; 1hen went over, took off my coat and
hat, sat aown to desk and went to work by
the window on Periido street; was sitting
there q low minutes when Mr.. Black came in !;
Major Hardeman came in after, took off his
GOAT and hat and hung them up and walked
over to where we were MIR. Richardson and
myseifA Nut made no remarks.
! I didpbt notice anything unusual, but saw
! them GIT up and 90 into the cotton-rOom to-
gether 04r. Prestidge, Mr.. Hardeman and Mr..
Black ;Eheard conversation going on, but
| it was at loud enough for me to hear the
words; I fdon't know how long they were in
there H4oreI heard the report Of pistol;
when beard it jumped up and made some
remark Ito Richardson and asked him what
was tha then jumped over the counter and
went Oft of the door; as I was going out
heard I've second shot; went down the street
o few dbore, and did not come back until I
saw the browd 60 up to the door.
As cot to the door, two officers were car
rying NJ. Prestidge out; l stepped back with
the crowd as he passed ont; after they had
passed Estepped in, closed the door, and put
the latch on, and asked Mr.. Richardson to go
for doctor, which he did; then went back
to the door, and refused admittance to every
one.
was introduced in evidence:
NEW ORLEANS, March 5, 1876.
We do hereby certify that, upon inquest
and post mortem examination held this day,
5th of March, 1876, at o'clock P. NJ, at No.
267 Josephine street, on the body of William
D. Hardeman, aged AZ years, Q native of Ten
nessee and resident Of New Orleans for the
last three years, We found him lying dead then
and there, with q pistol shot wound, which
penetrated the body, the ball entering two
inches to the left of the median line OF the
body at the lower margin of the first floating
rib.
The ball passed through the particles of the
abdomen, ranging obliquely downwards to the
right, passing through the upper curvature Of
the stomach to the right Of the cardia ORR
Zee. It passed out of the stomach about
three inches from the entrance ranging to the
right, perforating the right lobe of the liver,
and tracturing lower margin of the ninth rib,
lodging in the muscular structure between
rib and skin. thereby producing profuse in
ternal hemorrhage, which was the immediate
cause of death.
We also certify that on ths internal portion
of the lower part Of the upper third of the
right arm we found q confusion or ecchymo-
sis about one inch in circumference.
E. s. DREW, NJ. D,
/ Appointed in Absence of City Physician.
SAML chopin, N. D.,
In Absence of City Physician.
The jury returned the following verdict:
Alter viewing the body of William d. Har-
l. l. -