Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-05-23
4 SETTLE DUEL.
Desperate Fight at Il Florida Sun
day School.
Snecial 10 the Timcs>nrmocIat.

mated Yesterday III IL tar%icaily fatal
encounter between three brothers
named West on one side and three
brothers named Langford on tic
other
The scene of the conflict was HEX
orv Grove Church, several miles from
the county seat. Sundav-school was
n progress within the church ediiliice
when the fight was ina'Igurated.
Severed Of the rombatants We're teach
ing Sunday-school classes at the
time
The three Langforl brothers were
sitting in front Of the buiding, be
meath a tree. John and Eugcne
West came driyinr M in 4 buy.
As tney approached William Lang
ford cot up and walked toward them
as if to speak. \ moment later q
pistol shot was heard. Which u the
men shot is not known.
AT the report another brother Of
the two men III the bU@@y ran anHi
Joined them. Tho other two Lang
fords rallied around their kinsman,
and III a jitly half a dozen REVIEWERS
were belching forth their contents.
T The hundred OF more people at
tending the Sunday school rushed out
to learn thecause Of the firing As
they emerged they saw Eugene West
fall from the buggy to tine ground III
pool of blood. \ bullet had enter
ed his back near the right shoulder
and penetrated 10 the right breast,
where it lod Sed just beLcath the skin,
and was subsequently, extracted by 4
doctor.
( L..ngford's left shoulder was hpwn
open to the bone by a knife trust, and
lie died on the green sward Of the
I church, while the conflict was still III
progress. Six gashes in his clothing
toll Of the lightning-like rapidity
with which his assail1nt had piled
the knife after he had fallen TO the
ground, where he succeeded IL firing
his revolver until ell tie chambers
were emitted.
! All the men were at close range
and the rapidity of the firing filed
the air with smoke So that those who
rushed FROM the church were unable
to distinguish who WAS Going it or
what particular part each Of the par
/ ticipants was taking in the tragedy.
! The ladies' and children became pan
ic stricken and fled i'll every direc-
ton. Four or five men essayed to
quell the trouble, but personal safe
| tv made assistance imperative. Tie
maddened brothers fired thirty or
forty shots at close quarters, and
when their weapons were emitted
drew knives and engaged in hand
! to-hand encounter.
All were covered with blood ard
begrimlned with powder, but none of
them tiinched aud all stood side by
side aud fought man against man
with tiger-liEe ferocity.
Vim. Langford fell TO the ground
from the loss Of blood, but continued
slashing away at his foes with his
knife until seven bullets had perfora
ted his body and death put him hors
de combat.
Babe Langford fell by his side
with bullet through his bowels and
kidneys and another through the
wrist OF his right arm. He was soon
unconscious and rapidly dying, but
his sole surviving brother stood up
with his face to the foe and fought
until bullet lodged in his brain, and
he. too fell to the ground UNCONSCIOUS,
and dying.
One of the West boys, as has al
ready been stated, killed outright.
John West was mass of knife
wounds across the hips and stomach,
his disembowling having apparently
been the aim of antagonist.
Abraham Vests back was literally
laid open by knife thrusts from his
shoulders to his hips. Each OF these
last two, however, NAV survive their
injuries. The fatal flight was The re-
suit of a feud which had been smoul-
deling between the two families fOr
several yelrS.
Tie fathers Of tho participants in
Yesterdays fit owned adjoining
plantations. They quarreiel over a
real estate tran oIction, and il!-feciilI
was engenderel between the families
Both men died, but the vendettu
lived and was intensified last fall
DUNG the political campaign, by let
tiers of a very personal character,
published in the Madison New Era
and the Madison Recorder, by join
W. West and VIM. VI. Langforl.
Tie friends Of both sides though,
! ILL., IL. - = IL -. !