The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-01-17
WAR IN THE MAsooTs OFFICE

W Al LIN LII MA0OUl sVEt4Uh,
Asfatai shooting afffay took place in the
New Orleans Mascot office Monday noon
the participants in which we're James ID.
Houston, State Tax Collector of the Upper
Districts Of the city, Mr.. Robert Brewster,
State Registrar of Voters and Geo. Osnond,
| an editorial writer of the Mascot. Mr..
Houston visited the Office for the ayowed
purpose of chastising Mr.. Os,nond for an
article published in the last issue of the
Mascot rejecting severely upon the char
| acter of Mr.. Houston's brother, Judge Vim.
I. Houston. MIR. Brewster went along as
a friend, and is said to have advised against
violence. Finding Mr.. Osmond seated at
his desk writing, Mr.. Houston is said to
have approached and struck him severa.
blows with a heavy knotted cane. Osmona,
Houston and Brewster thereapon drew re-
volvers simultaneously, or nearly so, and Il
general fusilade ensned. Brewster fired at
Adolph Zennee:se, an engraver employed
in the Office who ran UP from the other
end of the room when the assault upon Os.
mond began, and Houston and Osmond
fired at each other. Osmond's first shot
struck Houston in the right hand, cisa-
bling that member and causing Houston
to drop his weapon on the floor. Osmont.
then turned his attention to Brewster and
fred four shots at him with telling effect
all but one of the bullets inflicting wound
and the fourth striking Brewster's watch.
Osmond received ball in the left arm
ranging from the wrist up to the elbow
but whether it was inflicted by Houston's
first and only shot or by one of those fred
by Brewster, ia not very clear. Houston
had picked up his revolver and attempted
to use it with his left hand. but the car
tridges would not explode. The beliigerent
visitors retreated from the Office and three
of the party were at the Charity Haagnita;
very shortly afterwards having af5ing their wounds
I, ess ef 1necke. who was unarmsa. es-
capped unhurt. The extent of his particip-
alton in the melee was to hurl the orna-
mental top Of the heating stove at Osmond's
assailants. without hitting either of them.
Examination at the hospital showed that
Brewster was fatally wounded. One bullet
passed through the left arm, and entered
the chest near the left nipple, passing
through the body and lodging under the
skin on the right side of the chest, wound
ing the heart and perforating the liver in
It's COURSE; second passed through the
left forearm aud inflicted a flesh wound in
the chest, three inches below the left nip
pie, and third penetrated the right thigh.
The wounded man fingered until 2 o'clock
Tuesday morning when he ceased to breathe.
He was popular as political and fire.
man, and his funeral was very largely at
tended
Houston, Osmond and Zennecke were
placed under arrest, the former charged
with wounding Osmoud. the two latter
with the murder of Brewster. Houston WAS
promptly released on bond of $3.50, but
diamond and Zennecke were kept i'll prison
until to-day, when they were discharged
upon bonds of $4,000 for the first named
and $500 for Zennecke, no examination
having yet taken place on account of the
illness of Houston and ibis consequent in
ability to appear as a witness.
While we have little admiration for the
Mascot or the style of journalism it rep
resents, we car not but applaud the ceur-
age displayed by Osmond in defending
himself against odds and defeating two
such noted "shootists ~ as Houston and
Brewster, both of whom, it will he rcmem-
bered, were prominent participants in the
ARRAY at tile sesenth ward poll in Decem-
Der. 1888, when Capt. Michel Fortier met
an untlmely death. Whatever may have
been the provocation for the assault, the
tendency Of most men is to sympathize
with the weaker party in sucn an unequal
contest. and We have little doubt that the
piucky little editor and printer who proved
more than a match for two big fellows
armed with club and two revolveIs, will
be acquitted On the ground that he acted
in defense Of his own life. +.