The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1883-10-06
Sherif's Fight with Despera1oes.
NEELY's MURDER AVENGED.

About two weeks ago two men calling
themselves j. +. Lane and VIM. Brown
stopped at Mr.. Payne's Barbreli sugar
plantation, gu Bayou BGuf, and asked
for work as carpenters. Mr. Payne en-
gagged them to work on his sugar house
at 81 so per day, but soon perceiying
that they were not good workmcn he
refused to give them more than seventy
five cents per day and board them. Af-
ter consulting together the men agreed
to work AT that price. On Wednesday
evening, tho goth ult., one Of the mel,
j. F. Lane, after finishing his portion of
the work on the sugar house, descended
to the ground. VIM. N. Neely, Mr.. P
engineer, through his directions, told
Lane TO go on with another piece of
| work. Lane replied in an abrupt man
ner that Neely was not his boss aud had
| nothing to do with him. n. told him
| that il he would net go to work, he must
leave the premises. Lane then drew a
revolver and shot Neely in the breast,
and as N. turned to get away he shot
him three times ia the back n. fell,
and then the VILLAIN deliberately put his
pistol TO the back Of the dying mans
| head and blew his brains out. Any one
of the FIVE shots would have proved fa-
| tai. Standing over his dead victim he
| reloaded his weapon, and calling to his
companion, who was still ou the house.
said: "Come, Brown, have killed an
other fellow, and we must travel
Brown Immediately came down. At this
ljuneture, Mr.. P.'s manager came up and
attempted to arrest Lane, but was im-
mediatelv covered by the pistols of the
two men, who said that they would not
surrender alive, and that if he made any
effort to detain them they would shoot
him. He of conrse could do nothing,
and they took to the swamps
Sheriff Duson received dispatch On
Wednesday night, informing him of the
facts, aud with his two deputies, Clal-
{ ence Hayes and E. A. Mckinney, imme-
: diately put cut for the scene of the NUT
der. With description of the two meu
j he began to make inquiries along the
3 various roads and by-paths leading into
e the swamp. He struck the trail at Che
d NEVILLE The next evening at 8 o'clock
= where the men had stopped to buy some
$ thing to eat. From thence there were
Il three roads, more or less dim, leadlns ts
Echo Landing, on Red river. Sheriff
a Duson aud deputies followed two o
i these roads some distance without effect
6 Returning, they took the third and les;
I travelled road, and after following 1T
= few miles found foot track IN the mud
8 where the party's foot bad slipped II
5 crossing foot log. The murderer Lam
3 wore d pair OF carpet slippers, aud tn
I 81 1nFt thc. Tya1n N
: CLOTH Again the pursuers End that th
Il fugitives have left this road ana take1
6s to the woods. A wide and careful re
Of connoissauee is made, and after the los
ID of much time the Sheriff's party lin
u where the men had come into one OF tn
o, other roads. Dusen learns that the
as were crossed over Red river, at Ecll
Of Landing, by negro boy, few houi
iis before. At this point the Sheriff pro
cures an old hat and coat, disguise
- himself. crosses over the river alone t
at see what he could fnd ont. After ZIG
re ing few niles he comes to couDtr
as store. where number of persons al
,iS ,;S assembled, aud scrutinizes every fac
on without spotting his men. He drew til
lc- proprietor to one side aud asked II t"
sf strangers had stopped there during t.
Fe day, The merchant told him that tW
men answering the description had ie
be NOT more than an hour before. liel
no was hot trail, and the nnettle or OF
of nlueky Sheriff was at it's highest pit'
Mt to bag his quarry. Returning and sc
to ting bis efficient deputies, he commenc.
ait his hot and determined pursuit TO ca
turc dead or alive. About sixteen MI
re beyond Echo Landing, on the road
Black river, at 2 o'clock on satnrdf
I'd evening, the Sheriff's party sped ths
men. Galloping up to within a sllo
distance. Dusen called on them TO De
ed and surrender. The response OF La
,sr and Brown was only TO wheel aud op
)r. fire on the posse The fire was returne
asf without effect OH either side, when t
NO fnoitives took to the cover ct thlcE
mo Close at hand. Dtson and his daputl
mn then separated, 80 as to surround
,hn nearly as possible the covert OF the dt
nd peradoes, Duson leading the centre
lar rectlg on uheir retreatiDg footsteps. bo
-en ,aae and Brown opened fire on Dus
to at short range, Duson replying as o.
ase he eonld with his Winchester Tlfie.
red shot from deputy Hayes snot gun s ali
bIed BrOWnS II lSUt Hoshd, ptc -
changed his pistol to the other. Flnai
S. Notwithstanding the rearing and piui
md inc of Duson's horse, he put rine
IAN through the heart of the murderer, La
on It was almost hand TO HAND conn
last for several minutes, aud thirty n
rti- shots were fred before Lane was IA
ris- tally wounded and surrendered. Du!
to received a glancing shot on the 10
nit head and one through his clothes on
DIRE right side. While the plungilng o.
ns) horse caused him to do rather bad sho
on. ine-though several Of his balls W
ID q buried in the trees behind which Ii
the and Brown had taken covert dou
his less saved his own life from the oai
at of these desperate men. Lane Il
lins about FIVE minutes after he was 81
in While dying, Dusoa asked him wny
he kill old man Neely. he replied !.
Neely insulted and cursed hlm, WI
treatment he would not take irom
+tor man, Sheriff Duson informed Us !s
,s. ri he never witnessed a more affec,
! -, Ia SCENE than the manifestation OF q
I ;ry, sorrow by the man Brown for bis dJ
49, ~ cnmpauion. He threw himself on
nce , body of Lane, and kissed and ea1Dfa
,ass a him. as il to try and warm him INTO
v,no , again. He said he had nothing 60
sa . with the killing of Neely, but had tot
,nat e : for the liberty of his friend. Now
W1Aio W 1T -. c.;,,5 40 slaad he did net car