The Ouachita Telegraph - Double Homicide at Vienna Date: May 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** *********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph March 16, 1872 Page 2, Column 3 DOUBLE HOMICIDE AT VIENNA! Two Leading Citizens Killed. Two strolling dancing masters, named Peace and Whatley, have recently been teaching dancing in Jackson parish. They were closing a school at Vienna, and were there on the 12th for that purpose. Dr. Jackson kept a drug store in the place. We learn that a young man of the vicinity, on the evening named, after becoming partially intoxicated, went to Dr. Jackson's store, with Peace, and became unpleasantly boisterous. He was told by the Doctor to get out of the house with his noise, at which the intruder became offended, and made some remark, to which the Doctor replied. Peace was present and spoke up, saying something to the Doctor, which caused him to ask Peace, "Do you take it up?" The party had now reached the front gallery, where, it appears, Mr. John Huey, Jr., and Whatley, Peace's partner, were at the time standing. Some words, or demonstrations, led Mr. Huey to step forward in the direction of Dr. Jackson's back, and say, "Fighting is the game is it?" Whatley said, "No, but it's pistols," and at once fired upon Huey, discharging three shots into his breast and abdomen, causing his death instantly. Peace simultaneously shot Dr. Jackson through the left arm, the ball entering his side and passing through his chest. One, or the other of the two men, then shot Mr. Hedgepeth, who came up, attracted by the shooting, hitting him in the thighs, and it is thought, inflicting a mortal wound. Dr. Jackson, after being shot, stepped back into his store, and reached the back room, where he fell over on a bed in the room, saying, as he fell, "I am dead!" A gentleman named Colvin tried to arrest Whatley, and received several severe blows in the face from Whatley's empty repeater that compelled him to retire. Mr. Eugene Howard fired at the two as they ran off, but without effect. They ran to the hotel, procured fresh repeaters, saddled their horses, mounted and left. A short distance from town they met a young man, and compelled him to give up a pistol he had, and demanded his money, but he had none. The appeared in Vernon, 16 miles distant from Vienna, about bed-time. Peace had recently been married there to Mrs. Hammond. He called for her without dismounting from his horse, spoke a few words with her, got a pair of boots he had in the house, and left in what direction is not known. He and Whatley came to Vernon from Natchitoches, and had been, we are told, traveling previously in Texas, where one of them killed a man not very long ago. Dr. Jackson and Mr. Huey were among the best citizens of their parish. Dr. Jackson was a surgeon in the Confederate army, and had been practicing medicine since the war. Mr. Huey was one of the first settlers of Vienna, and was well known as the only hotel-keeper in the place for many years. He had, since the war, been giving his attention entirely to farming. He was a warm-hearted, frank and courteous gentleman who had hosts of friends. — Both gentlemen leave families, to whom this deplorable event brings an affliction sore and grievous indeed. The affair has cast a deep gloom over the entire parish, and has justly incensed its inhabitants to a high pitch against the murderers. A party set out from Vienna in pursuit of the men; and another, headed by Sheriff Huey, a cousin of the deceased of that name and who was raised by him and was deeply moved by the tragic death of his benefactor, left Vernon soon after Peace and Whatley left, pursuing the route the two men took. We anticipate bloody work if the men meet, as the pursuers and pursued are well armed, and the latter will fight for life, as well they may, for if caught we learn that Louisiana justice, as interpreted by courts and juries of late, will not be invoked in the case of these desperadoes. A correspondent at Vienna supplies us with the following description of the murderers: J.M. Peace is about thirty years of age; five feet seven inches high; dark complexion; black hair, eyes and mustache; has remarkably small feet, wears No. 2 * shoes; and has a contracted and bad countenance. W.R. Whatley is about twenty-three years of age; five feet eleven inches high; fair complexion; light hair and eyes; rather pleasant countenance; is a violinist. The Ouachita Telegraph March 23, 1872 Page 2, Column 2 THE VIENNA TRAGEDY! Pursuit of Peace and Whatley, Their Capture, and Killing of Whatley. Peace Taken from Jail and Lynched! The party, headed by Sheriff Huey, that went in pursuit of Peace and Whatley, the men who killed Dr. Jackson and Mr. John Huey, and mortally wounded Mr. Hedgepeth at Vienna, on the 12th, were not long in accomplishing the purpose of their hurried ride. They overtook the two fugitives at Clear Lake in Natchitoches parish, not far from Red River. Whatley had been to the ferryman, and was returning with him tot he ferry, when the Sheriff's posse rode in sight, but some 200 yards or more distant. The two men recognized their situation. They spurred their horses toward a fence, the only chance of escape, intending to leap it and get away. The horses refused to jump. They turned, then, drew their repeaters and came full speed in a charge upon the posse, firing as they came. Sheriff Huey and his men, numbering eight persons, began firing on the desperadoes as they advanced. Whatley fell from his horse, with a ball in the back of his head; Peace's horse was shot in the head and three other places, and fell with his rider who was then arrested. None of the posse were hurt; but Mr. Bernard was struck on the side with a ball, which was prevented from entering by a small pistol carried in his side pocket. We learn that Whatley was engaged to be married to a young lady in Jackson. At his death he requested, we learn; that his horse and pistols should be sent to his wife in Sabine parish. The party remained with Whatley until his death. Peace refusing to leave before, and then returned to Vernon with Pece under arrest. Peace was arraigned before Judge Graham; Gen. John Young and Capt. E.E. Kidd, prosecuting, and Gen. Henry Gray and Col. Richardson, of this place, defending. The trial continued two days, and resulted in Peace's commitment, on the charge of murder, to appear before the District Court in May. Wednesday night, at about half-past two o'clock, a party of twenty-five men appeared at the house of Sheriff Huey. They inquired for him; but he had left for a distant portion of the parish the evening before. They inquired of Mrs. Huey for Deputy-Sheriff Dickerson, who lived with Mr. Huey, and Mrs. Huey said he was not there. The men said they knew he was, and entered the house and finding Dickerson, got the key of the jail, and left two of their number to guard Dickerson. This gentleman says he saw distinctly, in the bright moon-light, the faces of at least twelve men, and did not recognize one. The two men who guarded him were wholly unknown to him. The party then proceeded, it is supposed, to the jail, which was not guarded. Pece was confined on the second floor, with a negro man in the room below. A shoemaker living near heard a few screams. The negro heard some one ask for the rope, after the party had entered and left the jail. Peace's pantaloons, and hat were found in the jail next morning, and drops of blood on the floor and on the ground for some distance from the jail. An old negro woman saw a party of men ride out of the woods in rear of town just before day. Peace has disappeared from the jail in unwonted haste, and the supposition is that the confederate of Whatley has joined his comrade in another world. What a commentary upon the outlawed condition of the country, is this deplorable tragedy! Ten years ago such an occurrence was never heard of in this peaceful land. Now, we see four men killed, in the heart of a most tranquil region, a terrible crime and a swift retribution, within the period of ten days. Why is this? The good people of the last decade are good yet, but the bad men have the power and enjoy immunities, under our hybrid form of a government, that stimulate them to take life in their own hands. Who can censure us, if we charge all this wrong- doing, and bereavement upon the men now in power, and who have notoriously brought the laws into contempt and put a premium upon crime by permitting ignorance and depravity to control the administration of justice? We shudder at the taking of life — it is a terrible responsibility — but what are good men, women and children to do, when the protection of their government is but as pledges written on the sands of the sea-shore — when their rulers are corrupt, irresponsible and depraved? # # #