St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-29
A FIRST FAMILY FEUD.
The History of Gen. Kings Opposition to
the Appointment Of Consul
Jones.
A Family Feud Of Long Standing Re
suits in the Murder of Gen.
Liddell
And the Killing of Col. Jones and His
Son Under the Lex
TaiiOniS.

An interesting story of one of those
deadly and ng-drawn-out feuds which
characterize the first families of the South
is attached to telegram published in the
GLOBE OF last Tuesday. The dispatch in
question was statement made by Gen. j.
Floyd King member of congress from the
Fifth Louisiana district opposing the ap
pointment of Cuthbert Bullet Jones as con-
sui at Callao King says he regards Jones
as an assassin, and quotes a letter from
Gen. W. t. Martin, saying he can prove
Jones was one of the assassins of Gen. Lid
dell and fed the country to avoid the conse-
quences of his act. This was the substance
of the dispatch, and thereby hangs the tale
The register of the West hotel bore the
name of John L. Stewart, Trinity, La. one
dly last week. and during the afternoon a
GLOBE reporter was comfortably seated
with him, listening to tale of Louisiana
manhood and courage, and Louis
lana bravado and cowardce, in the
good old days before the war. The fasci-
mating tale is not given in Mr.. Stewards
language. as he included many Incidental
facts. not necessary to the line of the story.
The scene opens in Catahoula parish, ON
the Wachita some years before the war.
when Col King was mere boy. Gen.
Liddell and Col. Charles Jones were neigh
boring planters, their residences being
separated by some few miles of snowy cot
ton fields. Their families were long and
intimately acquainted and the best of feel
ing existed between them. Some four
years before the flag was lowered on Fort
Sumter Gen. Liddell's cousin was visiting
him, bright, sprightly and beautiful wo-
man, with all the Creole's fire, dash and
beauty in action and grace, and languor in
repose. 1t transpired one day that the
breeze blew to the ears of the fair Creole a
story damaging her reputation and pur-
porting 10 have come from Col. Jones.
IN HER WRATH AND INDIGNATION
she ordered carriage around, and. with
Gen. Liddell, rode to the residence
of Col Jones to demand a retraction.
His explanation was not satisfactory, and
with the remark that Ibis slanderous
tongue should never again assail lady,"
the belle Creole drew revolver and sent a
shot through Jones' mouth, perforating both
cheeks and clipping his tongue. The car
rage then whirled off in triumph. Jones
insisted that Liddell had shot him, that no
woman could have aimed that shot, and
therefore declared war upon the Liddell
family. 1t became at once deadly family
feud. each member swearing he would shoot
any one of the other family upon sight
Jones had two sons, the younger being the
Cuthbert Bullet Jones above mentioned,
while Liddell had one. Several times the
hestiles met and many were the shots ex-
changed and wounds inflicted, but no fatal
ity occurred. Years only intensified the
hate, but four years afterward the flag of
Sumter was fired upon and the great
civil war come on. The Liddells
and Joneses with one accord laid aside the
revolver and drew the family sword in be-
half of the lost cause, the head of either
family rising to distinction in the service.
Gen. Liddell lost his son in one of the hot
test fights, the brave youth going down
aftera desperate struggle, his sword broken
and his body riddled with bullets.
The war cloud passed over and the fami-
lies returned to their homes, only to renew
the ante-bellum strife. They avoided each
other, however, and a year passed without
incident. At this time came the terminal
ing scene. Gen. Liddell took a New Or
leans packet at Trinity landing, and when
the boat reached the Jones plantation the
colonel and his two sons came aboard.
LIDDELL WAS AT DINNER
when the three men entered. but without
giving him time to rise or opportunity to
defend himself, they drew their revolvers
and began fuSilade. A general desertion
of the table followed, and Gen. Liddell
fell. more than one shot passing through
his body. In the uproar and confusion the
JoneseS escaped and regained their home
The next day, so great was the indignation,
an armed body of men surrounded the
house, drove away the terrified negroes and
demanded unconditional surrender. 1t was
not forthcoming and the house was carried
by storm and fired, Col. Jones and his elder
son falling prey to the fury of the mob.
Cuthbert B. Jones escaped by a miracle,
having clamored to the roef, concealed him
self behind a chimney and finally getting
away to the river. By raft he Hoated
down the river, was picked up by a steam
boat and carried to New Orleans. whence
he took a steamer for Europe. Time and a
powerful influence combined to hush the
affair up and it was carried to court of
law.
SUCH IS THE SINGULAR TALE.
Jones now comes forward as the newly
appointed consul at Callao and King brings
on his attack. 1t seems that the original
story for which the elder Jones was shot
in some way refecJed on Kings birth, and
the assault on him by Jones is in reference
to the same thing. The people of the Fifth
district sympathized then with Lddell and
now with King, and the latter reflects the
public sentiment in his opposition to Jones'
appointment.
Things are Different in the West.
New York Tribune.
A Detroit man is seeking divorce from
his wife because she picks UP paving-stones
and carefully piles them up in the house
to the displacement of nearly everything
else. The man is an ungrateful wretch; he
ought to be thankful that his wife does not
hurl the paving-stones at his head.