New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-27
4 POLLTLC.lL NTRDER.

4 POLITICAL MURDER
Louisiana has been dsgraced by another
political murder. Dr. William b. Jones' Edl-
tor of The North Louisiana Repubhcdn, one
of the few Republican papers IN the state
which have been permitted 10 survive unucr
DemocIaticIule, was asSassinated by Democrats
mt his home at Lake Providence on the night
of November 3. His partner, b. Il. LanIer,
was attacked by the same persons. but escaped
to the swamps, where he lay hidden for TWEEN
ty-four hours. No particulars of the murder
have been published. The New-Orleans papers
| dispose of it in a paragraph, and are careful
not to give the names Of the aSsassns. The
Associated Press dispatches arc equally guarded
and indefinite. Dr. JOnes's paper, in its issue
of November 6. contains at the head of its
editorial columns the following article:
To-day our columns draoed IN mourning for our
late able and distinguished Editor ana friend. vino was
fouy snated the night of the 81 Of November
g. far q, we know withou5a word cause, or prOvoca-
ton Dr. Jones was an eminent physician, an accom-
pllshed orator amaD!e, knd-hearied man ana true
friend. His uutimelY death should DO mOurned hy all
classes OF right minded and we-disposed citizens with
out regard party political bias Only two hours
before his tragic death he pleaded with and begged rs
to depart rom this parish. aud cross the river into
Mississippi because he believed that Won b" killed
IN similar manner before the dawning OF the follow
ing morning His DEATH and he manner OF it, IL to oe
deeply deplorcd by this community, Tor the harmfu,
effects which such crimes always entail upon any Chn.-
an and civilized country In the interest Of The public
good we forbear further at present and must
content oursef by awaiting Judicial investigation OF
tie SAD afar-f indeed, such is TO be had.
Here it will be observed is no account OF
the manner of the assassination and no mem
ton of the men concerned in it. The surylv
ing editor evidently fears to irritate the assas-
sins by telling the story of their crime. Know
ing that his own life is at their mercy, he Is
prudently reticent and writes as il revolver
were pointed at his head. His last sentence
throws a strong light on the condition of So
ciety in Northern Louisiana. He awaits "a
judicial investigation of the sad affalr-if, IN
"deed, such is to be had" 1t seems that there
is a doubt whether there will be any judicial
investigation. A prominent and respectable
citizen of a cOunty-seat village. which, ac-
cordlng to the gazetteers, has four churches,
is assassinated iii cold blood, and the local news
paper of which he WAS the editor intimates
that the courts Will take no notice of the Oc
currence. Unhappily it cannot be said that
such an intimatlOn does injustice to the Lou
isiana courts They never investigate pO
litical MURDERS because the judges and
grand jurors are Democrats, and the
victims of such murders are invariably
Republicans. The whole truth about crimes
like that committed at Lake Providence
never gets before the public unless Con-
gressional Committee makes them the subject
OF special inquiry, or a Northern newspaper
correspondent does "A little quiet investigating
for the journal he represents.
Lake Providence is in a bad region. 1t is
the county town OF East Carroll Parish. Across
the river. separated from East Carroll by q
single county, is Ydzoo County, Mississippi,
where assassination is pIacised by the Demo-
Gratis as a legitimate campaign method. North
of East Carroll is Chcot County, Arkansas
which was the scene of bloody negro mas
sacrc few years ago. To the west lie the
Parishes of Ouachita aud MOrehouse, which had
q dark history during the reconstruction period
Not far to the south Is the Parish of Tensas
where the Democrats hunted and killed
negroes for three days during the campaign OF
1878. No explanation of the murder of Dr.
Jones is given other than that furnished by
his friend and partner, Mr.. Llnier, who says
his only offence was that he was a Republican,
and who pays tribute to his character as "a
" fine ply scian, and an amiable, kind hearted
IMAM If the affair should ever be investi-
gated, however, we have no doubt number
of "the best citizens" of East Carroll will be
ready to make oath that the killing grew out
OF a personal quarrel, and that there was
nothing political about it. This is the usual
sequel to such affairs in the South. 1t some
times turns out, however, that these same
"best citizens" who with solemn faces, de
"pore the unfortunate occurrence" had
hand i'll planning or executing the crime.