The Ouachita Telegraph - 
One Killed, One Fatally Wounded in Altercation at Ball
Submitted by: Lora Peppers <lpeppers@ouachita.lib.la.us>
Date: Oct. 2000


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The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, July 25, 1879
Page 2, Column 5

DESPERATE FIGHT AT A BALL.
[Special to the Picayune.]
        OPELOUSAS, La., July 20. - On the night of the 19th inst., at a
ball or party given at a private residence near Church Point, a terrible
difficulty occurred between the Messrs. Childs and Messrs. Hornsby, supposed 
to have grown out of an old feud existing between the two families for several
years.  I glean the following from an eyewitness of the difficulty.  The
melee opened by Mr. John Hornsby and Mr. Louis Childs having a fist fight,
and while these two combatants were satisfying their anger there occurred
another horrible difficulty between Mr. Leonard Hornsby and Mr. Alexander
Childs, which ended in the latter being killed.  This combat is one of the
most shocking on record.  These two combatants settled their difficulty,
one with a knife and the other with a pistol.  Hornsby drew a pistol and fired
at his adversary, missing him.  Childs rushed upon Hornsby, seized hold of
the pistol and succeeded I wrenching it from the hands of Hornsby and at
the same time inflicted several wounds on the person of Hornsby, in or near
the lungs.  At this move of his adversary Hornsby pulled another pistol from
his pocket and gave Childs the contents just above the eye, the ball passing
through and out of the back of his head, killing him instantly.  After
young Childs fell, his brother, who was fighting John Hornsby and who it is said
gained the victory, attacked the other Hornsby and succeeded in driving
both from the field of battle.  Mr. John Hornsby and Mr. Louis Childs came out
of the difficulty with very little injury, but the wounds received by Mr.
Leonard Hornsby are considered fatal, and the supposition is that he will
expire before morning.  The affair has caused a great deal of excitement
both in church Point and other parts of St. Landry.

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