Franklin County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Shelton, Marshall September 29, 1869

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Lora Peppers loradpeppers@hotmail.com August 14, 2006, 6:01 pm

Ouachita Telegraph (Monroe, LA) October 9, 1869
Ouachita Telegraph

Saturday, October 9, 1869

Page 2, Column 2

Homicide in Franklin Parish

	A young man named Marshall Shelton was killed on the 29th ult., in 

Franklin parish, by Lieut. R. Vance, U.S.A.  We condense from the Sun as 

follows:

	On the night previous to the homicide, Lieut. Vance was sitting in his 

tent, with two or three citizens, playing cards.  Two shots were fired near the 

tent, the balls entering the tent and one of them passing near one of the 

party.  Vance went to a neighboring saloon immediately, and there learned young 

Shelton had left about ten minutes before.  Next morning about 8 o'clock, 

Shelton came riding into Winnsboro, where Lieut. Vance is stationed, in company 

with two other persons.  When near the Lieutenant's tent, which it appears was 

stretched near their road, the three were thrice ordered to halt, which they 

did, when the Lieutenant fired one barrel of a double-barreled shot-gun at 

Shelton, the contents taking effect in his side.  He fell from his horse, and 

the two other men rode on.  The manner and circumstances of the killing, these 

men give as above.  Lieut. Vance makes a statement to the effect that on the 

morning in question he was going a-fishing, and had supplied himself with a rod 

and the gun with which the killing was done.  Just as he reached the road, 

Shelton rode up, when he (Vance) halted, and seeing Shelton take hold of his 

pistol, he (Vance) fired.  One of the men with Shelton avers, however, that 

Shelton had both hands on his bridle reins, and that seeing Vance's movements, 

he exclaimed, "Don't shoot me; I've done nothing to you."

	Shelton survived between a quarter and half an hour.  He was 

respectably connected, and was 18 years of age on the day he was killed.  Vance 

was arrested, and was arraigned for trial, but the proceedings were suspended 

to await the action of the Grand Jury, which was then sitting.  The Sun closes 

its account by saying the editor had just learned the Grand Jury had found a 

true bill for murder against Lieut. Vance.  We refrain from commenting on the 

affair, not knowing the particulars sufficiently to enable us to form a 

satisfactory conclusion.  We trust, and believe, the people of Franklin will 

see the accused has a fair and full trial. 



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