The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1892-03-26
A Burglar Killed.

| once OF ". W. DusOn x Bro. The kill
ing IA given in a special to the Picay-
une is as follows
An individual known in this cOmmu-
nifty as Horace Steel, was killed last
night at midnight by Mr.. c. c. Duson
while in the act Of burglarizing the
office of ". ". Duson d Bro, Of this
town.
Your correspondent interviewed Mr.
T. W. Fortier, u stenographer in the Of
| flee Of DuSOn 4 Bro, and from him as
eertained the facts connected with the
affair.
Steel has made his first appearance
here about eighteen months ago, and
from that time he has been here off and
Oh, sometimes for month at a time.
He has always been viewed i'm the light
OF a suspicious and dangerous character,
his general makeup not recommending
him very highly to be Trustworthy per-
son.
About month ago Steel confided 10
one Robert Bell, who came here some
time before from ono of the Dak0tas, his
intentions
TO RUB DUSON's SAFE.
and tried to persuade him TO join him
In the work, at the saline time warning
hun that death would be his fate if he
whispered the awful secret to any living
body.
Bell, however. laid 1.-THE matter before
MIR. Duson. and was engaged by Mr.. Du-
son to assist the capture of Steel in the
act. Bell then signified to Steel his
Willingness to assist him in the robbery.
Last night at about 8 o'clock Steel
came to Bells room and informed him
that the job would be done that night at
l2o'clock, and notified him to hold him
sell III readiness, saying that he would
remain In the room with Bell until the
tine for action arrived. Bell. under pre-.
tense Of stepping cut 10 BEE if the coast
was clear, hurriedly apprised Mr.. c. C.
Duson of the approaching burglary.
whereupon Mr.. DusOn in company with
MIR. FGrtler and Mr.. C.. l.. Crippen, re-
paired to the Office and assumed posi-
tiOns to
CAPTURE THE wOULD-BE THIEF.
AT the appointed hour the back door
OF the office was thrown open, and the
two nen entered, Bell in the lead. Steel
passed opposite, window, through |
which the lamp at the street corner shed |
few rays, and Mr.. Duson, from his bOs-
ltlon in the dark, saw Steel few feet
from him, advancing toward him, hold.
Ing III his hand, ready for use, bright
revolver.
10 speak or move meant certain death
to MIR. Duson. and he could only fire.
lie pursued the latter course, and fired,
he burglar grooming and falling a few
'teps away, corpse.
Two Smith & Wesson 3S-caliber MIS-
OILS were found about the dead meh's
'erson, one in his pocket and the other
y his side. and Was also armed with a
ull s-eye lantern of his own manufac.
ure. 1t consisted of tomato can with
hole in the side the size of silver dol {
ar and piece Of candle standing in.
lde.
From the appearances, his intention !
las to open the combination lock. l
About one year ago the safe of j. J.
homas & Co., of this place, was bored :,
PREPARATORY to exploding it, but fortu. @
ately, the burglar, evidently having be-
me alarmed, did not complete the lob.
Is now supposed by many that this :,
as some of Steel's work. o
lie was hlan about 50 years of age a
caring full black beard extending 81
Early to his ears, and from there Shoot -
g out horizontally. He had black eyes b
Id hair, sal.Ow complexion, weighed fc
'out 115pOunds and measured about ) al
ct s inches. He could sometimes :,
INK good deal. and in his talk would
y that he had been with the Jesse james er
nd OF robbers. lie also pretended tn
owing the whereabouts of Elijah Ben NJ
u, who rObbered the safe of Mr.. Bor- ar
sse, of this parish, few months back tv
H., 100000 of
Nr. and Mrs. Amede Poleynard had the an
sfortune to lose Thursday morning, af
Pr little girl, Marie Rose. aged 9 years.