Obituaries: Joseph B. Adams, 1887, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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(Thanks to Ms. Lora Peppers, Research Librarian, Ouachita Parish Public
Library - GED)

From: The Ouachita Telegraph (October 29, 1887, page 2, column 6)

Winnfield, La., Oct. 19 - Special.  Today this community was shocked to learn
that Joseph B. Adams, ex-sheriff, had committed suicide.  The cause which led
him to commit this rash act are about as follows:

On Monday, the 10th, inst., W. B. Adams, his son, shot and killed Mathew M.
Smith, a very prominent planter of Ward 3, of this parish.  The evidence in
this case was very pointed, and shows that young Adams killed Smith without
any provocation, or at least any justifiable reason.  Young Adams, and Levi
Varnell as accessory, were arrested and jailed on the Tuesday following, and
on Thursday following Joseph B. Adams and another son, John G. Adams, were
arrested as accessory after the fact.  J. B. and J. G. Adams afterwards gave
bond.  On Monday their trial was commenced and continued until late that
evening, when the parties released on bond went home to be back next morning
at 8 o'clock.  On the following morning Joseph B. Adams and his nephew were
coming back to court and had come about two-thirds of the way when Mr. Adams
remarked to his nephew that he had left his medicine at home, that if he had
to stay in court all day he would need it and he must go back and get it and
to tell the sheriff that he would be in court as soon as he could get there. 
Arriving at home, he laid his coat on the bed and took a pistol, the one used
by his son to kill Smith, and shot himself twice near the heart, killing
himself instantly.  His wife tried to get the pistol away from him but he
drover her from the room.  A note was found in his pocket, which is as
follows:

"This 10th day of October, A. D., 1887, To the world at large: I, J. B. Adams,
have lived until my troubles are so great that I don't want to live any longer
in this world.  As to the charge of premeditating and laying a plan to the
killing of M. M. Smith is not the case.  I am innocent and do stand so before
God.

J. B. Adams"

The coroner's jury came to the conclusion that he came to his death at his own
hands.  It will be noticed that this note was written Sunday, but he did not
carry out his intentions until today.  He had made threats heretofore that he
intended self-destruction on account of family and financial troubles.  He was
sheriff of this parish several years during the "seventies" and was never
known to be in difficulty.

This makes fourth deaths in this parish by violet means with the last four
months, an unprecedented record in this section.  Notwithstanding this, our
laws are faithfully executed by vigilant officials and our people are ever
ready to assist in carrying out law and justice.