St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-09-07

80
WTHMURDER
FDR. SMITH

(. Ut uk. 0NII|H
CONTINUED from page -.
up to Franklinton, where they go
OF.
when we stepped of the train,
continued Holmes, "the sheriff raj
up and told us to get back on thu
train and go to New Orleans. He
said that it was not safe for us tt
stay in Franklinton, for it might
cause trouble. He rode with us te
Rio and got of the train, saying that
he was going to BOgalusa for the
day"
The sheriff, however, returned to
Franklinton, where he stated that
trouble was more feared from the
friends OF the Holmes than from any
attempt on the part of the Smith
family to lynch the prisoners. Feel
ing in the towns, and especially IN
the part of the parish where the
Holhes lived and were reared, ran
high, and open threats were freely
made.
1t was openly talked about attack
ing the Jail and releasing the pris-
oners by the friends of the prison
ers, but these plans were frustrated
by the removal of the prisoners.
Both Bonnie and Clancy Holmes
are married men and have families.
Bonnie Holmes stated that he has a
wife and two babies at home, While
Clancy has wife and five children,
the eldest being Bossy, his son, a
years of age, who, together with his
father, was brought to New Orleans.
His other children are girls. Bonnie
is ~, while Clancy is 80.
Hired to Commit Murder.
According to the information fur
nished by detectives who have been
at work on the matter for some time,
Bonnie and Clancy Holmes, together
with Clancy's son and some other
partise whom the sheriff refused to
divulge, were hired by enemies of
DIR. Smith to murder him, and they
sought time when he would be
found alone, with as little chance of
capture of the suspects as possible.
DIR. Smith is supposed to have
criminally prosecuted several boot
leggers, among whom was Tom Beach
who was openly accused of bootleg
ging by the physician. 1t is alleged
that he made a threat to get" DIR.
Smith. An old feud which rivals
those of the notorious Breathitt
County, KY, where families have in
termarried and later became aroused
over some trivial happening, is said
to have also figured.
The feud is known to exist be-
tween the Smiths and the Blumfields,
the two largest and most prominent
families in Washington parish. At
times the feeling runs SO high and
even to the point of open warfare
among the clans. Shortly before the
assassination of DIR. Smith a barn
belonging to Jep Afford was burned,
which was followed by the attempt
ed assassination of Elmer Blumf1eld,
and about the same time a mail box
of q Smith was dynamited.
Assassination Well Planned.
The assassination of DR.. Smith
took place about two weeks follow.
ing these trivial outbreaks. Follow
ing session of court which he had
been attending at Franklinton, DR..
Smith went by rail to Cummock,
from where he started to walk to his
fathers plantation, a short distance
through the country.
While walking through the coun-
try road he passed a clump of trees,
where the assassins were evidently
hidden. After he had gone about
twenty PAGES beyond the trees three
loads OF buckshot were hurled into
his back, Kidding him and causing
almost instant death. He was found
about an hour later by a nearby
farmer, who stated that he heard the
fatal shots.
BloOdhounds were secured and nut
on the trail, which they followed for
several miles, but which they lost in
the swamps, and since that time the
matter has been given over to the de-
tectlves. the arrest of the Holmes
being the first evidence of their work
Whether the death of DR.. Smith was
elimination of the feud or of
threats OF the bootleggers, whom he
prosecuted numerically, is not
ed known, but that the men who are
charged with the deed are only hired
assassins, and bore the physician nc
malice, Is the belief of the authori-
ties.
Brothers Make Denial.
Emphatic denials of the charges
were made by the two brothrs yes
terday.
Il run little blacksmith shop at
warren" stated Clancy Holmes, "and
was busy in there at the time thew
say that DR.. Smith was killed. Yes
my little boy was with me WORKING
about the shop. It was near around
dinner time when they say he was
shop"
Continuing he stated he had no
grudge against the physician and
that he was only slightly acquainted
with him.
never did any work for him :"
ne continued, land he never did any
work for me. l just knew him from
passing. and that's all. / doubt If
Bossy ever saw him and knew him
at the time
Bossy lay stretched out on bunk
In the cell, asleep. worn out with
the long nights vigil He is a sickly-
looking child and rather small for
his age.
Bonnie Holmes stated that he did
not even know the physician, al
though he had seen him several times
he said that at the time of the shoot
ing ne was blowing in his field. and