Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-09-15
A FOUL MURDER.

Last Tuesday, Mr.. Carey Lewis, who
lives on Tensas Bluffs plantation, Tensas
River, discovered the dead body OF Har-
~ Rich, Jewish peddler, near the road
leading through Elnwood plantation On
the West side of the river at a point
about two miles from New Light. About
$50 yards from the spot where the body
was found stood the wagon used by Rich
in his business, with his pack of goods
in il unoped and intact. With the wagon,
still hitched to it, was the body OF the
horse, which had been killed by charge
of buck-shot. An examination of Rich's
body showed that he had been killed by
a load of buck-shot, four of which had
struck him in the back, throat and body
One arm being broken by a shot. 1t
was evident from the physical evidences
at the place of the murder that Rich had
fallen from his wagon after being shot
and that his horse, frightened by the shot
which killed his master, had run away
and was only stopped by one of the
wheels becoming locked against tree.
1t was evident, too, that the murderer,
fearing that his crime, would be disclosed
by the fleeing horse, had pursued and
killed it. Then retracing his steps TO the
scene Of the crime, he dragged the dead
body of his victim by the heels about go
feet off the roadside and after rifling the
pockets of the money and pistol which
Rich had, made his way off. The ply
steal evidence further showed that the
crime was committed by bare-footed
man, because there were footprints in
the muddy road and around a stump by
the roadside, at which point the muir
derer had evidently awaited his victim.
1t was apparent too that the killing had
been done either with single-barrel
breech-loading gun or double-barrel
gun, one of whose barrels could not be
fired, for between the spot where Rich
was killed and that where the horse was
killed there was found an empty shell,
showing that the murderer had reload
ed his gun while pursuing the horse.
Information Of. the murder was carried
to NeweIlton Tuesday evening and late
that night Sheriff Hughes was apprised
of it by telephone message from Mr..
EIgutter Early Tuesday morning Sheriff
Hughes left for the scene OF the crime,
and Squire Buckner went out to hold an
inquest The neighborhood where the
killing occurred isnot very thickly settled,
there beinr comparatively few negroes
there and all of them well-isnown. Sus.
picion was directed TO negro named
Clif. billiard, who lives OH the Rose plan
tation adjoining Elmwood, the scene oi
the crime. billiard is about "a years old
and bears an evil reputation. He served
a short sentence in the parish Jail last
spring for stealing. While the inques
was in progress it was learned that Dill.
lard had said to another negro that h.
wouldn't mind killing "Cheap John
(meaning Rich) for his money. On hear
ing this the proceedings were suspended
and the Sheriff and the crowd assembled
dispersed to arrest billiard. Sheriff Hughes
with Mr.. McGill, who accompanied him
found billiard on the bank of Tensas Riv
err with Louis Teats, the negro 70
whom he worked. When arrested, Dill
lard showed no concern, and went along
quietly with the Sheriff. who took hin
to Test's house, nearby, accompanied by
the latter. Teats, on being Intercepted
by the Sheriff, stated that OH Monday