The Gazette
December 10, 1930
J. Dan Lowery, 45, a resident of the Shiloh ward of this parish died in a hospital in Monroe last Thursday from a gunshot wound which he received on Wednesday morning of last week at the hand of his cousin, Esau Lowery, living in the same community. The shooting occurred about 10:30 o’clock Wednesday morning of last week. With a gaping, ugly wound in his head and right arm riddled with squirrel shot, the wounded man was rushed to the Monroe hospital in a local ambulance shortly after noon.
Esau Lowery, 35, cousin of the dead man, is in the parish jail here under a charge of murder. Immediately after the shooting, Esau Lowery came to Farmerville and surrendered to Sheriff F. W. Murphy, telling the sheriff that he had just killed Dan.
According to information gained by the sheriff, the shooting seemed to be a result of a fight between Esau Lowery and his dead cousin’s sons about a week previous while a dance was in progress at the home of Esau Lowery. Prior to that time, it was said, members of the two branches of the Lowery family had frequently clashed in minor disputes.
Frank McCuller, a relative of the disputants, who accompanied the wounded man to the hospital, the shooting occurred shortly after the two men had left the home of A. J. Austin, another relative. Austin said the men appeared friendly at his house. According to McCuller, Esau Lowery left the house with a pump shotgun which he asserted he planned to use on a hunting trip later in the day. Esau Lowery went in his car to a deserted spot about a quarter of a mile from Austin’s house and waited for Dan Lowery to pass.
According to Sheriff Murphy, indications were that when Dan Lowery started to pass the car of his cousin he stopped his machine and turned off the ignition. Dan Lowery remained in his car while his cousin was believed by officers to have stepped to the running board of the other man’s car, knocked out the window with the barrel of his shotgun and then fired one time.
The Sheriff said that Dan Lowery apparently threw up his right arm to ward off the shot, which riddled his arm and made a gaping hole on the upper right side of his head. He then slumped back under the steering wheel, unconscious and apparently dead.
San Lowery died nest day in the hospital in Monroe. It is announced that a charge of murder will be filed against Esau Lowery.
MURDER CASES TO BE TRIED IN COURT IN APRIL
The Gazette
April 1, 1931
Among the several felonious cases which are set down for trial in the district court here beginning on the third Monday in April the regular petit jury term, there are three especially serious cases.
Esau Lowery, charged with the murder of a relative, Dan Lowery on the third day of last December was arraigned before the court last Friday morning and pleaded not guilty. The case was fixed for trial on Monday April 20th. The case is No 6913 on the criminal docket of the court.
Another murder case is that of No. 6912 against Carthel Holloway, charged with the murder of one Fuller Evans in the Bernice community on the twentieth of last December. The defendant was arraigned under the charge last Friday morning pleaded not guilty and the case was fixed for trial on Tuesday, April 21st.
In No 6915, Tim Cullins is charged with the murder of Nan Cole on March 20th, 1931. This case was fixed for trial on Thursday, April 23rd, after the defendant under arraignment Friday, had pleaded not guilty.
Another felony carrying a heavy penalty and which will also come up for trial at the April court is the case of the State against Clarence Wall, charged with lying in wait and shooting Humble Thurston with a shot gun with the intent to commit murder on the fourth of last October. The defendant was arraigned and plead not guilty to the charge and the case was fixed for trial on Wednesday, April the 22nd.
BIG COURT WAS IN SESSION HERE DURING WEEK
The Gazette
April 22, 1931
State vs. Esau Lowery, charged with the murder of Dan Lowery. After a long hard fought trial, the jury in this case rendered a verdict of not guilty.
Shiloh to Canaan 