The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-04-01
THE BAYOU DeSIARD TRAGEDY {
Pfe,iusinary Investigation Begun.
Partial Report Of Testimony for the
Ssate-Accuscd's witnesses Not Yet
~ - - h Called.

!
The case. of the State VS.. w. B.
Mitchner, 8. s. sKirkpatrick, A. 8.
Blown, George Mitchner, Barry Har-
;ris and Linton Stubs, charged with
the murder Of F. l.. Ludeling, on the
nth ult., came up before Judge r. w.
Richardson, of the 5th district, sitting
rs committing magistrate, on Monday.
The accused were arrested on the afh-
tlavit Of. F. O.. Dinkgrave,. who was
with young Labelling and was wound
ed. The warrant for the arrest was
Issued and the affidavit made on the
.26tb. = The accused were not placed in
actaai custody, 1t being agreed they
should appear on the day of trial.
Mr.. w. b. Mitchner was not present
Monday, being confined to his bed by
the wound received In his side and not
yet able to sit up. The other prisoners
were brought In by the Sheriffa and were
arraigned before the Court. They are
all young men, their ages ranging from
eighteen to thirty years, and as they
took their seats presented a calm APP
pearance. They are young men
who may be said to be fne-looking
and their bearing in court has been dig
nified and self possessed, under the
grave accusation upon which they are
arraigned.
The State is represented by District
Attorney Hudson, assisted by j. G.
Walker, Esq, of New Orleans, Judge
Ludeling and J. H. Dinkgrave, Esq,
Mr.. Hudson conducting the investiga-
tion. The accused have for counsel
Capt. G. j. Boatner and Col. r.. Rich
ardson, with F. p. Stubbs, Esq, as adj
visory counsel. Neither Mr.. Stubs
or Judge Ludeling appear in the ex-
animation of witnesses or in address
ing the Court, and the proceedings are
conducted as to all the parties with
gravity and impressive regard for the
unfortunate tragedy and all its bear
ings. Judge Richardson, before whom
both Judge Ludelfng and Mr.. Stubs
practiced more than twenty years ago,
.presides, as 1t impresses us, with the
same dignity and regard for the law as
he then did.
The case opened with the submission
of the finding of the Coroner's jury.
This was but a brief verdict, certifying
to the killing of Fred Ludeling by
gun-shot wound. Mr.. Jas. s. Ray
was called as witness to prove the
death OF Ludeling and the nature of the
wounds. It appeared from his evil
dence that Ludeling received five
wounds in the neck and one in the
right arm. The wounds in the neck
were just under the ear and in the
back of the neck, two of them slight
that in the arm, just above the elbow
and breaking the arm. Mr.. ID. Nc
Quillar, who was on the coroner's
jury, testified to the death of young
Ludeling, and the position in which
the body was found.
DR.. w. Y. Cosper, who visited the
scene of the tragedy about two hours
after its occurrence, testified rs to the
wounds in the neck. He was of the
opinion that the balls penetrated the
skull and entered the posterior portion
Oh the Drain.
All of the testimony adduced up to
the calling of Frank Q. Dinkgrave, by
the prosecution, can be disposed of in
this statement in the few words given,
Mr.. Dinkgrave was brought into court
on an invalid chair. He is the priuci.
pal witness for the prosecution and one
of the actors In the tragedy. He Is
suffering from wounds In both arms,
and was looking feeble and gave his
evidence in a low tone. The court
room was crowded. Friends of both
parties were present and Il large mum.
Der of spectators.
Want of time, with the limited
mechanical force at our command,
precludes the giving of more of Dink-
graves evidence, as taken down by
Mr.. Green, the clerk, than the testi-
mony in-chief by witness, upon
whose afhdavit, as stated, the warrant
was issued and who was one of the par
ties in the ARRAY. It will be under.
stood, we trust, that the statement of