The Ouachita Telegraph - Deck Sweeper Shoots Roustabout on Ouachita Belle 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 Saturday, April 22, 1871 Page 3, Column 1 A colored roustabout on the Ouachita Belle, was shot in the head and instantly killed by the deck-sweeper, a white boy, on the last down trip of that boat. The killing occurred in Arkansas. The body of the roustabout was brought to this place and an inquest held. It appears that a few minutes previous to the killing, the negro had quarreled with and coarsely abused the boy, who, enraged at the repetition, got his pistol and shot the negro as he sat playing a game of cards in the engine-room of the boat. The negro held three cards in his hand at his death. The boy got off the boat boat (sic) at Ouachita City. # # #