Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-04-22


logger by the name OF ]. A. Smith
on shanty-boat, severai miles below
St. Joseph. Smith was Immediately
killed by Albert Bondurant, Jr., also
deputy sheriff, who was with Depu-
ty Clark when making the arrest
The shanty boat, on which Smith
and his wife lived, was moored to
some willows, some distance from
the shore, at point near where the
government fleet is stationed, about
three miles below town. Smith was
a member of civil service and had
been in the employ OF the govern
ment fleet as an operator of steam
shovel, but because of dissipation had
been suspended from duty. Pending
reinstatement he was living on his
boat near the fleet and was said to
be selling whiskey.
Saturday night Smith was drunk
and attacked Mr.. Friend, clerk on the
OLE, Mr.. Friend proving the stronger
of the two, whereupon Smith jerked
out his revolver and shot at his antag-
onist, the bullet passing under Mr..
Friends arm but not Touching him.
Smith was Immediately disarmed and
sent back to his boat, and. later the
sheriff at st. Joseph was phoned to
come down and arrest him. In COM
pliance with this request deputies
Clark and Bondurant went down to
the fleet next morning and proceeded
to the shanty-boat, a negro employed
on the fleet rowing them over in a
skiff. The two officers boarded the
boat and entered. The interior Of the
boat is divided into TWO comparts
ments, the front being the living
room and rear the bedroom. Smith
was undressed, when the officers en-
tered and Immediately sprang up from
the bed on which he was laying, grab
bing his Winchester pump-gun as
he rose. Mr.. Clark said, "Don't do
that, am an officer" Smith made no
reply but with lightning rapiditz rails
ed the gun and fired q load Of buck
shot into Mr.. Clark's breast, tear
ing frightful hole and ranging down.
ward, supposedly passing through the
heart, causing instant death, Mr.. Clark
never firing his pistol. Deputy Bon
durant was Immediately behind Mr..
Clark, indeed as near to his side as the
small doorway would permit, and as
Smith fired at Clark Bondurant let
him have two barrels Of his improved
Smith & We3son 3s. The first ball
caught Smith about an inch below the
left nipple and penetrated the heart.
There is some speculation as to wheth-
er the second shot took effect. SmKh's
body contained two bullet holes, one
over the heart, certainy the first shot,
and the other in the right side, latter
being the more CHASTITY wound and
causing considerable hemorrhage,
Smith also died instantly.
Town Greatly Excited.
The news was phoned to st. Jo-
seph that trouble had occurred at
the government fleet and that depu-
ty sheriff Clark had been killed. No
further particulars could be had and
the. town was thrown into fury
of excitement, the impression being
that a riot had taken place, it was
feared between whites and blacks.
The town turned out almost to a
man with every imaginable firearm
and every car within reach was re-
questioned into service and almost
an army Of men rushed to the scene
Of the conflict, and it was not until
the rescuers arrived on the grounds
were the true facts known.
A skiff containing DR.. L. A. Muir
dock, the parish coroner, and several
others, went to the shanty boat and
brought the remains of the dead Of
ficial to shore and later the shanty-
boat was pulled into the levee. The
coroner impaneled q jury, consisting
of F. Spruill, G. A. Steen, Josiah p
Scott, J. d. Wilson and J. B. Walk
er, and an inquest over each Of the
bodies was held, the jury exhoner'
ating officer Bondurant in Staying
the murderer Of officer Clark and
praising the dead officer for fear
lessness in performing his duty al
the cost of his life.
N. H.. Clark was about II years OF
age and has been deputy sheriff
since 1905, during the entire admin
istration Of Sheriff John Hughes
He was born in Kentucky but wa
reared at Rodney, in jefferson county
Miss. He came to Tensas parish II
1880 and was several years later mar
ried to Miss India Wilcox of Rodney
| He is survived by his widow and tw'
sons, w. Howard Clark and Gray
SON J. Clark, both Of this State. ant
one daughter, Katie, wife Of c. D
BrieAam, u xsmphis.
The femains wsrs tAksn - Nas