The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-02-14
From Bay St. Louis.
Editor of n. O. pieayune.

In the Times of the 22d ult., I'M.
der the head of Professional
jealousy" is an account of the
Latham.Rhodes shooting affair at
Bay st. Louis, which does great in.
justice to DR.. Latham. The friends
of the latter feel satisfied that up
on the judicial investigation of the
matter he will be eXonerated, but
it must be some time before that
can occur, as we have but two sci
Sions OF court, of twelve days each,
in ii year; therefore, DR.. Latham's
friends desire to submit a few re-
marks in reply to that communica-
ton, which they believe you will
kindly publish
/. There could have been no jeal-
ousy i'll the matter, for DR.. Rhodes
is an old man, eminent in the pro.
tession, has retired from practice
and is wealthy and there never
was a word OF dispute or misunder-
standing between Drs. Latham and
Rhodes; in fact, they had never
spoken to each other, except in ex-
changing courtesics upon an intro.
ductiou to each other a few days
previous to the shooting.
9 To the charge, in that com.
~munication, of c~artlessness and
irregularities on the pant OF DIR.
Latham to Il patient" his friends
desire to say it is Il mistake.
Through a practice at the Bay OF
eight or nine years he has ever
been above such u suspicion and
his faithful aud continuous services
in the epidemic last summer to his
patientS-conpoSed Of at least half
OF the sick Of the Bay and many
prominent families of New Orleans
were too remarkable for any one
Cognizant of those services to ever
believe him gniity Of neglect of IA
patient.
LaSt.-The morning of and just
previous 10 the shooting of DR..
Rhodes, DR.. Latham and a friend
were on the front, amusing them.
selves shooting at SparrOws and
other little birds-the rifle being OF
the smallest calibre, carrying il No.
y cartridge-and after firing forty
or fifty shots they separated, and
DIR. Latham, with therite supposed
to be cocked) resting in his left
arm, started 10 go into his yard.
He stopped at his gate, with his
back to the sidewalk on the OppC.
site side of the street, and was
giving some instructions about his
gate, TO a carpenter who was
making his fence. At the same
moment DR.. Rhodes aud wife were
passing on the sidewalk, and it
was just as they had passed down
the crcscent-shaped walk to within
range OF the position OF the ride rs
resting in DR.. Latham's arm, and
while DR.. Latham was lifting The
latch OF his gate with the Ii.ht
hand that the gun was DISCHARGED.
DIR. Latham non the ear
pcnter knew at the moment Inst
Dr. Rhodes had been shot: and DR.. l..
went into his house, put mp his rifle
and weNt to sleep. The excitement
became intense. Exaggerated ru-
morS Of an unprovoked attempt at
murder Of an old mau, and the ex.
ceeding probability of the wound
fatal, te.ded to in1ame the
public.
A prominent lawyers OF the Bay
on DR.. l.. two hours after
he shooting to ascertain the cause
Of such Il deed, and that was the
first news DR.. l.. had OF the nature
the accident. The lawyer told
llm OF The excitement and the prob.
abilities of trouble through it., and
advised him to absent himself from
Bay for a few dayS-until the
Excitement cooled. He did so
against his own imcliuationS.
Such are the facts in the case.
All the circumstances will corrob.
rate them, and the evidence of
Wo prominent and respectable cit
zcnS, eye-witnesses to the scene,
viii bear me out.
Very respectfully,
HOWARD. w. WILKINSON.