The Caucasian., 1913-07-20
4 Blood Curdling Record.

lions III shreveport Ill 151Sit 49,
but the one or two who nave beeh
aDprehended and tried have escaped
from the clutches of justice.
As a reminder which may be OF
interest is here mentioned the as
sassination Of May Smith. Thls
crime was fiendish. The woman was
asleep when murdered with an ak.
And we may recall the assasslna-
ton of Mrs. Matthews, most es-
timable lady, who was murdered
with an ak at her home, IN Wmcn
there were several occupants.
OF the victims Of the assassin
there was Harry Avis. He was not
given chance for his life.
And there was old man Fuchs
who was felled with a fence picket
as he was going home. The assassin
finished him with the picket.
And there was the old German
woman who was found lifeless near
the Greenwood cemetery. She was
murderg and robbed Of her saw
ings. >
And to this record Of blood may
he inscribed the name OF George,
the Assyrian peddler, a harmless
man, and there are others, otnef
victims of assassins, all OF Whom
have escaped and have shroudedd.
themselves in mystery, M
II has been reported in the locaf
press that the assassination OF John
Gossiot, the dairyman, is the foulest
crime of record in Gaddo Parish.
This is an exaggeration. It could
not have been more brutal than the
assassination Of. G. Barefield, VINO
Vas found lifeless in the basement
of the court house, the Temple OF
Justice. which was presumably sale
from the Intrusion Of an assassin III
fhe glorious sunlight of a Sabbath
day. Nor was Gossiot's assasslna-
ton more aggravated than George
Hanson's, who after having been as
saulted into Inconsistencies was
put in buggy, driven to Douglas
Island, and there finished fiendlsf1iy,
his head and face had been beaten
almost into pulp. In the Hanson
case the motive was Jealousy
In Barefeld's case it was robbery.
In Gossiot's case the motive ap-
parently was revengse.
In several of the assass1natloas
mentioned there were arrests OF
negroes, who after having been held
in Jail, were released as they We're
proven to be innocent OF the CRIME te
charged against them.
IN the case Of Barefeld as in 9TH
ers rewards were offered, but Of no
avail. In the#case Of Barefield q de-
tectiye from one Of the best agenl-
cies in the United States and classed
as sleuth Of the first class, spent
probably ten days or two weeks II
Shreveport, but failed to develop q
single clue.
1t may be remarked that in every
assassination, the ak, a club or some
noiseless instrument has been the
weapon of death. In the assasslna-
ton of Gossiot a single barrel gun
loaded with 22-calibre bullets was
the weapon, and it was discharged
by an individual who was thorough
II familiar with the habits of the
victim.
In recalling this record Of crime
the purpose is to awaken the law
abiding citizens to a condition
which, if unchecked, will soon be as
it was in Tangipahoa where law
lessness had full sway This defiance
of law in Tangipahoa was due to
the laxity Of law enforcement and
to the neglect and the failure Of
good citizens in their duty as jurors,
There was exercised too much
maudlin sentiment for the criminals
who escaped on frivolous pleading,
until there was reached the limit
when the citizens became self-as-
sertiye. AS a result, law and order
have triumphed over chaos and the
assassin and the murderer instead
Of Haunting their defiance and IN
timidation at law and justice, are
held to account, convicted and given
The limit fixed for their crimes.
After all, crime IS encouraged
through the Indifference Of the citi-
zen, the maudlin sentimentality ot
jurors and the ridiculous pleas and
technicalities which operate in the
release OF the criminal, with hands
reeking with the blood Of his vic
tim.
The essential need in Gaddo Par
ish is greater vigilance and the
speediest course in dealing with
blood stained criminals, and there
must also be fixed q higher stand