The Ouachita Telegraph - Agent Carter Murdered in Franklin Parish

Date: Mar. 2004
Submitted by: Lora Peppers <lpeppers@ouachita.lib.la.us>


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The Ouachita Telegraph
December 5, 1867
Page 2, Column 4

  FRANKLIN PARISH.  The killing of Mr. Carter by some unknown person in
Franklin parish, coupled with the fact that he was an assistant assessor of
internal revenue, has given rise to grave charges against the general
character of public morals and politics in that parish.  Doubtless, Franklin
has her share of irresponsible, desperate men  the debris of a long and
cruel war  and possibly, from the location of the parish, more than her
share; but we are unwilling to believe that there are not enough of good
citizens there to maintain the supremacy of the government, and to enforce
salutary legal discipline.  Mr. Carter's being a federal official had not,
we imagine, anything to do with his murder.  It is much more reasonable to
suppose that like other rash and high tempered men, as he is said to have
been, he aroused the anger of his murderers who, to obtain revenge or to
quiet their fears, assassinated Mr. Carter in cold blood rather than meet
him openly in a fair encounter.  For such characters we have not the least
sympathy  anything the military forces may do to them to end their career,
not positively inhuman, we are at perfect liberty to sanction  but to call
down odium and grevious burdens upon an entire parish on their account is
neither just nor generous.  Let the guilty be punished, but do not spread a
net which shall entangle the innocent and guilty alike.

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