Calcasieu War

Seven Persons Killed in the Affray--Two Suspects Arrested

Lake Charles, La August 4, 1891 ( Special)

The coroner and the deputy sheriffs returned tonight from the Bearhead settlement, in the northwest portion of Calcasieu Parish, where the shooting occured last Sunday. They were accompanied by three white men, G H Morris, Rufus Morton, and Olly Glosson who are now in jail here, charged with murder. There were seven men killed in the affray, namely; Old Man Swan, and Jesse Ward, white,  and Jesse Dyson and Andrew Ashworth,Owen Ashworth, Lee Perkins, and Marion Markle, mixed blood.

Jesse Dyson has had more or less criminal prosecutions against him in Louisiana and in Texas for several years past. About the middle of last week he struck and maltreated a white boy about 18 years old near the scene of Sunday's shooting. The same night a small party of mixed blooded men went to the log camp of where Austin Ashworth ordered Jesse Adams to leave the camp before sunrise. On Sunday morning Jesse Adams, with some of his white fellow laborer went to a saloon about a mile distant, where they found about the same number of mixed blooded young men, and inquired for whisky. Jesse Dyson came out of the saloon and told the white men he thought they came there not for whisky but to settle that fuss, at the same time saying that he was the best man there for that job, and placing his hand in his bosom. Then Jesse Adams shot Dyson in the head, Dyson falling and lying where he fell, for about sixteen hours, when he expired.

When Adams shot Dyson there was a regular battle for a few minutes, both parties using shotguns, rifles, and revolvers. In this affray Jesse Wade, Jesse Dyson, Lee Perkins, Andrew Ashworth, and Marion Markle were killed and two or more persons were wounded. The same afternoon a party of white men while reconnoitering the scene of the battle, Old man Swan and Owen Ashworth were killed. The prisoners came her voluntarily and were arrested after there arrival here.

Nov 2, 1857

Michigan Sentinel

Life iin The South West -Back Woods.—On the 12th of September, we.learn from  the Red River American, Claibome Hart and his son Cbarles, of Point Coupee Parish, called at the houses of Benson Wilburn and Jas. M. Wilburn, and warned them to leave under pain of death. The next day the bodies of Hart and his son were found riddled with buckshot.. On the 26th  Benton and James M. Wilburn, Jackson McGee and Bowie McGee were examined before Justice Evans, in Calcasieu Parish, and by him acquitted. A number of friends of the murdered men then seized them, and having first liberated James W. Wilburn, took the others across the Sabine river into Texas, where their bodies were soon afterward found, riddled with balls.

NEW STORIES START HERE

Body is Found In Ruins Of Burned House SULPHUR - A body, believed to be that of a woman, was found in a home destroyed by fire one mile north of the Ward 6 Park, early this morning, according to the Caltcasieu Parish sheriff's department. Identification of the victim and home were not known at press time by the department. Dr. John Brooks, deputy parish coroner, was en route to the scene. Deputies arrived at the scene after the house was in ruins, according to the department. Oct 22, 1965 Lake Charles American

Jennings Man Dies in Drilling Rig Accident JENNINGS - Wilbert Duplechain, 38, of Jennings was fatally injured Thursday morning when a heavy object fell on him from a drilling rig in the Baton Rouge area. Duplechain received a crushed chest in the accident. He was employed as a roughneck by Books Well Service. Oct 22, 1965 Lake Charles American

The bodies of two Lake Charles brothers who drowned Easter Sunday afternoon in the Calcasieu river above here were recovered by Calcasieu parish Sheriff's deputies at 8:30 a.m. today. The drowning victims were identified as O. A. Willett, 25, and George F. Willett, 37, both of 2522 Hagan street. Sheriff Henry A. Reid's report said the brothers drowned at about 3 p.m Sunday when an overloaded 12-foot boat, containing five people, sank in the river. Scene of the Easter tragedy was at Old Town Bay near Romero's camp, the sheriff's report said. Others in the small craft, were listed as James Langley, 2105 Walker street. West Lake; and L. Langley, 4, and J. LeFleur, 15, both of the West Lake address. The sheriff ' s report quoted Langley as saying the boat's front , end went under while the craft was under power and sank. Langley said he swam to shore jwith the four-year-old boy when the boat sank. Sheriff Reid noted that the boat  powered by a 15 horsepower outboard motor, was not registered with the state and did not contain life preservers. The Easter mishap resulted in the first boating fatalities in tha Lake Charles area since 1959, according to the Calcasieu Area Safety council. Last year there were five water fatalities, all of them swimmers. In 1960 six persons drowned while swimming and there was one boating fatality in the Sabine river area. Lake Charles American Press Apr 23, 1962

Retribution

 Paulin C. Lebleu has at last met his fate. Ho was one of the most daring violators of the law known. At once wealthy, accomplished and cold-blooded, all these advantages were turned into engines to wrong his fellow-creatures. He shot this man, seduced that woman, and owing to the corruption of the judiciary he always escaped the penalty. On Monday, ]3th September, he met his fate. The New Orleans Bulletin thus relates the catastrophe: On Monday, the 13th instant, the District Court commenced its regular session at Lake Charles, the scat of justice in the parish of Calcasieu. Everything about town indicated that a deep under-current was at work for some purpose unknown to strangers; tor the western wing of the hotel displayed in fine order and in good keeping many double-barreled guns, pistols and bowie-knives. Like instruments of warfare were also conspicuously visible in the court-room. Things remained in that state until Wednesday morning, at which time Paulin C. Lebleu, coming in from the- country, rode up to the rack of the hotel, descended from his mule and started towards the house with a pair of heavy dragoon pistols across his left arm, besides a repeater and a bowie- knife in his belt. He had almost reached the stops of the west wing of the hotel when he was shot from the front of the very same steps four different times by a man named Eugene Foux and several others, who had all been the victims of the lust and other depravities of Lebleu. Each discharge was deadly. His right.arm was awfully mangled; four buckshot's penetrating through his neck? one through his right breast, one through the lower part of his abdomen, and the balance as he turned from the first fire, took effect in his shoulders and it appears that he received thirty five to forty buckshots the most vital portions of his persons; Lebleu expired most instantltv.. and thus closed the life of one whose earthly career has been stained with blood and hate, all of which could have been prevented if those entrusted with the administration of justice in that parish had only performed their duty fearlessly and regardless of consequencesFrank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, (New York, NY) Saturday, October 30, 1858. .: ...

CALCASIEU CONVICTS. Deputy Sheriff Lyons and Spedal Deputy Sheriff B. A Hennlngs, Of Lake Charles, Calcasieu parish, arrived In. the city yesterday, having in custody four convicts destined for the state penitentia- ry, at Baton Rouge. The prisoners are O. B. Clark, white, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to 12 years In the state penitentiary; John Williams, white, convicted of horse stealing, and sentenced to 4 years; Fred Goss, colored, convicted of petty larceny, and sentenced to 2 years, and George Davis, colored, convicted of forgery, and sentenced to 2 years. The prisoners were locked up In the parish prison here for safe keeping, and will this morning be taken to their destination via the Mississippi Valley Railroad train. The Daily Picayune, (New Orleans, LA) Thursday, March 30, 1899; Issue 65; col G