Daily Republican., 1879-07-16
A rERRIBI.E STREET sNuOUN.
TER.
A Father Shot and his Son Fatally
WOunded-A COlored Nsn Killed
by . Stray Ballet.

by Stray Ballet.
A special dispatch from Lake Provi
dence, La, says:
On Wednesday evening last, abou
six O'Clock, murderous scene tool
place in Lake street, near the centre o
the business portion of the town. s
l.. Austin, sr., was killed outright; hi
son, the Parish Judge, was mortally
wounded, and an industrious coloret
man, W. H. Smith, was killed by ,
stray shot. The scone battles descrip
tion. Just inside the livery stabl,
kept by Frank Melrose lay the old man
shot through the heart. Across th,
street, on the sidewalk, lay the lifeless
negro, covered with his own blood.
short distance down the street 8. L
Austin, Jr., was being led to the druj
store to have his wounds dressed. H,
was shot twice in the abdomen and ono
in the left hand. The murderer in uharg,
Of 3 Marshal. stood quietly gazing OF
the horrible work he had done.
Squire Lush is weak ,sickly look ing
man from the Parish of West Carroll
about 50 years of age, with fair hair
and ofremarkably quiet and unobtru'
sive demeanor. Yet 1t Is said that he
Is totally lnsensible to fear. The dif.
fculty, SO fatal in its results, occur.
red about as follows: Lusk was stand.
ing in front Of the livery stable referred
to, when the elder Austin, who was
sixty-tivs years Of age, came down the
street and accosted him. Lusk declin.
ed to talk to Austin, when the old man
became very angry and used violent
language toward Lusk, advancing on
him threateningly. At the same time
he took out his pocket knife, open,
ing blade about 3 inches long, and
attempted to cut Lusk. After backing
away few steps Lusk drew his pistol
and fred at Austin head, missing him.
The second shot struck Austin about
the region Of the heart and killed him
almost instantly,
In ths meantime young Austin, who
Is twenty eight years old, hearing the
shooting, came along the street, where
some one told him that Lusk had kill
ed his father. He Immediately shot
at Lusk, missing him. Lusk, standing
in the open pathway, returned Aus.
tins fire three times in quick success.
sion, each shot striking the unfortun-
ate young man, who letreated behind
the stable to reload his weapon, and
though fatally wounded he returned
to the conflict and fired at Lusk again,
shooting wildly. 1t was one of these
wild shots that killed the colored man,
who was crossing Lake street at the
time. Ten or eleven shots were fired
during the encounter. Lusk was un-
touched. He is now in prison, closely
guarded.
Young Austin died on Saturday
early, and was buried about
sundown. His body was followed to
the cemetery by very large number
Of the best people OF the place, the fire
company and silver cornet band, with
Me United States flag at half-mast.
The elder Austin and the dead negro
we're buried on Thursday. Rumors are
life as to the real cause of the difficulty.
Lusk was book-keeper for one S. Wit
zowski, who lives in West Carroll be-
,ween whom and the elder Austin there
vas bad feeling, and it is being whis-
oered around town that the cause of
he difficulty was not altogether acci-
lental. s. L. Austin, Sr., was Post
Master at this place, an appointment Of
President Hayes. S. l.. Austin, Jr.,
vas elected Parish Judge last fall. Both
we're prominent Republicans, but poll
les had nothing whatever to do with
he killing