The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-06-25
A MurderOus Assault,
Mr.. j. ". Wickwire nearly Killed by
Tramp in Assumption Parish.

MI. ). w. NlckWlre, stencil cutter
we'll known in this vicinity, who travels
along the Mississippi ard Lafourche
coast in small hatbeat he las fitted up
as a residence and workshop, was as
saultcd and almost murdered. on his
boat, which was lying in front of Mr..
Joseph Davis place, OH Bayou Lafourche,
| about nine miles below Donaldsonville
| The circumstances of the dastardly
chine were thus related by Mr.. Wick
wire to representative Of the CHIEF
who visited him Monday evening:
On Saturday, June IL, burly 1rishman
giving the name OF John Miller came to my
boat and told me he was sick and hungry,
having eaten scarcely anything for two
days. l took him in through charity and
agreed to give him his board, washing, to-
baccO and IS cents q week until he could
find work elsewhere. He stole money from
me on Friday, but denied doing SO when I
charged him with it. told him to look for
work Monday morning. On Sunday nearly
every body in the vicinity had gone to the
bnptizing at Dickcrsons church, and there
was no one on the boat but Miller and my
self. lay down on my bed to read about
II o'clock and soon fell asleep. l was sud
denly awakened by blow OH the head and
heard him say, 'D-n the LUCK" and at
once understood that he had aimed q blow
at my head and the axe had struck the roof
of the boat breaking the force of the blow
and interfering with his aim. lie struck at
me again and threw up both hands, palms
forward. The blade of the axe tore the
flesh off my lett hand, slightly hurt my
| 1rlI III .aIa nafrt
and right eye. He again raised the weapon
and got into sitting position on the bed,
with blood running down my face and near
| ly binding Lly eye. AS the axe came down
the next time caught it by the handle and
turned it SO that the blade struck me side
ways on the abdomen.
| In trying to wrench tie axe from me,
Miller assisted Inc to rise from the bed. He
struck me three times on the breast with
his ifs. and finding he could not take the
axe from Ele, let go his hold of it and seized
me by the throat, choking mo SO that
could not breathe. At this moment he said,
Captain: give me your money and I won't
! finish killing you" These were the only
| words spoken during the entire struggle.
l could not speak if had wanted to, bu:
by a desperate effort looscne,l his hold OF
my throat and showed him back wards eight
or ten feet. Weak from loss of blood and
feeling as if about to faint, [ judged that
| my only chance for life was to escape from
the boat. l tried to open the door, but Mil
Ter had closed it with a wedge ran to the
window and found it also fastened and the
curtain drawn down; rushing again to the
door, l succeeded in getting it open just as
| Miller picked up the axe and started to-
| wards me. ! ran on the front deck and
across the deck plank to the shore, barely
escaping blow from the axe aimed at my
head by my assaiant Miller followed me
| nA In hoo into T,o ;,, L,t
alarmed by my cries for help. he turned
and started up the road. l fcl! on DAVIS
gallery, almost fainting. Frank Martin
Charles Patterson and Chas. Carter started
in pursuit of Miller, and were soon Joined
by others. Seeing the crowd increasing
Miller turned and came back, and pretended
that l had been attacked by an old cOiored
fore the assault. A Justice of the Peace
and Constable were sent for and soon ar
rived. Miller at first refused to surrender,
| but a couple of shotguns and IL pistol were
| leveled at him and he was then secured and
| taken to Napolconyille.
Mr.. Wickwi:c is very seriously injured,
but is quite hopeful Of recovery. His
worst wound is the one in tho abdomen.
He is receiving the best attention and
We hope to be able to report i'll our next
issue that he is rapidly improving. The
| lack-hearted ruffian who committed
| this dastardly assault was in Donaldson
vile and vicinity several weeks ago. He
worked day or two on the new railroad
| bridge, but spent most of his time going
about and begging money, under the
pretense that lie wanted to buy medi-
cine, instead Of which all the nickels he
could procure were spent for whisky.
Boy DROwNED.-On Thursday the
body Of white boy aged about II years
was found floating in the river opposite
the Dngas plantation, a mile below Don
aldsonville. The body was nude, indi-
eating that the boy probably met his
death while bathing at some point above
here. Coroner Vandegriff was summoned
and held an inquest, at which the con-
clusion was reached that the drowning
was accidental. From the purified state
of the corpse it was apparent that it had
been i'll the water eight or ten days.
| Judge Cheevers and District Attorney
Earhart left here at an early hour Mon
day morning, in skif, bound for st.
James Conrt House, where special
term Of the District Court was opened at
10 O'Clock. Jures have been drawn for
three weeks, by reason Of the large num-
Der of criminal cases awaiting trial, but
if the Judge and the lawyers can stand
three weeks of hard work in this scorch-
ing weather we shall be very much sur
priscd. We congratulate ourselves upon
being Clerk Of Court for Ascension rather
than for ST. James.
KILLING AT AsIILAND.-Last Saturday
evening, about half past o'clock, Perry
Saul shot and killed Henry Davis OH the
Ashland plantation, in the sixth Police
jury ward. The difficulty between the
parties originated at the Ashland store,
where they had Il dispute, during which
| Davis held an open knife in his hand
Sampson Baker advised Davis to 20 ont
Of the store and cease making disturb
ance, whcrcupon Davis assaulted Baker
with the knife, cutting his hat and pan.
falcons. Saul, Davis and others shortly
| afterwards started for tile Ashland
quarters and when they arrived at Il
bridge which spans a drainage canal, the
quarrel between Davis and Saul was re.
newed. Davis rushed at his antagonist
| in Z threatening manner, and gave nc