The Ouachita Telegraph - L. D. McLain Fatally Shoots C. McCullough Date: Oct 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph Saturday, January 13, 1883 Page 2, Column 1 KILLING OF C. McCULLOUGH. Testimony and verdict of Coroner’s Jury. We give below the particulars of the terrible tragedy that took place on Grand street opposite Keller’s saloon Wednesday evening as elicited before the Coroner’s Inquest and which resulted in the death of C. McCullough at the hands of L.D. McLain. McCullough was shot just above the right eye, the ball penetrating the brain and passing out at the back of the head. The weapon used was a Colts improved revolver – 45 calibre. The difficulty grew out of money matters. District Attorney Hudson arrived yesterday morning by hand car from Rayville to represent the State in the preliminary examination, which was begun after his arrival before Judge Richardson, sitting as committing magistrate, but his action taken in the matter had not been announced before closing our forms: MONROE, LA., January 10, 1883. Inquest held on body of c. McCullough in the City of Monroe, La., on the day and date above written: Jurors: -- Robt. C. Aby, C.C. Madden, W.F. Mitchell, Wm. Miller and Chas. B. Murphy. W.R. Moore sworn, says: Saw some one and thinks it was McLain, fire the shot at deceased. The deceased fell and McLain, or whoever it might have been walked away. Edward B. Sloan, sworn, says: I saw two gentlemen standing on the crossing and talking and the man that was shot came up and asked one of the two gentlemen for something, and one of them said I will give it to you some other time, or words to that import. There was soon a difficulty and the man shot was fighting and pressing on to the man who shot, he telling him to go away and let him alone, or something to that effect, when he shot him and walked away. The man shot fell and never spoke. John R. Hanna, sworn, says: I saw L.D. McLain and the deceased, C. McCullough, scuffling; McLain’s ht was off and McCullough was crowding him, McLain giving way from the middle of the street to the ditch, when McLain shot him and walked away. W.G. Dunn, sworn, says: I met McCullough this evening and he asked me where McLain was. I told him he was gone to lack Bayou. He said h wanted to see him. I told him we would walk up the street and perhaps we would meet him. We went as far as Dr. Sholars’ and I turned back. When I saw him again I had seen McLain, and he asked for him again. I told him McLain said he would be back there in a few minutes. He said he would go up the street and look for him and walked off. After some little time I went up the street and met Mr. McCullough and h said h had been told McLain had come down the street and said McLain was a damn big head fool with his money and that he did not intend to fool with him much longer. We walked together as far as Mr. Kelley’s saloon; he went in; McLain saw me and came out to me and said he wanted to see me and we walked out on the crossing, about midway in the street, perhaps further, and were talking on business, when McCullough walked up and asked McLain if he was going to pay that money. McLain said he would, but was very busy then, but if he would meet him at the bank in the morning at 9 o’clock, he would pay him. McCullough walked off to the other side of the street and turned around and told McLain he would carry the order back to Mr. Mitchner. McLain repeated again that he would pay him in the morning at 9 o’clock if he would meet him at the bank. McCullough said he would take it back to Mr. Mitchner; McLain said; “Well carry it back to him then.” McCullough said to McLain: “You are acting the damn rascal with me,” and put his hand in his pocket and started back towards McLain; McLain drew his pistol; McCullough had then reached McLain, who shoved him off once or twice and slapped him once. I shoved him off once and still he pressed upon McLain and shoved him back to the ditch. I thought McLain would shoot him and I got away; I saw him shoot and McCullough fall. W.W. Farmer sworn, says; At one o’clock to-day I went to the house of L.D. McLain on business. I found McLain absent. I left the house at 15 minutes past 4 o’clock; as I walked off the gallery McCullough had reached the front gate, after having inquired for McLain at the front door. Having business with McCullough, I called him and he stopped and we walked together up Jackson street and up DeSiard to Mr. Dedman’s saloon. We had not quite finished our business, and he said he would call to see me the next morning; he had to see McLain and asked me if I knew where he could find him. I told him I did not know, but that I was sure he had come back, for Charley Crosley had come back with him, and he said he knew he was in town and was bound to hunt him up. He said he need not think because he could prance around on fine horses, he could put him off. Both parties being friends of mine, I made no reply. He walked into Dedman’s saloon and I walked to Breard’s front door and while standing receipting for a telegram, McCollough passed by and enquired of some one. If he had seen that high headed McLain. I did not observe the reply. I went to D.B. Gunby’s store to show him the telegram; leaving there with D.B. Trousdale, we reached the corner at Sanders’s store and stopped there talking. At about 5 o’clock I saw McLain and Mr. Dunn standing on the crossing in front of Keller’s saloon, about 8 feet from the western ditch. McLain had his back to me, Dunn facing me; McCullough was standing on the plank crossing with his back to the river, facing McLain and Dunn. My attention was attracted particularly to them from McCullough’s excited manner. I could not hear what either of the two men said; I was distant from them about 90 feet. McCullough suddenly walked in an excited manner from the crossing onto the side walk and suddenly stopped and the next moment he stepped across the ditch towards McLain, and had advanced two or three steps, when McLain drew a large bright pistol, he did not attempt to shoot McCullough at that time, but held it in his right hand and was gesticulating with his left. I could not hear what either one said. McCullough continued to advance until he reached McLain; he attempted to catch hold of McLain who pushed him off. This scuffling began on the north side of the crossing and during its continuance on the south side, Mr. Green Dunn interfered between the parties and separated them. After he had separated them, Mr. McCullough was about 20 feet from the western ditch out in the street, McLain about 5 feet north west of him. During this time McLain had not attempted to shoot. They still continued talking, but I could not hear them. McCullough passed forward towards McLain again, and Mr. Dunn suddenly left and got to the side walk at Keller’s. McCullough struck at McLain and hit him on the nose and McLain struck at McCullough with his pistol. McCullough by dodging back escaped the blows; he attempted to catch hold of McLain’s pitol. McLain jerked back his pistol and extended his left hand to push McCullough back; McCullough caught hold of McLain’s left hand and gave him a jerk which came near throwing McLain down; McLain struggled and thought he was falling, but did not, and as soon as he straightened himself up he leveled his pistol at McCullough. McCullough till had hold of McLain’s left hand and pressed him back towards the western ditch; then for the first time did I believe McLain intended to shoot and I ran towards the parties with the intention of separating them. When I had gone about 50 feet towards them the pistol fired and McCullough fell dead. D.B. Trousdale, sworn, says; As testified by W.W. Farmer we left D.B. Gunby’s store in company with each other, and while standing on the corner at Sanders’s store, my attention was attracted to McCullough and McLain in an altercation out in the streets opposite Keller’s saloon. McLain held in his right hand a large bright pistol and had his left hand extended towards McCullough, I thought to keep McCullough from closing in on him, and endeavoring to strike McCullough over the head with his pistol. McCullough was advancing on him, McCullough still pressing on him and McLain giving way until they got to near the ditch on the western side of the street. My attention was called to something else, when I heard the report of a pistol and looking round saw McCullough fall. I did not hear a word that was said by either one of them. VERDICT OF JURY. We the Jury would render our verdict that the deceased C.W. McCullough, came to his death by a pistol shot, in hand of L.D. McLain. Signed: R.C. ABY C.C. MADDEN, W.F. MITCHELL, WM. MILLER, C.B. MURPHY. MONROE, LA., January 10, 1883. This is to certify that I held an inquest on the body of . McCullough, found dead in the city of Monroe, La., on this 10th day of January, 1883. I found upon examination that he had been shot through the head, the ball of large size entering his right eye and going through the brain, coming out of the back part of his head. This was the cause of his death, such a wound being necessarily and immediately fatal. From the evidence the shot was fired by L.D. McLain Signed: S.C. MURPHY, Coroner. NOTE: The same issue, Page 3, Column 1, contains a notice of Cluff McCullough’s funeral and a short biography. Also, In the March 17, 1883 issue, Page 3, Column 4, there is a letter of condolence along with a short biography for McCullough from the Vienna Sentinel. # # #