Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-04-29
A. DENIAL.

Some time subsequent to the
killing Of Mr.. Frank Dudley, the
old fisheran who lived alone, on the
Bowie Tract, on Lake Bruen, and
whose body was found in his yard,
perhaps several days after commits
sion Of crime, it was reported to the
Gazette that a Mississippi paper,
supposedly one published at Vicks-
burg, contained an article criticising
the police Of Tensas parish for seem |
ing apathy in hunting down the MUIR
derers Of this peaceful old man.
Unfortunately the Gazette was un-
able to see the article in question and
has not been able to ascertain what
paper contained it. The most spe-
cific information we have secured
is that it was published In Vicks-
burg paper, but what paper and what
date we have been unable to learn.
This we regret, as we would have
preferred addressing this article Is
. communication to that paper, in
stead Of publishing in the Gazette,
where it cannot be seen by as many
readers a. Il it appeared in q con-
temporary Of greater circulation.
We wish to state that the Off
cials Of Tensas parish are entirely
undeserving Of the criticism said to
be contained in the article referred
to, and the writer Of that article was
misinformed when stating that the
sheriff's office Of This parish had
been neglectful in performance Of
its duty in running down the perpe-
traitors Of this fiendish deed. The
sheriff with corps Of deputies has
been at work on the case from the
day the crime was reported, but has
not heralded his approach nor ad-
vertised his itinery in persuit of the
criminals. Quietly and unosten-
taciously the sheriffs force has
been persisEently ut work and We
are pleased to announce that they
feel confident that the murderer is
now behind the bars. Four arrest,
have been made, two negroes, john,
Benton and Robert Keyton, were
caught in Madison parish, Sheriff
Hughes arresting them in person,
with assistance Of an officer of thai
parish, and Albert Warner and Hosi.
Pryor, were arrested in this parish
It ID believed that Robert Keyton /,
the principal to the crime, the on,
who dealt the fatal blow, and will
one or all Of the others a aceesso
rjss.
The Gazette win ask its VicksburI
contemporaries to copy this article
~ we wish to emphas1cally contra
dict any statement that might b,
made. orally or verbally, that the of
ficers Of Tensas parish are eve
negligent Of duty or thax lack O
social standing or political or finan
cial influence Of the injured part,
could deter them in the enforcement
Of Justice. Tensas parrish possesse
. cotsrie Of officials quite the equa
in intelligence and personal courag,
and fidelity to duty Of any set o
men in similar positions any where il
the world, and we wish It known tina
no crime committed in xhis parish
overlooked and the perpetrators al
lowed to escape where It possible +
secure sufficient evidence to justif
arrest.
We cannot deny thsE crime ha
been committed ip Tensas within il
history where the offenders wer
fortunate in escaping justice, bu
this il true Of any place, for III
criminal always has the advantag
Of the law, for he generally know
the officers and is ever on the alel
to elude them, while the officers hav
to discover q clue and follow it nj
But we do say, and with decide
emphasis, that the record Of the p,
lice force Of Tensas parish, in ferre
ing out crime and bringing the Grim
nal to justice, is quite a. good a. tn,
Of any other section, no matter whel
located.