St. Landry democrat., 1883-10-06
Lane and Brown.

The details Of the pursuit and cap
ture of Lane and Brown last week, by
Sheriff Duson and his deputies G. l..
Hayes and E. A. Mckinney, are as
thrilling as any tale in romance. We
are not sufficiently familiar with these
details to write a picture OF them, even
ii we had the graphic pen to do SO. We
will give a statement as concise as pos
sible. These men known latterly as
Lane and Brown. had been in the par
ish, from all we can learn, about fifteen
months. Last spring they were en-
ployed as fishermen on Bayou Courtab-
leau, about Barry's Landing; the for
mer was known as Scott and the other
as Woods. During the summer they
We're at Deficiency Springs, where
Judge Hudspeth became acquainted
with them, but without suspecting their
character. Brown has stated since, that
they left the Springs at the time on ac-
count Of the information gained cas-
ually from Judge Hudspeth of Sheriff
Duson's peculiar detective faculties, and
that he was expected there at the APP
proaching camp-meeting. Just before
they went to work at Payne's, they We're
employed at saw mill not many miles
distant.
When Lane was dying, lie stated that
thereason he killed Nicely was that the lat
ter cursed him and ordered him out of the
house, which he would allow no man to
do. Brown gave the facts of the case
as Lane had given them to him. When
Lane had finished certain work, III re-
pairing the sugar. house, he presented
himself to Nicely or stated in his pres
ence that he had finished the job.
Nicely directed him to do something
else. and Lane said he would do 1T it
Mr.. Payne said SO; this irritated Nicely
and he cursed him and ordered him out
Of the building. They We're very near
together when Lane fred the first shot.
Neely threw one hand up toward Lane,
as If to ward him off, slapped the other
on the wound and cried "Oh!" Every
time Lane shot him, he made the same
ejaculation and when he fell, Lane
walked up to him and shot him in the
head. For the last shot Brown con-
aemned his friend. Lane called Brown
from the roof OF the building, where he
was at work, and they made prepara-
lions to leave. They ordered all about
the place to remain where they We're
and keep quiet, in such an impressive
manner, that their orders were obeyed.
They went to their boarding and lodg-
ing house near by, and got the little
baggage they had, and started across
the field for the woods. This was near
sunset ON Wednesday of last week.
They had two pistols each. Before they
reached the woods two parties started
on horseback in pursuit. Lane and
Brown turned back to meet their pur-
suers, and calmly informed them that
"a they were not officers, and had no
warrant for their arrest, they had bet
ter 90 back, for while they did not want
TO kill them they did not intend to be
taken alive. They then departed I'M
malested. and night facilitated their
escane. Lane was a tall, slender man,
81 wears old, and OF light complex
ion but sun-burned. Brown is lower in
stature, dark, and 80 years old. Lane
was a man of some culture, and is sup
posed to have been a school teacher;
and Brown is above the average OF
those who live as outlaws. They GER
tainly we're fast friends. Brown,
though older, always deferred to the
other. Until they got beyond Red River,
when they naturally thought there
was no danger from pursuit, Lane al
wavs remained out Of the way when
Brown went to buy something to eat;
and he only laid down his arms when
Tame. wounded to death and his fingers
40 rigid that they would not pull the
trigger Of his pistol, told him to do SO.
Brown did not know that Lane would
certainly die, and when he saw q few
,ainntes afterwards death creeping over
lis friend, he fell upon him and kissed
his bloody lips, and earnestly regretted
that he did not continue to fight and
die with him.
when sheriff Duson was seEt for,
he went to Eola, the railroad station
some distance above Payne's, near the
old village Of Homesville, where horses
awaited himself and deputies. He was
nrped there to leave these horses, go on