The Ouachita Telegraph - William Harris Charged With Murder of Ned Armstrong Date: Apr. 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph Saturday, December 24, 1870 Page 3, Column 1 Wm. Harris, colored, charged with the murder of Ned Armstrong, upon a preliminary trial before Judge Caldwell, was committed to jail to await trial before the District Court for the offence charged. The evidence was mainly circumstantial, but pretty strong. The Ouachita Telegraph Saturday, December 24, 1870 Page 3, Column 1 FOUL WORK UPON THE STREETS! A NEGRO MAN DISAPPEARS — SUPPOSED TO BE MURDERED. Ned Armstrong, a very harmless and industrious old colored man, has suddenly disappeared, and under very singular and mysterious circumstances, indicating that he has been the victim of murderous violence. Ned came to town Thursday, and remained until after dark. Not reaching home yesterday, inquiry was instituted to find out the cause. It appears that he fell in with a negro in town, names Wm. Harris (in the employ of F.P. Stubbs, Esq.,) and that Ned and Harris had a difficulty. The two were seen about half-past 8 o'clock, so it is stated by two other colored men, engaged in a dispute on the sidewalk adjoining Capt. Chamberlain's store, on the north. Precisely at this point, yesterday morning, a quantity of blood was discovered on the ground and on the bed of a small wagon by which the two were standing. Coupling these facts with Ned's disappearance, an affidavit was made against Harris for the murder of Ned, and he is now in jail. Harris denies killing Ned, but admits he was drinking Thursday evening and that his recollection of events is confused. It is possible Ned has not been killed, though such is the belief of those who know his habits, and with them the supposition is that his dead body was thrown into the river. Harris's guilt is, of course, dependent upon Ned's death, and is even then, from what we hear; partly circumstantial. We think it probable that Ned was seriously wounded, and, starting home, crept into some place for shelter and died from his injuries and exposure. — Since the foregoing was put in type, Ned's corpse has been found in Mr. Layton's field below town. There was an ugly flesh wound on the forehead and the pockets were turned. # # #