New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-02
a beserter A. Trovbl..

Last evening between five and six
o'clock sad and fatal accident occurred
in front of Tomkies' Bank from the care
less handling of firearms. Two men by
the name Of Henry ]. Walworth and
James Martin were standing in front of
the bank when the diver of the Minden
stage came up to them and handed Mar
tin self-cockipg revolver, and Martin
turned around with the pistol in his hand
and addressed Walworth about as follows:
''Didn't tell you that l left the pistol in
Minden Z" and just as he finished the SEN
tence the weapon fired, the ball taking eff
feet In the lett side of the head and rang
ing diagonally across about two inches,
breaking the skull. Walworth fell to the
| ground at the crack of the pistol, and was
Immediately raised by his friend to his
feet, who seemed to deeply deplore the
accident, and assisted in carrying him to
an Office On Market street, after which he
surrendered himself to the officers of the
law and was locked up in the parish
prison.
Mr. Walworth, after remaining short
| while at the Office on Market street, was
able to walk with the assistance of a
couple of gentlemen to the Pacific Hotel,
| where he was placed in bed and every
thing done to make him comfortable
| After arriving al the hotel his wound was
examined by DIR. Sanders, who pronounced
it fatal. On the wounded mans person
was found diary and certificate of de-
post in Johnsons bank for something
over $500, which WAS taken charge of by
Deputy Sheriff Barbee.
Walworth and Martin arrived in our
city three or four days ago, and We're de-
tanned here because of one of them having
forgotten the pistol at the hotel in MIN
den, and which was the cause of so sad
and tragical an accident. 1t seems that
the parties came from Illinois together,
and are fast friends. We learn that soon
after the shooting Walworth was informed
of the arrest of Martin, whom he vindi-
Gated by saying that the deed was purely
accidental, and that he would become his
boDdsmaD, although, perhaps lie did not
have enough money with him, he could
get all he wanted.
When Martin reached the parish prison
he was searched, and on his person was
fund brass badge or emblem with mus.
kets crossed, above which were the figures
80, and below the letter "a" This he
held on to tenaciously, and it had to be
taken away from him by force. And after
1t was taken away from him he said that
| be was a deserter from the Federal army
and that he ought to have thrown the
badge away We think the emblem one
that is usually worn on the front of SOL
dier's cap deuUtIng to which branch of
the service be belongs. He expressed
great regret for the terrible accident which
had betallen his friend. The circum-
stances of the shooting were gathered
/ frnp, fha gfo JriN-or h.
within two or three feet, and perhaps
closer, to the parties when the pistol went
OFF
At late hour last night Walworth was
| still alive, but there was no hopes of his
recovery. Walworth halls from SPRING
field, Illinois
LATER. the above was in tyne we
learn the following additional particulars !;
In leaving the bank Deputy Sheriff Barbee
| and Policeman Dixon took charge of the
wounded man, bearing him up Texas
street, seeking place for the sufferer, and
being refused by several, the deputy sher-
| if turned the wounded man and prisoner
over to MIR, Charles Dewing, and went in
search OF room, and found one ON Mar
ket street, near Texas street, where their
charge was placed, when Mr.. Dew
ing and Policeman Dixon took Mar
in to jail. After his incarceration
we visited the Jail in company
with Mr.. Dewing and through the kind
ness of Sheriff Heffner and Deputy Bar
bee we learned that Martin hailed from
Dayton, Kentucky. He had in his pos
session a letter written by himself to q
sister living in Dayton, informing her
that he had deserted from the United
States army, and was then on his way to
Texas, and would keep her posted as to
his movements. The prisoner informed
us that he was a deserter from the army,
and while there he went under the name
of James Martin, but his true name was
| James NJ. FeDnell. He states that he met
! with Walworth in Vlcksburg, who owned
a shooting gallery, aud who told the pris.
ouer that he was going to dispose Of il
aud come to Shreveport and establish a
gallery, and accordingly he dispose d
Of his gallery, and both LETT Weeks
burg for this place, and arrived
here on Wednesday last On Thurs
day night, after spreeing around I'M
til a late hour, he and WalWorth
dropped into the Marble Hall drinking
| saloon, and after betting at several OF the
games, they came out, when the latter re-
marked that tomorrow yesterday he
would give him (IIartin) $50 and they
would separate. Yesterday morning they
came together and made up and arranged
for fishing, but, previous to going, Wal
| worth, who had lost his pistol on the
road between this place and Yicksburg,
stepped into the drug store of A. j. Bogel
and bought new one, which he tried
| several times while fishing and which was
| found on his pelson after he was shot.
After returning in the afternoon from
fishing, they met and halted the stage dri-
yer in front of Tompkies' bank, who had
just arrived from Minden, when Walworth
said to him: 'By the way, did you find
| NY pistol The driver answered ia this
affirmative, and on exhibiting the pistol
Martin took it from his hand, and while
eonversing with his friend and revolving
the Ipistol it went off with the fatal effect
noted above. Martin, alias Fennell, had
SIS or 81 on his yerson, which was taken
charge of by the sheriff.
The effects Of Mr.. Walworth consisted
of S23 40 in cash, certificate of deposit
in Johnson's bank for $3.50, one gold
watch and chain, pin and collar button,
| pistol, meerschaum pipe, bottle of al
cohol and small tumbler, which were
taken charge of by Deputy Sheriff Barbee.
Company A., of the Sixteenth United
States Infantry General Pennypacker's
regiments chartered at the Custom
house in this city. The party arrested for
the shooting is recognized by the men OF
the company as deserter therefrom,