The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-06-24


any violence, he having come there only
as her escort. His explanations were
declined, and Jonos declared war. 1t
was vendetta such as Corsica used to
know before the French Government
crushed out the family fcuds there.
Both men had their followers, their
friends. relatives, and supporters, who
took up their quarrel rs the Montagues
and Capulcts did. Between these fol-
lowers there were several bloody rem
contres. Nearly everybody in the par
ish had to take sides with one faction
or the othe other, and the peace Of Cat
ahoula seemed gone forever. Major
Liddell was much annoyed at the char
actcr that his personal quarrel with the
Jones had assumed, and endcavored to
have the two principals settle :. be-
fwecn themselves. lie proposed to end
it by duel, and appointed time and
place where he and Jones should meet.
He went there accompanied by q friend
of the name Of Huntingdon, but. Jones
never appeared. Liddcll posted him in
Harrisonburg, the county seat, as pol
troon and coward, and his second bore
testimony TO this. The result was a
shooting aff'ray with Jones' followers, in
which Liddell's friend lost his life.
The Jones faction was the stronger in
Harrisonburg, and they aimed to make
the quarrel street fight in that town.
Jones himself, desiring to strengthen
his force, wrote to one jim Smith. n
noted fighter in ncighboring parish, u
man Of great courage and determination,
inviting his aid and assistance. Smith
however, went over to the other party,
Informed Liddcll Of his danger, warned
him against going to Harrisonburg, and
then went down and paid him visit at
his residence. Disappointed in making
the Smith alliance, Jones imported as
allies from Natchez number of town
roughs, and made ample preparations
for the expected battle.
There was Jones meeting and jubi-
lee in Harrisonburg, and the followers
and partisans of that gentleman "paint-
ed the town red" They rode around
cursins Liddell rs coward, and invit-
ting him or his friends to show their
faces. Major Liddell very wisely re-
mained at home, and conflict seemed
improbable. But, toward evening, two
of the Jones faction, somewhat infamed
by liquor, conceived tie idea of beard
ing the lion in his den, and, proceeded
in gig to Liddcll's residence, they
drove by it, cursing the occupant and
daring him to come out. A rifle fusil-
lade was opened on them, and when
the gig drove back to Harrisonburg it
contained two mortally wounded men.
Liddell was at once arrested for murder,
which at the subsequent trial it was
conclusivcly shown he had not COM
mitted. 1t has generally been sup
posed that the man who fired the fatal
shot was Smith. the same person whose
alliance Jones had sought. 1t was i'm
possible to try the case in Catahoula
Parish, as everybody there was OH one
side or on the other of the feud, and
change of venue was granted to Tersas.
Liddell was acquitted.
Other rencontres and shooting ARRAYS
followed, for the feud had now split in
to half dozen different issues. Alto
gethcr there are said to have been eight
murders, and possibly twice as many
serious woundings, growing out of this
affair during its first stage. but, as none
of the principals was killed, it is hadly
worth following up each Of the affairs.
When the feud was at it's hottest q
peace was patched up by Mrs. Jones
and her eldest son. The latter is said
to have insisted on his deathbed upon a
a reconciliation between the two fami-
lies. Peace was declared between them.
and it was resolved that no more blood
should be split. The rebellion soon fol-
lowed, and in the greater struggle the
lesser was forgotten. Both Liddell and
Jones entered the Confederate army at
the head Of regiments. Liddell won
great distinction, bccamea general, com
mandcd the Confederate forces at the
gallant defense of Spanish Fort i'll Mo-
bile Bay. against the Federal feet, even
after Appomattox, and was one Of tho
last Confederate generals to surrender.
He returned to his plantation much i'm
poverished by the war, and his circum-
stanc' grew worse instead Of improving.
His quondam enemy, Jones, on the 9TH
er hand, prospered. Joining the Rcpub-
lican party upon its organization in
Louisiana, he participated in the numer-
Gus schemes which made so many Of the
politicians of that day rich men.
The bittern .ss engendered by the ex-
cited political hatred Of that time existed