St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-12-18

peace and returning officer for TIN
parish. Is it to be wondered at tina
' WitkOWski, with such surroundings
and all those near to him should be
come the marks of assassins or of DIES
perate people who imagine they have
been greatly wronged by him? Mckay
was his ablest lieutenant. Assisted
him in legal business, kept his books
did his writing, was his justice of the
peace, and last, but not least, was his
returning officer. He was Witkowski's
confidential advisor, and while harmless
In himself and would never have ex-
cited the resentment of anyone, in that
connection and close relationship to
Witkowski he necessarily came 10 for a
share of the hatred which people fol-
various causes had for Witkowski.
WHO DID THE KILLING?
| Nobody seems to know. The governor
dispatched to j. G. Bass, sheriff OF East
Carroll, requesting him to raise a pos
Sc and go out to West Carroll to arrest
the outlaws. This implied that the
officers there could not or would not
enforce the laws. Mr.. Bass, an excel
lent officer and man of excellent sense
OF Judgment. not wishing to add to the
confusion by taking a hand OF men
without legal authority to another par
lsh, adopted the sensible course of
going there alone to ascertain the real
situation and
THESE ARE ABOUT THE FACTS
he learned az | have understood. On
Sunday evening or early night two of
WltkoWskis teams going into Ashton
from Caledonia were overtaken bv
seven or eight men, one of the team
sters vas caught and severely beaten
and pstwo wagons burned. The
other SsAmster made his escape and
went to Witkowski and told his story
We're after him (WitkowskD, and would
kill him. About ten o'clock the same
night AZ armed man called at Mckay's
door, according to the evidence of
negro boy before the coroner's Jury
went into the house and found Mcka y
sitting before the fire, he said good
evening Major" and the Major returned
the saiutatlOn and asked the man to
have "a seat by the fire: The man asked
tor some water and the boy (the wit
ness) went out OF the back door to get
1t. AS the boy stepped out of the door
he heard a pistol or gun fire, in the |
house and heard his mother, who was |
in the room scream
THEY HAVE KILLED MIR. MAJoK.- /
Immediately there was more firing. !
This alarmed him and he did not re-
turn to the house. but in short time
the house was in flames. He, however.
says he had TINE to fire two shots at the
mali. who drove off towards Pin Hook
III wagon, aud also to get two little
children ont of the burning house, with
the assistance OF ii negro man who was
sleeping up stairs. The men were not
identified. The bodies of Mckay and
the woman were burned entirely I'D.
leaving only the ends of some of the
bones and portions of the bowels Mr..
Bass saw several of the leading citi-
zens out there, who told him that any
process issued from court could be
Easily executed. He saw the sheriff
who SAID he was amply able to arrest
any one but no affidavit had been made
md they all seemed to blame Witkowski
or coming here instead of going to
Floyd and making an affidavit. Mr.. {
Bass found everything moving on as
Usual and no signs OF lawlessness. {
Among those whom he saw and who
Issured him that there would be no
difficulty in executing process from l
:ourt and in arresting any one, were
;apt. Jack Wipley, Col. Fl. r. Scott, {
lr. Redmond and many others. In I
Iced he found that there was great in {
llgnatlon at the outrage which they all 1
ecognlze as a serious blow to the s
GOOD NAME OF THEIR PARISH.
Who murdered Mckay is a mystery
0 them, and they feel that if Wit
owski knows he should make all aft
avlt and the party or parties will sure
J be arrested.
| will give my opinion that Witkowski =
,as in danger and did well to leave. !,
lie, however, remained at home during y
he night Of the killing and came in !,
ere next morning. His family, wife
nd two daughters) have remained at :,
ONE and have not been molested. y
hey are most estimable ladies and !"
othing would be more easy than to d
ct posse of men here to protect them T. !,
any danger threatened them, but | :;
arm they do not fear for themselves =
'itkOwski, his son-in law, Mr. Semple, =;
nd his clerk, Henry Felten berger, are u
ere for safety, as they say. Who killed :,
ckay and what for is mere conjecture. :