The Colfax chronicle., 1903-08-01

Shooting at GOlfdx.
TWentu Pistol Shots Disturb the
Quiet Of SUNDAY MornlnQ.
SENSATION on n CROWDED rRhlN.


St0nQ6r W0uIue0.
Colfax had the unpleasant expert
ence last Sunday morning Of being
made the battle ground of parties
from Coushatta and Kenilworth, who
met in regular battle royal just as
the 1886 passenger and excursion
train was getting ready to pull away
from the depot. The shooting was
the result of a family feud between
the Giddens, of Coushatta, and the
Coles, of Kenilworth, the former al
leging that one of the Coles had be-
trayed their sister under the promise
of marriage. Albert s. Giddens stat
ed to Us in an interview that he had
been on the hunt for Joe Cole, but
that he had been away to Texas or
some other place for the last two
months.
Albert Giddens is a deputy sheriff
OF Red River parish, and says that on
Thursday of last week as he was TAX
ing an insane man to the asylum the
three Cole brothers held up the train
at Kenilworth and tried to kill him,
but were prevented by the prompt ac-
tion of the conductor, who put them
OF and pulled away in time to save
him. In some. way Robt. Giddens,
who is postmaster at Coushatta,
heard on Friday that Joe and Ernest
Cole we're in Co1fax for the purpose OF
waylayirg his brother on his return,
so he ran down to Alexandria that
night, and on Saturday met his BROTH
er in that town.
Sunday morning they came up on
the excursion train, due at Colfax 1856
a. m, and found at our depot about
a hundred people and their friends,
going up to take in the Ebenexer
camp meeting. Owing to the crowd
it seems the beligerant parties did
not get sight of each other until just
as the train was getting ready to pull
up to the switch and back down to
hook on an empty coach. At this
time the Giddens caught sight of Joe
Cole attempting to get on the moving
train. Advancing the Giddens began
to shoot at Cole, who jumped down
and drawing his pistol returned their
fire. In all something like twenty
shots were fired, of which Joe Cole
shot eight or nine. Finding he was
fighting two or three men, Cole beat
a retreat, and none too soon, for Al
bert Giddens got hold of a shot gun
and mounting q horse followed him
as far as the Chronicle Office, Cole in
the meanwhile having just been hasti
ly run into Mr.. j. H. McNeely's resi-
dence by Mr.. j. C. Mcknight, who for
tunately met him in time to give
this aid.
A crowd of armed Colfax citizens
appeared at this juncture and tool
charge and disarmed all the combat
ants. The result of all the shooting
was a bullet in the knee of Joe Cole
and the serious wounding Of a eolorec
man, Zeke Vaughn, who was shot il
the right side near the hip, the bal
passing nearly through his body
The negro, who was on his way tt
Shreveport, climbed on the train ans
went ON to that town, not knowing
that he was badly hurt until after tn
train started. The Shreveport doc
tors say he will get well, but he had (.
close call for his life.
A curious feature of the affair i
that Ernest Cole was at the LaCroi,
hotel when the shooting occurred
and did not get out until it was al
over. He had shot gun, and cam
within a few seconds of meeting Al
bert Giddens with his shot gun nea
the Chronicle Office, when there woul'
probably have been some hot ant
bloody work. Fortunately tn
prompt interference of the citizens il
! putting all Of the parties under arres
prevented the meeting. The circum
3 stance of Ernest Cole not being a
( the train with his brother goes t.
4 show the Cole brothers were not ez
! pecting the fight, as Ernest was til
: man the Giddens were after; and
looks like they brought on the fgh
! With doe through SOME kind of mil
! taken idea.
Z Mr. and Mrs. Henry Cole, Of Keni
Z worth. the parents Of the Cole brotl
Z ers, and d. N. Giddens, the father {
: the Giddens brothers, came down t