The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-10-06
negro KILLED At DANCE NORTH OF TOWN
Simeon Levene Shot in the Back OF the
Head and Instantly Killed at Ma
pOleOn GuillOry's House.-Two
Suspects Arrested.


On Saturday night about eleven
O'Clock, a tragedy occurred at the
home OF Napoleon Guillory about two
miles northwest of Welsh, at a dance,
where large number of negros were
present, which resulted in Simeon
Levene being shot in the head and in
stantly killed.
The exact cause of the shooting was
not brought out in the coroner's in
quest, but two witnesses told the main
story. These were Joseph and Ar
chile Guillory, both of whom were eye
witnesses. The two most intimately
connected with the tragedy were out in
the yard at the time. A negro named
"Chester. is said to have done some
of the shooting, during which about
60 shots were fired. 1t is said that the
dance at the Guillory's was given ex-
clusively for the negroes north of
Welsh and those in the neighborhood
of China and that the negroes who
did most of the shooting were from
Welsh.
Coroner Fisher came over on the
noon train Sunday and held an inquest
in the afternoon, at which Joseph
Guillory testified as follows: 81 was
at the house of Napoleon Guillory on
the night of Sept. 80, about IL O'Clock
at night. was dancing in the house,
when some one called and said we
got big fuss out there | ran out
side to where the parties were, and
saw Julian with a pistol in his hand,
and he fired one shot at Simeon Lee
vene. Levene fell. After he fell there
was several more shots fired, some by
Julian and some by Chester. After
about ten shots were fired Julian and
Chester ran away. After they ran |
examined Levene and found him dead.
l did not hear any words. Levene
had no pistol"
Archille Guilory testified as follows:
81 was at the house of Napoleon
GuillOry on the night of the Both of
September at II o'clock, saw Julian
fire one shot at Simeon Levene and
Levene fell instantly. After Levene
fell. ran and heard several shots.
Before the shooting, Celestin Levene
told Simeon to 60 into the house, and
pushed him. Julian then shot Simeon
Levene in the back of the head as he
was going to the house. [ heard no
conversation between the two, neither
before nor after the shooting and
found Simeon Levene dead. Another
party with Julian did some shooting"
The Coroner's jury was composed
of H. A. Davidson, Alexis LaTour,
M. D., Isaac Fontenot, A. G. Fon-
tenot and John Singleton. The YER
dict was as follows:
'We, the jury, find that Simeon Le-
vene came to his death by pistol
shot, the ball entering back of the
head on a line with the top of the ears,
obout one-half inch to the right of the
median line, same causing death at
once. The pistol was in the hands of
Julian Baptiste.
The negro Chester" came back to
Welsh at three o'clock Monday morn
ing and gave himself up to United
States deputy marshall, John Single
ton. Constable Isaac Fontnot drove
over to Lake Charles with him early
Monday morning. Julian came in
and gave himself up later in the day
and deputy sheriff, c. E. Carr took
him to Lake Charles on the evening
train.
On Thursday morning six more ne
groes were arrested, charged with car
rying concealed weapons and at the
justice court held Thursday afternoon,
they were bound over ITO the district
court.