The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-21
Fight AT OPELOUSAS
One Of the Regulator Killed
By . White Nan
n Wh1eo Da0sses1o Dwear - Thslz
Trussy RaAss That IT, 1aaek
Meo Shall Net voeo.

opsaoums. La, April 3o.-At hishour op.
nj 500 armed men OF both parties are on
the move. and . desperate conflict n e1-
pected AZ any time Over 80 regulators
armed with Winchester have surrounded
the town. and their ostensabie object -
the capture OF the courthouse. On the vote
of the Opelousas ward depends their sue
cess or defeat in the parish. and they are
concentrating their efforts here They
realize that II . full vote IL pofled the com
bins will win. Tho report came 70 this
place early today that the regulators were
assembled at the Beiieview bridge. three
miles south OF town. AZ 10 O'Clock ar
rivals from the country reported that 30
men on horseback. armed with Winches-
ters shotguns and pistols. were gathered
there and were planning an invasion OF
che town. Upon the report OF this news
the combine people. or anti-reguiafors.
began to assemble around the courthouse
square, armed TO the teeth and prepared
TO resist the Invasion The sheriff was in
town when the news FIRST arrived. but he
did not attempt to d.sband the armed
body OF men. District Judge W. c. Per-
rauit rode out to the camp Of the regula-
tors and endeavored by persuasion TO get
them 10 disbAnd. but bis efforts awaited
nothing.
This afternoon Diomedes Durio. a lead
ing planter; o. NJ. Thompson. clerk OF the
district court. and five or six friends were
in front OF Durlo's house. II was under a
tree with my children near me" said Nj.
Durfo. Suddenly thirty regulators. led
by one Reed. passed my house They
stopped behind a clump of trees. went
out into the field to see what they were
doing. When near them they Aired six
shots at me. Ny friends came 10 my aid
and we returned ten or twelve shcts. We
then laid down and the regulators fired
%t.ltx fsxyE faf.4S Gf1slft
in two places. Half OF them then ran
away. The others remained behind a
group OF trees and appeared TO be helping
some one ON a horse. don't know whefh-
er we hurt any of them or not. We sent
word to town for refnforcemeuts, but
when the boys came the regulators were
out OF sight" Mr.. Thompson corroborated
Mr.. Durso's story. 1t is rumored that two
OF the regulators were sho. and ore killed.
It is impossible to verify the rumor.
Iater-1t IL NOW stated positively that
enc regulator--Aice Ree6-was killed and
another MORALLY wounded In the skirmish
at Durios three miles from here. this
morning.
At 30 tonight the town In quiet Armed
squads are on duty at every road enter
ing the place. and the courthouse Is a
perfect arsenal. Tho Washington boys.
thirty strong. who came down to fight
with the citizens against the regulators,
have hurried home A courier brings the
news that Washington Is being surround
ed and that the regulators are creating
CONSERVATION among the inhabitants OF
Beliaire Cave. All day long there has
not been a state or parish officer, not
even constable. In town. Ii Is impossi-
BILE for q town TO be In a more martial
state. II Is believed now that the reguia-
tors will not come into town until morn
ing. There are 80 armed men waiting
for them The district attorney has sent
word that his regulators will enter town
tomorrow. and that he has twenty Win
chesters at his back to say mo negro
shall vote"
The anti-regulators declare they viii
hold the courthouse II Its halls run with
blood. The regulators have moved back
n mile or two In the country from King
bridge
The trouble in Opelousas grew out OF
an effort on the part of the white Demo-
Gratis to prevent the registration Of the
negroes. A military company was sent
there. and the negroes all registered They
are In the majority. and the movement
OF the regulators or white supremacy
crowd now Is intended to prevent the
negroes from voting tomorrow.