The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-29
THE LAW MURDER.
REVIEW or THE FACTS 50 FAN
ELrCITED.

ELICITED.
Morais In High Colorea CIrcles-A Hand
some s,uaareon and Jealous Col
Ored Husband.
j CLINTON, Ls., May 25. 1877.
Editor Democrat james Law, q col
ored Republican, was assassinated a
hts residence, In the town Of jackson
on the night Of the 18th OF May.
James Law was. In Clinton on thu
nth. and addressed the colOred Sunday
school at this place. He came to towf
heavily armed, and gave as his reason
for being armed that he was Hpprehen
sive of being attacked by the friends Of
| his wife on account Of a suit brought by
him against her for alleged adultery or
her part. This suit had been tried be
fore the parish court during Laws alb
sence, and judgment rendered In favor
of defendant.
,, Law appealed to the district court
and assured his counsel, X. A, Cross,
Esq, that he could certainly make good
his charges against bis wife on the ap.
peal; that he had letters from her con-
ton was la part to address the Sunday
School, and more particularly to con-
suit Mr.. Cross In relation to his divorce
suit, which would come up before the
district court, to commence It's term on
the 2tst inst. 10 Mr.. Gross and to sew
eral others he expressed apprehensions
of an attack from his wife's relatives,
who were numerous and who were very
bitter toward him on account OF this
divorce suit.
It may be stated here that last year
sometime, In o difficulty between Law
and one Lewis George, an. uncle OF
Laws wife, about this alleged adultery,
George, In an attempt to shoot Law,
shot himself, and after much suffering
died from the wound. Laws wife Is a
very handsome young Quadroon woman,
Of fair complexion and goodly form.
She was quite q belle In upper colored
circles before her marriage, which did
not, Ii appears, lessen her attractions
for the colored gentleman of her
acquaintance. She bitterly denied the
charges of infldelity, and before the
parish court swore herself as clean as
CBsar's wife of the shadow of just sus-
pioion.
Law, after long absence in New
Orleans, returned home and was, like
Haidees' father, not altogether satisfied
with the domestic status sn quo. 80
much for the original cdsus belH be-
tween the Laws and the Georges.
liHW ACbuI B6u W VdCh5VA 1hbul hby
evening, just after dark 1t was d NOON
light night, the 10th, and man could
be seen some distance Off: he was shot
to death by some assassin not yet fully
identified.
The coroner repaired to the spot i'm
mediately on being apprised of the
and held careful inquest.
Mrs. Jane Law, the mother Of the de-
ceased, testified as follows.
Just Fafter dark. on the 10th of May, my
son james and / were sitting on the front
steps Of my residence, in the town Of jack
SON. when saw o man coming up the side
walk from the direction Of Mr.. Lees. just
before reaching the. gate ] spoke to him, and
said: Is that you Thomas when he itnme-
tiiately fired his gun over the fence and shot
my son. He was then about twenty feet from
u.s. My son fell over and / Immediately
screamed; without saying o word the party
direction he came from. George Thomas was
The last party l saw or had q conversation
with; asked him to come back and go to
church with me, and he said he would. George
Thomas came back and sat up all night.
tSigneD JANE ID LAW.
Mark.
George Thomas. eolored, the first wit
ness sworn, says:
Az HbDuG o " ClOCh vi AlIt IIIEHb Vi uIt lbUn
was standing on Goodman's corner talking
TO Polly johnson, when | heard tho report
Of q gun apparently near the residence of Jas.
Law, and | heard o voice, which took to be
Laws mother, say: Oh my son. and sup
sation with Polly johnson about ten min
ties after the firing Of the gun; then went
lome and met no one on tho way. and no one
jold me that Law had been killed; about ten
minutes before meeting with Polly johnson
al
Harris Thompson, gave me fifteen cents to GO
md purchase some rice for Laws mother;
bought the rice, had IL in my possession on
ny way home, but did not deliver 1T; as
vas going from home up town | met Law
ne and said, who is thatr''
| answered that it was George Thomas |
Law says, "You do not care anything about |
ne now, as the store is not full" l told him
hat cared as much for him now as ever
,hurch with her, and requested inc to get |
ler some rice, and | gave her no answer |
says his wife never has objected to |
lis coming up town at night.
Witness says that Mrs Morgan was the |
,nly one that staid at his house except his |
aniily,. and we occupy the front part Of the |
louse for the sleeping apartment, and no |
stranger could have slept In my house with |
nut my knowing It, I was standing one
quare from Laws house when the firing |
oek plstCe. Ills
GEORGE X THOMAS.
Mark.
J. b. TAYLOR, Coroner.
Mr.. w. +. Moseworth says that he heard |
he report Of the gun, and started immedi- |
ltely towards the direction Of the report in |
| run; that he passed between Ripley's store |
md Goodman's. Saw no parties in the neigh |
,orhood OF these places: passed there within |
hree minutes after the firing and would have |
'een likely, to have seen any parties stand |
ng about there.
Amy Washington, c., says that soon after |
he firing she saw u man running down the |
idewalk: that she got out into the street |
md did not recognize the man.
aw man running from the direction of the |
eport; is confident he was u colored man;
e had something in his hand; held it |
xtended down his right leg; could not say /
whether it was gun or stick. Thomas |
look was with Mr.. Dixon and saw the man,
ut paid no attention to him, his attention
cling directed, he says, to the hustle going on
4 Laws store A. IT, DipkprSon (white saw