The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-01-04

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that while he and Avery were together
Avery. hearing the reports Of their
guns and assuming that they had
found game, had gone to rejoin them.
When. after another hour, Avery did
not appear all started in different di-
rections to look for him. They did not
find him. The day ended. and most
OF the party went to their homes. while
Lynn, with few others. continued
the search until it was so dark they
could see nothing. then gave it up But
the next morning just as they were
starting lut to renew their search
Avery's dead body was brought in
with hole made by bird shot in the
head The body had been found about
hundred yards from the place where
the two men had been heard disputing.
Notwithstanding the high position Of
young Lynn it was almost universally
believed that he had killed Avery.
Sympathy was expressed for him, be-
cause 1t was supposed that he had
done the deed in burst of passion.
He was arrested, charged with the
murder and found guilty. On the trial
it came out that he had recently be.
come engaged to the daughter Of Il
neiShboring planter, and he ascribed
his words If you do l will kill you"
to the fact that he had on Avery's
arrival confided to him his engagement
and that Avery during their subsc-
quent quarrel had threatened to make
certain charges against Lynn's good
name to the latter's fiancee
In those days in the south the
courts We're chary of interfering in
disputes among gentlemen. Doubtless
if witnesses had been present at
, fight in which either of the two men
had killed the other there would have
been no arrest made, or if arrested
the one who had done the killing would
have been acquitted. AS it was. near
ly every one believed that Lynn had
killed Avery while angered, and as il
was to be supposed that he had not
given his victim chance for his life
, and had concealed the crime lie was
to be considered murderer Never
theleSS there were planters on the jury
who would not convict one of their
number Of crime on circumstantial eyi
dence. and the result was Il disagree
ment. Lynn went forth free man.
but with the imputatiOn Of murder
resting upon him. He was never again
brought to trial because there was no
new evidence forthcoming to throw
additional light on the ease
Opinion as TO his guilt varied from
the ligltest charge that lie had simply
killed man who would otherwise
enmity still ranking within him he
had invited Avery to visit him on pur-
pose to crafty a spirit Of revenge.
The case was discussed at the tables
Of his peers. the planters; in the domi-
Giles Of the poor whites and in the huts
Of the negroes. OF course opinions
were shaped in accordance with the
sympathies Of those who expressed
them, the Lynn adherents defending
him, while those Of Avery could not
find words to express their horror OF
him.
No one ever knew what took place
between Lynn and his fiancee except
that the engagement was broken Off.
The facts of the case were that she be-
lieved in his innocence and was will
ing to marry him, but he would not
permit any woman to take his. mama
after it had been stained with grim
t inal charge that he was unable dst1is
n | al
e spending his time wandering from
t place to place, but without gaining any
:. comfort. He lived a blighted life. The
e girl he was to have married wrote hiE
It often, and from her he drew what con
It ISOLATION was possible. She declared
: that she would never marry unless shi
married him, and he declared that h,
would never marry any one so Ions
l. as the imputation of numbering hi:
friend and guest hung over him.
Martha Tucker. the girl who ap
u peared to have been at the bottom O
y the trouble, disappeared and was seer
It no more in the neighborhood. Tel
It years passed, during which Lynn hat
lt grown III appearance ten years olde
e than he really was. His family. hi
friends and his slaves were still de
e voted to him, and the girl he was t
q have married loved him more thai
J. ever. This was the situation whel
ir David Tucker, brother of Marth
IL Tucker. died and just before his dealt
3 made a confession that unsealel tn
u mystery.
le Sheldon Avery. he said, had ruine
his sister Martha The knowledge Q
e this fact came to him at the time whe
D. Avery went to the Lynn plantation t
e hunt. He followed Avery there an
Is went to the woods where the hun
le was in progress Encountering Aver
le soon after the latter had left Lynn, b
had deliberately shot him. Tucke
IS claimed that if Lynn had been COZ
D. victed lie would have declared that b
was the real slayer of Avery and hi
al reason for killing him. When Lynn
III conviction failed he had decided
er keep his sisters disgrace and his ow
ne crime Il secret.
MS Alan Lynn was walking with bowe
70 head on the front gallery of his hon
ne when he heard Gathering of horse
re hoofs and, looking up the road. saw
er party of men coming at full speed. @
n reaching his gate they turned, in, al
SIS he saw that they We're his friends an
I'd acuuaintances. They dismourted
ed the foot Of the steps, and. their spoke
to man, advancing. announced tile ney
t" of the confession that lifted from h