The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-03
STEWART THE STABBER.
IA Bloody Encounter Between Two
Negro Politicians.

THE Police With Some Difficulty At
rest Stewart in the Vicinity Of
the Custom House.
raat evening, at half past o'clock, on th
atana of the Custom House. leading Into TIL
b,,Ildinr from Canal street, a bloody ARRAY oe
curred between two we'll known negro politi
clans. WIN. ward aud J.. Ross Stewart Whiel
eliminated In Ward being stabbed In the RICH
breast, near the nipple with 4 eimlet knife
alleged to have been In the hands Of Stewart.
The wounded negro was removed to the
Charity Hospital. whore his wound was exam
ined BY House Surgeons Pratt and Miles. who
daelined to EXPRESS an opinion as to its nature
Stewart. as soon az he had committed the
deed, sought refuge In the Custom House
where nil the efforts OF the police to arrest him
proved fruitless.
Ward was interviewed at the Hospital. and
made the following statement:
had lust been to the train sending or wit.
nasees to Washington for Senator sponord and
was on my way back TO ne Oustom- House
stepts Of the Custom. House. I spoke TO him
He asked me who all had gone. 1 said some
seven OF eg p "a ne asnea e Tha
expeeted them to toll the truth. He said that he
thought that had brought All THE "a GROUND, and
mean oas Hs said: you s--n Of b----h. / mean
and drawing f elet knfe q sr wv I'm M n w
nv w whistle whistle Tor the police. He followed and
a %s e @ e
middle 81 the neutral ground, calling for the
tried to yet pistol from him. He then ierked
n club from his colleague and started after me.
ran towards an officer. calling On him TO pro-
tect me, Stewart upon seeing the officer re-
treated into tho Custom House.
The reporter next repaired to the Custom
House and saw the accused. but not without
some difficulty. Stewart at first declined to
make d statement. remarking that he had
nothing to say to reporters" but after ascer-
tanning the purport OF Wards statement. said;
deny everything In Wards statement. with
the exception Of the fact that did take 9 cane
afier he had threatened o second attack on me.
The facts In this affair are simply. that William
Ward came to me and wanted to make me &C.
knowledge that had made an affidavit against
Kellogg 10 favor Of sponord. which / fatty do:
MED, and asked him how he knew II. asked
h b. s had hs sa a tne say IF
toid Him Il IL said that had ever ben asked
ABOVE stated, that he was liar. nc asked S s M
isessn. f ! intended g Gull him : llaf said.
over tic head twice and then ran. He ran into
the street and tried 70 get q policeman. and.
failing 70 get one came NJ back after me then
ran. That IL the last saw, OF him. -
Sergeant Edward Hamilton states, that on
bearing q the difficulty he repaired with al!
from entering the building by two Custom
House officers. who had charge of the gate. BY
little strategy ne managed to pass the two
with Stewart Stewart Inquired. What do YOU
have come ior yoa; Stewart informed him
n ~ ahss
Hamilton then withdrew from The. building.
VIZ h %en ba ANA 9r m bs e
GERS that he could see no cause for them block
aiding the steps. Nevertheless the officers re-
manned on the steps. eagerly, watching. and
WhcR aa they capture steW and ss
Capt. Calvin. who commanded the precinct,
az hs s s
Stewart declined to surrender, unless Capt.
Calvin had sra, fer him. and the latter
waiting for he would have q warrant for him In
q very short while. and then 1t would not be q
16e meanime ~ precautionary
lire the sergeant surrounded the building with
After the lapse Of few minutes, Stewart
took the captain inside Of the building and
stated to him that 1t was not his wish to appear
as II be was hiding behind the walls Of the |
Custom-Houss to evade arrest but that he was |
CAPTAIN VI the night watch and sworn officer |
okthe United States that he did not consider It /
proper for him to desert his post, and assured |
the captain that he would surrender at O'clock /
In the morning.
withdrew bis men from the door. but cautiously
placed one at each street corner.
\ At 10:3o o'clock Stewart, thinking the police |
had departed. started out Of the Custom House,
catur and Canal streets than he was arrested BY |
Officers J. Mauronier and st. Rasas who took |
him to the Third Precinct Station and locked 1
him up on the charge Of stabbing and wound
ing with intent to commit murder
From the conflicting statements OF outside
parties who saw the whole affair 1t Is very hard /
20 say who commenced the fight. None Of
while some say that Ward struck the first blow
others deny the fact and say that Stewart was
the assailant.
Both men are prominent in certain sphere
latnre under Kellogg and Warmoth 8 a hep Repre-
sentative from Tensas parish. and was con.
saa prisoners In the United States Coult;
Ward was at one time a Republican politician
and was notorious AZ the leader Of the colored
men in the Grant parish trouble He was ex-
PEELED by the Radical Legislature under kellogg
for unrullv conduct. and since has claimed allie
glance to the Democratic party.
-&$A-
CONVENTION GOSSIP.
The Bonded Debt Committee met yesterday
for the purpose OF considering an or.
dinance providing for the payment of $3.50. 600
due the Fiscal Agent for advances for interest