Unknown Newspaper
December 28, 1907

Alleges Enemies Burnt Him Out

Editor of Union Herald Bernice Louisiana after losing all his Newspaper Outfit comes to New Mexico

G. G. Crichet, former editor of the “Union Herald” of Bernice, is in the city on his way to the Mesilla Valley with his wife who comes to New Mexico to spend the winter here for her health. Mr. Crichet says he was compelled to leave Bernice after enemies there had set fire to his Newspaper plant which was entirely consumed. This the editor says followed a persistent effort of certain persons in the community to “freeze him out” on account of controversy in which he engaged with a prominent minister on matters of religion.  They made it uncomfortable for me as a Yankee interloper for three years said Mr. Crichet yesterday. But I managed to hold my own until incendiaries burnt me out when I decided it was time to leave. Mr. Crichet is an old friend of Hiram Hadley of Las Cruces former superintendent of the New Mexico Schools.

April 20, 1908

One Killed 5 Hurt in Duel in Louisiana

Spectator falls dead when prominent men exchange shots and man on train fatally wounded.

Bernice La – 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 of a 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 possibly wounded, while seated in a smoking car. Clem Barham assisted his father in the shooting. 

Unknown Newspaper
July 5

A 38-year-old father, arrested as he drove through the country in a confiscated taxicab with the body of a former sweetheart beside him, was accused by officers to-day of killing, the girl and a holiday companion, as a climax to many quarrels over her affections. The accused man was listed as Clyde Gulley, of Farmerville, married and the father of two children. Officers said they arrested him following a dual shooting at a highway sandwich shop near here. As he drove the cab toward Bernice, La., slumped in the front seat beside him, dead, was Clarice Moore, 22, of Hutting, Ark.; Her companion, R. A. (Pap) Harper, 22, of Strong, Ark., was found shot to death on the ground at the sandwich shop. Horrified patrons and employees of the establishment told officers Gulley, shot the two without warning and Deputy Sheriff Elmer Nelson announced formal charges of murder would be filed against the man today.