The Ouachita Telegraph - James S. Grayson Murdered

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




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The Ouachita Telegraph
March 31, 1869
Page 3, Column 1

  ROBBERY AND MURDER.  Again are we called upon to chronicle another foul
deed.
  On Monday night week, was perpetrated the murder of James S. Grayson, near
the residence of Capt. Crosley on the west side of the Ouachita river, by
some party or parties unknown.  Mr. Grayson, the unfortunate victim, was
found about 8 o'clock lying upon the public highway, struck senseless by a
brick-bat, and conveyed to the residence of his father-in-law, John H.
Noble, where he died on Tuesday night about 9 o'clock, having remained after
the committal of the assault till his death utterly unconscious.
  He was robbed of his pistol and money by the perpetrators of the deed,
whose motive was plunder.  No one saw the deed.  The evidence, criminating
the perpetrators, is so far entirely circumstantial.  Two arrests of
soldiers in the camp here were made, and examination had before Robert Ray,
Parish Judge, last week, the result of which was the committment for trial
of John Phelps, one of the parties charged with the murder, while the other,
a young man, names Bishop, was discharged.  In the meantime Eugene Rury was
arresteed upon the affidavit of Major Webb, and is now in jail, awaiting his
examination.  Circumstantial evidence strongly points to these as the
guilty parties.  We hope that the perpetrators of this outrageous murder
will be ferreted out and brought to condign (sic) punishment.
  James S. Grayson, the victim, was respectably connected with some of the
most influential families here, and was altogether a most upright and
inoffensive citizen.  His death is lamented deeply by all who were
acquainted with him.
  While we would make no comments which, would cast unmerited stigma upon
those not justly implicated, we sincerely hope that the authors of the foul
deed may be brought to answer with their lives for the crime.
  It is but an act of justice to Major Webb, the commandant of this post, to
say that he has furnished every facility in his power to ascertain the
authors of this crime, that justice might be meted out to the guilty parties.

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