The Ouachita Telegraph - Larrie Armstrong Kills Wyatte Foster in Pistol Duel Date: Oct. 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ************************************************ The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, July 18, 1879 Page 1, Column 4 BLOODY HAND TO HAND AFFRAY. [DeSoto Democrat.] It is our painful duty to chronicle one of the saddest events that has ever occurred in DeSoto parish. A few weeks ago, as we are informed, at a party in Pleasant ill, Mr. Larrie Armstrong, a son of ex-State Senator, R.L. Armstrong, met a Miss Foster, daughter of Prof. Josh Foster of that place, and because of some real or imaginary slight on the party of Miss Foster, Mr. Larrie Armstrong, who was doubtless under the influence of liquor at the time, grossly insulted the young lady upon the ball room floor. Mr. Wyatte Foster, a brother of the young lady, was absent at the time, but on Saturday last he returned home, and upon hearing the circumstances, on the following morning he wrote Mr. Larrie Armstrong a note demanding an explanation; Mr. A. replied by writing on the back of Foster’s note that he (Armstrong) could be found at his house. On the same evening, (Sunday last) while Mr. Armstrong was out walking with one or more young ladies he met Foster, who refused to speak to Armstrong, whereupon Armstrong told Foster that he would see him in town in a few minutes. Foster walked down town and took a seat on the gallery in front of Mr. Gooch’s store. Shortly afterwards Mr. Armstrong, having escorted the young ladies home, approached Mr. Foster and remarked that he was ready, and both parties stepped off the gallery and drew their pistols and began firing at each other; the evidence being conflicting in regard to who fired the first shot, but most of the witnesses say that Mr. Armstrong fired first. They were so close that their pistols lapped and each party would knock the other’s pistol up with his own, and by this means several shots were fired without effect. Foster having emptied his pistol turned hs back to Armstrong and began to walk off, replacing the cartridges in his pistol at the same time, he stumbled and fell over a plank, when Armstrong rushed upon him and stabbed him in the back with a gimlet dirk, inflicting a mortal wound. Foster rose and clubbing his pistol struck Armstrong over the head several times; Armstrong drew another pistol and fired two more shots, one of which took effect near the heart and Foster sank to the ground, and expired in a few minutes. His mother who resided near by, reached him before he died and he recognized and spoke to her, which was the only word he uttered after the shooting. After the killing Armstrong, walked towards his residence, and Hon. R.L. Armstrong, who is a skillful physician, went to the scene of the affray to do what he could for Foster, but his services were of no avail. It is said that Armstrong was wounded in three places, once in the left side, once in the right shoulder and once in the left wrist, but they are all doubtless very slight, as the officers have been unable to effect his arrest. The people of Pleasant Hill were very negligent of their duty in not at once taking Mr. Armstrong into custody, for there was no necessity for a warrant, and every man present could act as an officer. Justice John Robinson issued a warrant as soon as the facts became known to him, and put it in the hands of Constable Webster, but at the time of this writing no arrest has been made. Both parties are of the best families in this part of the State, and have large and influential connections. P.S. - Since the above was put in type, Constable Webster has returned, and reports that he followed Armstrong to the Sabine river, and that he crossed into Texas. If he is wounded at all, it is only very slightly. NOTE: In the same issue, Page 2, Column 3, relates that Armstrong was captured in Corsicana Texas. # # #