St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-03-26
A BOLD BURGLAR KILLED.

The following account of the killing Of
Steele at Crowley is taken from the N. D
Times Democrat
| desperate burglar was killed in the office
of w. w. Duson & Bro, at Il O'Clock last
night, under tho following circumstances
Some ten days or two weeks ago Mr.. W. w
Dusons cashier was informed that an at
tempt would be made to rob the safe. Sher
if Lyons was absent, in search OF two roo
bers who had broken out of Jail, convicted al
the recent term of the District Court for rob
bling the store of Edgar Barousse by blowing
open the safe and securing $4,000 few
months ago Dnson telegraphed tor his
brother, ex. Sheriff G. C. Dnson, of st. Landry
who at once came down. Arrangements had
been made to keep the suspected burglar
Swallowed Ex-Sheritf Duson kept himself
secreted for several days, but occupied the
Office on watch every night until just before
day every morning. Last night was finally
determined upon by the robber to get in his
work. Ex-Sheritf Dusou, Cashier Crippen
and Mr.. Duson's stenographer, Z. W. Fortler,
were on the watch for him ia the office. About
IL o'clock the robber came. 1t had been ar
ranged to throw the light Of a bulls eye or
lantern upon the burglar after he had broken
into the building, but the slide of the lantern
would not work, and this plan was frus'
trated.
AS the lights in the Office had been extln-
gusheu and everybody supposed to have gone
to their homes, the robber felt that he had
an easy-goiug job before him. Hc entered
from the rear, coming into the surveyors de-
partment.
Ex-Sheritf Duson had taken his position at
the second door entering the private o1hce.
Mr. Crippen stood to the left OF Mr. Duson i'll
tue same room. Mr. Eortier was placed Ill
the hallway with a shotgun TO stop him, II he
| should attempt to rush to the front door 1t
was thought when the lampisht failed to
act that the Iobber could be seen as he
PASSED a window, where the rcteci ion came
! through from a street lamp, and that he
might he seen distinctly enough to be held
! up. When the robber entered he had his lls
| tol in one hand aud an uulishtel dark Ian
! tern in the other. This could only be seen for
a moment, as he closed the door DIS soon as he
| slipped in. Having tried the door and found
| it securely closed he advanced about two
| steps, which placed him within the rays Of
| the street lamp reflected on tue glass door OF
| the telephone closet, about two inches wide.
Here is where the mode of procedure to
capture the robbcr had to be changed, be-
cause the robher advanced with il tlouble-ac-
ton Smith g. Woss0u revolver, presented
aud ready for firing. He was then about
eight feet from Mr.. Dnson and six feet from
Mr.. Crippen. To avoid the light reflected on
him through the window the robber changed
his course to make circuit, aud, in doing
this, came walking directly on sheriff Duson.
When within two feet of Mr.. Duson, with
their pistols almost touching, Mr.. Duson fired,
the ball striking the rohber squarely in the
breast, passing entirely through his body,
through the door of the Office and striking
fence about thirty PAGES distant. The pistol
used by Mr.. DusOn was a 4+calibre Colts re-
volver. With yell the robber fell to the
floor, only living two or three minutes.
Horace Steel, the name he went by, had
been in this vicinity some fifteen months. He
had very few associates, was man of few
words, except when under the influence OF
liquor, and this was seldom. He would
leave suddenly and return quietly, no one
scarcely noticing him. Some few weeks ago
he offered to inform sheriff Lyons Of the
whereabou of the Bennett robbers. who, it
is thought were the parties who had COM
mtted the different robberies in this and St.
Landry parishes. Mr.. Lyons, not having
faith in his proposals, declined to pay him
for the information he offered to give. Some
time after he got drunk, or pretended
to be drunk, was put in Jail by the town
Bennett robbers, who had been captured by
Mr.. Lyons and sentenced to the penitentiary
for five years, made their escape by filing |
their shackles off, unlocking the cell door
aud picking a hole through the wall. 1t is |
belived he feigned drunkenness to be con-
fined in Jail, aud furnished them with impe- |
ments to escape. An examination of bis eff |
fects by Sheriff Lyons and the coroner's jury |
does not disclose word as to his antece-
dents. 1t is known by the postmaster that he
received mail here, but none could be found
on his person or in his room. His principal |
place OF abode was two miles from town, at |
au old deserted saloon at the east end of Du-
son bridge. He was man of some cduca.
ii on and has remarked to an associate here
that his people were wealthy and good poo
pie, and that he was the only black sheep iu
tue flock.
He was man of about lGO pounds in
weight, six feet high, dark hair, black beard,
stopped i'll walking and usually carried Il
large stick. He was aged about 10 years.
He had brown eyes, generally cast down,
paying little attention to any one passing
him, often not answering a salutatlou on the
pany for photograph of Bunch, tho train
robber, as the time Of this mans arrival here
together with his personal appearance and
the time Of Bunch's disappearance are about
the same The inquest Was held this morn
ing in accordance with the above facts. Ex
Sheriff Duson was fully cxonerated by the
jury, as the critical circumstances surround
lug tho case were such that to attempt to ar
rest the burglar could only precipitatc q
hand-to-hand fight i'll the dark. The couiinu-
nifty feel that this may put u stop to the re-
cent robbcries that have taken place 1T Ba.
Crowley, Vile Plate, Opeousas and
elsewhere in this section of country.
From the N. 0. City Item
Crowley, La, March 2l.-Your corrcspon-
lent Is informed that the burglar who WAS
shot and killed by Senator &. G.. Duson on
Saturday night, formerly lived in Tennessee.
No further particulars concerning his life or
character previous to the time Of his arrival
lere about eighteen months ago, are obtain
,ble.
The opinion generally prevails here that
The dead burglar is not Bunch. Bunch was
never known to have been in Tennessee and
about nine months ago letters were received
rom him from Mexico. He was frequently
n Texas, and his wife is now conducting a
millinery store in Galveston.
Chief Caster says that he imagines Bunchs
node of procedure would have been different.
instead of attempting to rob the safe by him
elf he would probably have had gang to do
while he stood guard for them. The man,
Horace Steele, who was shot and killed by
senator Duson attempted to rob the store
lone.
The plot lad been divulged to Duson by
colbert Bell who Steele asked to assist him in
he robbery. Steele is supposed to have been
Implicated in number OF robberies in St.
landry parish.
1t is also thought that he furnished the saw -,
o Elijah Bennett the burglar, with which he !
awed through the several iron bars and es-
aped from jail c
Senator Dnson was exonerated by the coro- s
ers jury that held the inquest on the body \
1 Steele.
Latest Election News 5