1908 Shootout between C. J. Morton & W. F. Barham of Bernice, Union Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Shawn Martin Date of Submission: 12/2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 1908 Shootout between C. J. Morton & W. F. Barham of Bernice, Union Parish Louisiana ================================================================================== ================================================================================== ================================================================================== ================================================================================== From the "News Tribune", a newspaper published in Duluth, Minnesota Issue of 21 April 1908 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== ONE SPECTATOR IS KILLED DURING DUEL IN STREET Seven other Persons Wounded, Including Both the Principals, in an Encounter at Bernice, La. – C. J. Morton and W. F. Barham, Both Prominent in Locality, Begin Shooting on Sight. BERNICE, La., April 20 – One spectator was killed and five others wounded today during a street duel here. Both duelists were wounded, but not seriously. The fight was between C. J. Morton and W. F. Barham, both prominent in this section. The cause of their quarrel is not known. Morton was just stepping off an Arkansas Southern train, accompanied by his wife's 7-year-old son, when Barham appeared armed. Morton was carrying a repeating shot gun. Both men opened fire and Morton's little boy fell probably mortally wounded. T. W. Clark was instantly killed and Thomas Rives was wounded in the thigh. Conductor Alford of the train, and a male passenger, whose name was not learned, were painfully wounded. Morton was hit twice by his adversary's bullets and Barham was struck once. A. J. Blanche of Covington, La., was probably fatally wounded, while seated in the smoking car. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== From the "Herald", a newspaper published in Lexington, Kentucky Issue of 21 April 1908 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 1 KILLED, 5 HURT IN DUEL IN LOUISIANA Spectator Falls Dead When Prominent Men Exchange Shots and Man on Train Fatally Wounded. BERNICE, La., April 20 – One spectator was killed and five others wounded today during a street duel here. Both duelists were wounded, but not seriously. The fight was between C. J. Morton and W. F. Barham, both prominent in this section. The cause of their quarrel is not known. Morton was just stepping off an Arkansas Southern passenger train, accompanied by his wife and seven-year-old son, when Barham appeared, armed. Morton was carrying a repeating shotgun. Both men opened fire and Morton's little boy fell, probably fatally wounded. T. Q. Clark was instantly killed and Thomas Rives was wounded in the thigh. Conductor Alford, of the train, and a male passenger, name not learned, were painfully wounded. Morton was hit twice by his adversary's bullet and Barham was struck once. A. J. Blanche, of Covington, La., was probably fatally wounded, while seated in the smoking car. Clem Barham assisted his father in the shooting. ############################################################# File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/newspapers/articles/1908bernice-shootout.txt