Catahoula County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Wiggins, Moses June 26, 1852
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Mississippi Free Trader (Natchez, MS), July 21, 1852
(Reported for the Free Trader.)
The Catahoula Homicide
	Believing that a public journal, more especially when private character 
is at stake, should give publicity only to facts, we have forborne to copy the 
various erroneous statements of the late occurrences on Black River.  Now, that 
a court of inquiry has investigated the charge against Major St. John R. 
Liddell, we will endeavor to give a synopsis of the facts.
	In 1848, Charles Jones, residing on Black River, about for miles below 
Major Liddell, was seriously wounded by a lady whose character he had 
assailed.  Liddell, at the request of Jones and his wife, was present at the 
latter's residence when this occurred, and was charged by Jones with firing one 
of the shots which took effect upon him.  This was denied by Liddell, and by 
the only other person who could have known who fired.  After an absence of four 
years from his plantation, Jones, in April last, returned.  He found the 
neighborhood in peace, but in the language of a witness, his return was like 
casting a firebrand into the quiet community.  He brought with him one Richard 
Pryor, sometimes called Col. Pryor, a noted black-leg, without means or 
character.  In a short time, on the day of an election at Trinity, at which 
Liddell was present, Jones, Pryor, and one Samuel Smith, a nephew of Jones, 
were known to have been standing behind trees in the woods, near the road side, 
at place convenient for intercepting Liddell on his return.  An accident 
disturbed them before Liddell made his appearance.  The impression became 
general that assassination had been contemplated.  Jones denied it, but made 
contradictory explanations of the very strong circumstances which bore against 
him.  From that day forward it became apparent that Liddell's life was in 
danger.  Warned by his friends, and anxious to settle all difficulties, he, 
through those friends, on three different occasions, proposed to Jones a 
peaceable settlement, and if that were impossible, then an honorable combat.  
Jones declined both.  His refusal to accept either impressed even his friends 
with the belief that he intended to take some dishonorable advantage of 
Liddell ; one of them, indeed, exacted from him a pledge that he would not ; 
others refused him any further countenance in the matter.  He was enabled 
however, in a short time to enlist in his behalf several dangerous men in the 
neighborhood, (among them Samuel Glenn,) all of whom became identified with him 
in his hostility to Liddell.  The latter by the State's evidence proven to be a 
gentleman, peacable and retiring in his habits, devoted to his family and the 
management of his plantation, found it necessary to remain constantly at home, 
with three or four friends, who visited him for the purpose of protecting him 
against the superior force of his enemies.  By the same evidence he uttered no 
threats, but preserved a defensive attitude.  In May, Liddell, in front of his 
house, disarmed a white servant of one of Jones' friends.  This was done after 
the master had been requested to cause his servant to cease carrying and firing 
arms near Liddell's premises: - The course of the servant having annoyed 
Liddell and alarmed his family.  The result was an insulting letter from the 
master and a challenge from Liddell.  The challenge was accepted.  Glenn and 
Pryor, then hostile to Liddell, were designated as seconds of the acceptor.  
They proposed a fight three miles within the Texas line, on the Ft. Jessup 
road, dictated the time at which Liddell should leave home, and that only 
principals, seconds, surgeons and a servant apice, should be present.  To 
accomplish the distance, in time but one road could be travelled.  The terms 
were thought to be unusual, and as no terms would be agreed upon by Glenn, 
Liddell, under the advice of friends, declined them, by letter, as an evasion 
of a fair fight, and intimated the belief that he would be intercepted on the 
route.  The acceptor thereupon threatened (to use his own language) "to take 
him (Liddell) wherever he could find him," and announced soon after that he had 
released Jones from the pledge he had exacted, as before stated.  Such was the 
proof.
	About the first of June, Jones, with his friends, Pryor, Smith, Glenn, 
Henry and Samuel Huntington, and Doct. Emerson, made his appearance on the 
streets of Trinity.  Most of the party were armed with double barreled shot 
guns and all with side arms, and Pryor, after threatening in a loud tone of 
voice, (to use his own language,) "to blow the top off the head of any fighting 
friend of Liddell's who would show himself," proposed in the same public 
manner, to bet one thousand dollars, and to give a premium of one hundred 
dollars to any one who would take the bet, that Liddell would not be alive 
twelve months, or if he should be, it would be because he fled the country, and 
he would be a fool if he did not  flee ; and that if Liddell knew as much as 
he, Pryor, did, he would leave at once.  At this time a skiff coming from the 
direction of Liddell's house, was approached and watched by three of the party 
until they ascertained that Liddell was not in it.  On the same or the next 
day, the same party, excepting Glenn armed as before, were seen in the woods 
near the rear of Liddell's field apparently watching the negroes and the father 
of Liddell who was with them.  Two of the party, who were witnesses for the 
State, testified that they went by the field piloting Jones through the woods 
in order to avoid the sun, and that they approached the field unawares.  About 
this period of time Glenn, in speaking to a witness of the Huntington matter, 
remarked of Liddell, "we have got the drop upon him now, and some one of the 
party will be bound to take him before long," and that "if Charles Jones or 
Huntington was killed, Liddell had better leave the country.  He had remarked 
previous to Jones' return, that "Charley Jones was coming back to Black River, 
and might do as he pleased about making up the difficulty with Liddell, but he 
(Glen) would be d—d if he would make it up."  Glenn's determined hostility to 
Liddell was fully proven as well as his character of executor of Jones' 
schemes.  Court met in Harrisonburg on the second Monday in June, yet the Grand 
Jury did nothing effectual in regard to the hostile and unlawful conduct of 
Jones and his friends.  It is true that Jones was indicted for drawing a pistol 
on an unarmed friend of Liddell in Trinity, yet he has not been arrested.
	During the term of court Glenn proposed to a witness to join the Jones 
party, and remarked that they "could then go down and take Liddell and his 
friends.  That it would be necessary to go to Liddell's house as he would not 
leave it, and had forted it."  Jones with his friends, armed with guns, were 
seen several times passing by a road back of Liddell's plantation, and they had 
ceased to use the direct public road along Black River.  The death of Liddell 
was now anticipated by all.  On the 26th of June he was informed that Pryor and 
Glenn were in Trinity.  About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Liddell, who was in 
his field, discovered the buggy supposed to contain them approaching ; stepped 
from the field to the road-side, and called to them to stop.  No answer was 
returned, but the horse was urged forward.  Glenn was distinctly seen ; the 
other person in the buggy was hid by the top and side.  As they neared him 
Liddell fired.  How many shots were fired is not known.  Pryor was not known by 
Liddell.  Wiggins, who was mistaken for Pryor, fell from the carriage some 300 
yards from the place of firing.  The body of Glenn remained in the buggy until 
the horse stopped, at about one and a half mile from the place of firing.  The 
State introduced in proof a statement of Liddell's made to a friend, in which 
he acknowledged the killing, and further stated, "That Glenn was one of the 
leaders in the plots against him, and that having received erroneous 
information he mistook Wiggins for Pryor ; that he had been daily expecting to 
be assassinated at his own door, - had offered peace and it was declined – an 
honorable combat and it was denied him.  That he had then appealed to the laws 
to protect him, and they were ineffectual ; and he had been compelled to take 
the course he had in defence [sic] of his life.  That it would be hard, indeed, 
if the law which had not protected him should now claim to punish."  When 
informed that Wiggins, not Pryor, was killed, he expressed the deepest regret ; 
and at another time said with much emotion, that he would give his right arm to 
restore him to life.  There was no proof that Wiggins was shot after he fell, 
indeed circumstances as well as direct evidence clearly contradicted it.  A 
Bowie knife was found on Glenn's person, and three loaded pistols in an 
otherwise empty, and unlocked carpet bag at his feet.  The buggy had been 
purchased from Pryor, and Glenn was proven to have been at all times well armed.
	On the 29th of June the sheriff called upon Maj. Liddell with a 
warrant, and he surrendered himself at once.  The sheriff, although Liddell 
proposed to attend him to any place of trial the magistrate might designate, 
declined removing him, for fear of assassination, and left him on parol [sic], 
proposing to get the magistrate to attend at Liddell's house.  Objections to 
this were suggested by Liddell's attorney.  No terms were dictated to the 
sheriff, and no resistance was offered or thought of.  The sheriff failed to 
return on the day appointed.  In the meantime Maj. Liddell had written to the 
district Judge asking a trial.  A day was fixed, and guarded by his friends who 
were present to protect him, he met the sheriff and his posse at Trinity, and 
was by him conveyed to Harrisonburg.  There he came and went without the let or 
hindrance of the officers, who confided in his honor.  During the four days of 
trial, armed men summoned by the sheriff, guarded the court house – examined 
all who entered, lest arms should be introduced.  This was thought by the 
sheriff to be necessary, as threats had been made against counsel, and Jones 
had declared his intention to shoot the prisoner, even in the face of the 
court.  Bail was refused, and upon the application of the sheriff the prisoner 
was ordered to Concordia Parish for confinement.  Bringing with him the order 
for his imprisonment, unattended by an officer, he delivered himself to the 
sheriff of Concordia, and in the jail of that Parish awaits his trial.
	The above facts are susceptible of proof and are gathered from the 
evidence, letters of the parties and eye witnesses of the occurrences related. –
 Jones, to whose malignity these sad events are now ascribed, has once more 
left Black River ; but gloom has overspread that region of country.  The worst 
of bad passions have been aroused, and the tears of the widow and orphan, and 
the agony of the prisoner's afflicted family mark the track he has left behind 
him.


Additional Comments:
These are the opening shots of the famous Jones/Liddell Feud.

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