The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-04-23
WAR in LO UISIANA
OPPOSING POLITICAL FACTIONS MAY
ANNIHILATE EACH OTHER. B.
Two Hundred and Fifty Men, Armed
With Winchesters, Surround OPP
5 eIoussas and Expect to Capture
the Court lHouse-Their Opponents
.5s 81. Also Arm Themselves; and a Cons
nict Is MomentariIy Expected.

Opelousas, La, April 22.-Five hum
dred men Of both parties are on the
move and a desperate conflict is ex-
pected at any time. Over $50 regu-
lars armed with Winchesters have sur
rounded the town and their ostensi-
bic object is the capture of the court
house. On the vote Of the Opelousas
ward depends their success or defeat
in the parish and they are concen-
trating their efforts here They real
ize that if a full vote is polled the
combine will win. The report came
to Opelousas early this morning that
the regulars were assembling at the
Bellevue road bridge, three miles
south of town. Later arrivals from
the country reported that 200 men on
horseback and armed with Winchest-
ers shotguns and pistols We're gath
cred there and planning the invasion
of the town. Upon the receipt Of this
news, the combine people, or anti-reg-
ulars began to assemble around the
court house 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 at
tempt to go and disband the armed
body of men. District Judge w. G.
Perrault rode out to the camp of the
regulars and endeavored by persuasion
to get them to disband, but his efforts
availed nothing. Dioneds Durie,
leading planter, G. NJ. Harlz, clerk Of
the district court, and five or six
friends were in front Of Durie's house.
Il was under a tree with my chill
dren." said Durie. Suddenly thirty
regulators, led by one Reed, passed
my house. They stopped behind
clump of trees and / went out in the
| field to see what they were doing.
When near them they fired six shots
| at me. My friends came to my as
sistance and we returned ten or
twelve shots. We then laid down and
the regulators fired fully fifty shots
at us, shooting my horse in two places.
Half of them then ran away, the 9TH
ers remaining behind in group and
appeared to be helping some one OH
horse. I do not know whether we
hit any of them or not. We sent word
to town for reinforcements, but when
the boys came the regulators were
out Of sight"
Mr.. Thompson corroborated Mr..
Durie's story 1t is rumored that two
regulators were shot and one killed.
Impossible to verify the rumors.
Resting Over Night.
Armed squads are on duty at every
road entering the place and the court
house is a perfect arsenal. The
Washington, La, boys. thirty strong,
who came down to fight with citizens
| against the regulators, have hurried
home. A courier brings news that
Washington is being surrounded and
that the regulators are creating con-
sternation among the inha bitants OF
Belleaire Save. All day long there
has not been state or parish officer,
| not even a constable in town. 1t is
impossible for town to be in more
| martial state. 1t is believed now that
the regulators will not come into
town until morning. There is $50
armed men waiting for them The dis
trict attorney has sent word that his
regulators will enter town tomorrow
and that he has twenty Winchesters
at his back to say: ''No negro shall
vote gan
If ever a situation demanded the
presence of militia the situation in
this city demands it. The anti-regu-
lators declare they will hold the court
house if it shall run in blood. The
regulators have moved back mile or
two in the country from King bridge.
The trouble grew out of the effort
on the part of white Democrats to
prevent registration of the negroes.
A military company was sent there
and the negro men were registered.
They are in the majority and the
movement of the regulators now is
| intended to prevent the negroes from
| voting. -,. y b 4