Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-05-13

trary, she was q married woman, 9
Mrs. Nichols. While visiting the fam.
lily Of General Liddell, flying rumors
reached her ears that Col. Jones had
been making disparagfng remarks
about her, indeed had publicly as
sailed her chastity. Her husband,
Philip Nichols, was a weak and
inoffensive poltroon, who had nos
sufficient courage to resent such an
assault upon his wife's virtue. She
was then driven to the dernier resort
Of personally avenging her assailed
honor.
She appealed to General Liddell
to accompany her to the residence
Of Col. Jones. With the innate sense
Of chivalry characteristic Of the man,
he readily. acquiesced. Any one ac-
quainted with the character of Gen.
eral Liddell, (himself q man sans
peur ct sans reproche) will indig-
nantly repel the innuendo even that
he would have accompanied, much
less permitted her to remain as q
guest under his roof, had there been
any foundation for the assaults of
Col. Jones. At any rate, he accom-
panied her. She had armed herself
and when they arrived at the resi-
dence Of Col. Jones she called him
to the front gate and without any
ceremony, shot him. The wound was
not serious and he soon recovered.
His contention that Liddell shot him,
instead Of Mrs. Nichols, was the orr
gin Of the bloody feud.
Six lives were sacrificed from
inception to termination. Virgins
and Glenn, rather too officious
friends Of Jones, were the first
victims, they being killed before the
civil war. The adherents of Jones
charged their death to Liddell, either
personally or by procuration. He
was indicted, tried and acquitted.
Well do we remember that every
man on Tensas and Sicily Island
able to bear arms, shouldered his
sh0t gun or squirrel rife, and
went to Harrisonburg, not to in
nuence the jury in its verdict.
but to be prepared to overawe and
thwart any sttempt to assassinate
Liddell by Jones and his friends, as
it was conceived that he had only
been indicted to get him away from
his base Of operations for the pur-
pose.
The feud slumhered during the
civil war, Liddell being in the Con-
federate army the entire time, first
as an aid-de-camp on the staff Of
General Hardee and subsequently,
a Brigadier General.
It was reopened afterwards in this
wise: General Lidden attempted to
retrieve his fallen fortunes by rails
ing cotton with free negroes. He was
at first unsuccessful and surrendered
his property in bankruptcy. He then
leased it and raised two or three good
crops ~ remunerative prices and
was negotiating with the owners for
the purchase Of Llanada, when the
was conveyed to him that
Col. Jones was endeavoring to fore
stall him in the purchase. He then
wrote him q note substantially to
the effect, that II would not be
healthy for him to buy the graves Of
his wife and children.
Jones then concluded that he could
not safely continue his negotiations
for the purchase of the plantation
while General Liddell was living. So
he waited patiently for a favorable
opportunity. Liddells trip to New
Orleans was the first that presented
itself. He would not board the boat
at his own landing thinking that Lid
dell would be on the qui vive and
be in better position to defend him.
self against his contemplated assault.
Thus throwing him off his guard, he
boarded the boat five miles below
and successfully executed his pre-
arranged scheme Of assassination.
We believe there are only two Of
the children of General Liddell now
living. Bette, for more than thirty
years the wife Of Col. Wade r.
Young, and volney, both residents
Of Natehez, Miss. NJ. ]. Liddell was
appointed Chief Justice Of the terri
tory Of Montana by President Cleve-
land during his first administration
and died there after it was admitted
to statehood.
He has left, however, q number Of
grandchildren, one Of whom bears
his honored name, st. John R. Lid
dell. all Of whom are taught 10 re-
we're his memory and. execrate the
Jones in the same ratio.