The Progress., 1894-03-10
Another Homicide In Shreveport.

| properly.
! Another Homicide In Shreveport.
Again has the escutcheon of our
city been stained with the crime OF
homicide, making two, and an unsuc-
cessful attempt at another, in the
short space of about Is days,
These occurrences have become SO
frequent that it would be we'll for the
moral, aw-abiding element Of our
people, to begin to ascertain the
cause of these horrible affairs. TO
us it is patent that there is some
cogent reason for this sudden trans
formation from peaceful and order
ly city. to a place where murder
seems to be the offspring of a senti-
ment which has its dwelling place
here. In our opinion he is a useless
reasoner who attempts to prove that
our recent homicides are due entirely
t. the uncomfortable passion i'll the
breast of the individual who perpe-
trates the deed nor the carefu! plan
ming of the same individual who
seeks revenge by this method. TO
our minds the cause is much deeper
rooted and owes its existence to the
immoral influences which are the
dominant factors in our community
to-day.
Since the organization Of our pres
ent city government, politics has
dominated every department under
it's management OF control. Most
notably is this SO in the police de-
partment. The management of this
is conducted in such manner which
shows conclusively that no master
hand guides the police, no watch
full, public-spirited eye keeps IFS
gaze on the proceedings thereof.
Had this been SO, Mr., Charles Wilson
would not have been in his grave, his
family bowed in sorrow, his dear, old
mother suffering such anguish as only
mothers can.
This is the condition Of affairs all
over the town, the very air and at
mosphere is tainted and weakened as
only such communities are when po-
litical faith, factional allegiance, not
public veal holds sway. >'
The last Of the three tragedies
enacted in our city was the killing Of
Sub-patrolman Wilson. His end was
sudden, tragic, terrible and caused
considerable excitement in town. 1t
was the theme of conversation on the
streets, in business houses, residences
everywhere. Like thunder clap
came the words Of Constable T. NJ
Kelly to Justice c. D. Hicks, joe
Reuben has just killed Charley VIII
son."
The details of the killing drawn
from eye witnesses are as follows:
Joe Reuben, the slayer, had in
Aicted some injuries on Julia Watts
an excellent colored woman ujur-
ing her so badly that a telephone mes
sage was sent to Constable Hank
Kelly at Justice Hicks Office to arres
him. Procuring a warrant this
constable started out il such Of the
desparado. Before discovering him
however, other actors bad entered on
the scene, and a horrible tragedy III.
ueeQ was the RESULT
It seems that joe Rnu.en, after
his cruel treatment of } liza. whici
took place about a half mi g beyond
the city limits, set out for h : hom'
situated on Sprague near Cane street,
followed closely by Julia's little boy,
As he passed down Texas Avenue
Officer Wilson was seated in front OF
Nr. A. Levy's store and the boy told
him that Reuben had killed or nearly
killed his mother. At this Mr.. vii
son sprang to his feet aud command
ed the negro to halt and surrender.
! This the negro refused to do, but
| threatened to kill the officer il he
pursued HIM, declaring that he was
not the proper officer to make the ar
rest. Mr., Wilson continued to adj
vance, persisting in his demands for
a surrender, when Reuben broke into
trot or run and turned down Grand
Avenue towards the cemetery. Find
ing that his commands to halt were
Of no avail, Dir. Wilson drew his pis-
/ tol, which he emptied at the retreat