St. Landry democrat., 1879-07-26

On Saturday night last at Dall gwen
mar Church Point, i'll this parish, a
difficulty occurred between Alexander
Cl,iIds and Leonard Hornsby, which
resn]ted in the death Of both. Ihc
canses of the difficulty and particulars
so far as we can lealn, are as follows: ::
For almost ten years there has existed
between.the two families OF Ch'ids ana
Hsrnsby, who are adjoining nelgLbofs'
q feud, caused by O. MISUNDERSTANDING as
to the correct boundaries OF their dit
ferent lands. Several fights lave oc-
CURED between the young men during
that time, none of which have had
funtil last Saturday, a fatal or even
serious result, as they confined them
selves to the use of their fists. On
Saturday nightwhile three OF the Messrs.
Childs were dancing or otherwise ell
loving themselves at the ball, Leonard
and Johu Hornsby rode up to the house
and asked permission of the proprietor
of the house to attend the ball, which
nermission being given, they dismounted
and entered. A short time after enter
ing the house, one Of the brothers OF
Alex. CMlds, while talking near John
Hornsby, heard or fancied he heard
him (Hornsby) make some lnsnf'ihg
remark to or about him, which ne I'M
mediately resented, by daring him to
walk outside the yard and fight him list
fight, which, was accepted by Hornsby,
and they both, accompanied by their
friends, went outside the yard and after
stripping off, went to work. The result
of the tightwas the whipping Of Hornsby.
Leonard Hornsby, who was standing
near, became very much excited and
began talking in very bOisterous and
Insulting manner to the young Childs,
which caused Alexander Childs to step
ND to him and demand that he should
cease talking in such q tone or using
such language, stating at the time that
he had been requested to keep the
peace and preserve order by the pro-
prietor Of the house. Hornsby gave
him some answer and threw out his
arm to shove off or strike AleK. Childs.
Alex. Childs quick as lightning struck
Hornsby in the face, which caused him
(Hornsby) to draw revolver and fire
at Childs, which shot did not take effect,
and the pistol was knocked out Of his
hands by Childs, who Immediately
closed with Hornsby, receiving from
Hornsby shot from a derringer in the
eye the ball passing through the head,
which caused him to drop. After that
the testimony svery conflicting. Some
of the witnesses state that they were
not together more than second, and
Others thatseveral seconds elapsed after
they closed together before Hornsby
fred the fatal shot. Hornsby then at
tempted to run toward the house,
seemingly trying to get away out of the
crowd. AS he neared the fence he
hollered in a loud voice that he was
stabbed, also saying he was killed.
When picked up he was found to be
stabbed in six different parts of his
body. Whether he was stabbed by
Alex. Childs when they clinched or
when he attempted to get faWay, none
OF the spectators were able to see, all
this having occurred in tile dark. Both
died on Sunday. Coroner Pulford held
post nortem examination on the body
OF Leonard Hornsby. The jury was
empannelled on Monday, and the cor
oner finding out he could not obtain
the witnesses in time adjourned the
inquest, after viewing tile body, to
Wednesday morning in Opelousas. On
Wednesday, after hearing the testimony
] OF about twenty Witnesses, the verdict
of. the jury was that :" the said Leonard
Hornsby's death was caused by wounds
1 inflicted by q knife or knives in the hands
H OF some person or persons unknown
II It has been o sad ending Of the lives
Il OF two young men Zone of whom leaves
4 Q wife and bahy.l and We sincerely
hope our pages will not have to chroni
II Gle similar occurrence within thu
H borders Of st. Landry,