Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-15
PISTOLS AT THE POLLS.
THREE KILLED AND MANY
WOUNDED IN NEW ORLEANS,

Over Fifty Shots Fired During the Me-
Iee-The Trouble Precipitated by an
IncOnsequentiaI Squabble-Capt. RIi-
ehael j. Fortier One of the Dead
Three Arrests Made.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 14.-The primary
elections for delegates to the Democratic
State nominating convention were held
to-day throughout this city. The contest
in the Seventh ward was regarded as
close, and much i'll feeling was shown,
which eliminated this afternoon in a ter
rible tragedy at a poll on the corner of
Monroe and st. Bernard streets. 1t ap-
pears that man whose name is unknown
came up to vote and was challenged.
Capt. Fortier and his brother, it is stated,
tried to get the man away from in front of
the poll, but the man was finally knocked
down or fell down. A shot was then
fired which seemed to be a signal, as the
firing Immediately became general. The
greatest excitement prevailed, the police
being powerless against the combatants.
When the shooting ceased it was found
that Capt. Michael j. Fortier, a promi-
nent Ogden champion, had been mOrtally
wounded. He was removed to his resi-
dence, where he expired in few minutes.
he leaves wife and three children. Capt.
Fortier was well known as the command
er OF battery in the competitive drills
at Nashville, indianapolis and other
points.
Gus Renaud, Superintendent of Streets
in the Seventh ward, under Commissioner
Fitzpatrick, was picked up unconscious
and taken to the Fifth Precinct station,
where he died in a little while. Four
wounds were found on his body. He
leaves wife and one child.
Edward Mason, deputy constable, re-
celved three balls in his leg, which severed
an artery. He survived but a short time.
He leaves a wife and two children.
The following are the names of the
wounded: Sheriff Robert Brewster, bull
let in one of his legs; John Brewster, shot
in the side-it is a dangerous wound.
Gus Peardeon, Mike Early and
Peter Brannon received wounds with
blunt instruments. John DOminick was
also wounded in the leg. Charles Fra
Zier, David Krackerman, George TiradO,
John AstredO, and Charles Flacho, are
reported wounded. After the shooting,
Sheriff Robert Brewster and his deputies,
John Dominick, Daniel Douglass, and
Michael Early, who had pistols in their
hands, surrendered to the police and were
locked up. They refused to make any
statement. 1t is stated that forty or fifty
SHOTS were nred. There was large
crowd about the polls at the time.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 10, l A. M.-The
fatal shooting atfray in the Seventh ward
created great excitement, and increased
the bitterness already existing between
the contending Democratic factions, the
contest being between McEnery's and
Ogden's followers. Reliable particulars
are not Obtainable. No one seems to know
who fired the first shot, but the three men
killed were all prominent Ogden
workers in the ward, which has
heretofore been carried by Brewster and
his followers. Brewster and the others
mentioned as arrested charged with the
shooting and killing of NJ. j. Fortier and
others at the Seventh ward polls, were ar
raigned before Recorder Ford and COM
mitted to prison without the benefit of
bail. Lawrence O'DOnnell, a McEnery
dela0atn- is nrnnno tho 1unllndnd