The Banner-Democrat., 1893-11-04
A Bloody Vendetta in Claiborne
Parish.

A special to the Globe-Democrat
from Homer, Claiborne parish, says !:
The last murder in the bloodlest
vendetta in modern times was commit
ted on the Goth day of August, when
Tom Kinder killed John Ferguson on
the road from Homer to Trenton. For
three years the fight has been on and
twenty men have fallen in the conflict.
There are two local papers fere, but
their editors have handled the incidents
of the feud in gingerly manner for
fear. l suppose, of getting charge Of
shot or warning to leave town. Fer
that reason nothing is known of it ont
side of Claiborne parish. The parties
from whom | CLEANED the facts for this
article talked under their breaths and
only on condition that their names be
kept secret. They were actually afraid
Of the few ruffians who perpetuats the
vendetta, for their blood is hot and
there's no telling what they would do.
Indeed. things have come to a sorry
pass in Homer. the pretty parish seat
of Claiborne, these late years. Long
before the war it was rich town and
the plantations around it were well
kept and prosperous. The master and
mistress were highly respected people
with big mansions and pretty daught-
ers and courtly hospitality. But now
there is nothing but ruins to remind
one of the old regime-the stately house
half tumbled down, with pigs on its
veranda and decay staring out of Its
doors and windows. The '.po' white
trash are found where the wealthy
planter once fourished and among
them the feud began it's sanguinary ex-
istence.
The Ramsey and the Tuggle families
lived not far from Homer. on the rren-
ton road. The Tuggle family consist
ed of five boys and their mother. OF the
boys Joe was the most notorious char
acter, and to his account is laid The
origin of the feud. He was striking in
appearance, more than 6 feet tall and
well proportioned with rather handsome
features, but was daring and unscru-
pulous in his disposition. He lived in a
house by himself and first grossly
offended the moral sense OF the COM
muity by openly keeping negro mis-
tress. His reputation for recklessness
and hot temper prevented any interfer-
ence until he suddenly took fancy to
young niece and brought her to his
house to supplant the negress. Popular
indignation at such proceeding was
very strog, but the girl evidently loved
her desperate husband, rs attempts
were made to induce her to leave him
without success. Critical remarks
came to the ears of Joe, in connection
with Billy Maddox's name as their
autor.
Joe then took occasion to quarrel
with Maddox about dog, in which
quarrel John Ramsey sided with Mad
doy.
A few days later drummer travel
ing the Trenton road came upon a dead
body lying in the road witch charge
of buckshot in his back Investigation
showed it was the corpse of Billy Mad
dax, and that he had been shot from
an ambush. Death must have been in
Simultaneous. as there was found clinch-
ed between his teeth plum seed and
some Others in his fingers Tracks
were found leading from the ambush
toward Joe Tuggle's house.
The State offered $1,000 for the ap-
prehension of the murderer.
John Ramsey and Tom Kinder set to
work to find evidence enough to war
,,,,,t tho ,r,.oet of Tno Tnnola
About this time Joe Gladney, weak
minded associate of Joe Tuggle. was
Jailed for drunkenness, and while in
jail John Ramsey wrung a statement
from him that Joe Tuggle had paid him
$50 to Kill Billy Maddax. The authori-
ties would not accept this as evidence.
so when Gladney sobered up he went
free and told Joe ruggle all about his
interview with Ramsey.
immediately after this Ramsey was
shot at from ambush, and places where
some one had lain concealed were found
around his house. Men dressed as wo-
men had been seen lurking near it.
His negro cook was given a powder by
Joe Tuggle and was paid to put it in
Ramsey's coffee. He reported all this
to the officers, but got 40 assurance of
protection. Finding this the case, he
determined to kill Joe Tuggle on sight.
Tuggle was in Homer one Saturday
afternoon and was just starting home.
When he approached the east side of
the public square John Ramsey stepped
from store with shot gun calling.
..Look out joe" and fired at him.
Tuggle turned his horse and gailoped
back across the square and fell with a
load of buckshot in his side. Ramsey
pursued HIM an foot. firing several
times, but without further effect.
RAMSEY was caught oy the officers,
and it required three Of them to disarm
him. His gun was twisted and broken
in the struggle. He was jailed but
was instantly bailed out. 1uggle's
wound was not serious, and he was
well in few days. Then it was ex-
pected that they would meet again and
one or the other fall victim.
During the parish fair Joe and his
brother Hamp were i'm town, and SO
was John Ramsey. Joe was armed
with Winchester. He was crossing
the square when he sighted Ramsey.
lie called, "Lood out John. +" and open
ed on him. Ramsey dodoed into a