| Notes |
- - Louisiana Democrat
Thursday, 6 March 1884 - pg. 3 [via Ancestry Public Member Tree - Hudgens Family Tree by Wilton Hudgens]
-- BRECKENRIDGE Starks, who lives on Bear Creek, in Grant Parish, killed his cousin, John, on Monday. Up to the time of going to press last night, we had not heard the particulars connected with the homicide.
- Donaldsville Chief (Louisiana)
29 March 1884 - pg. 1 [via Chronicling America, Library of Congress -- https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/]
STATE NEWS.
Items of Interest Gleaned from the Louisiana Press.
...John Starks was shot and killed in Grant parish by his cousin, Breckenridge Starks. Both were white men and neither bore a very high reputation...
- Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Friday, 11 April 1884 - pg. 1 [via GenealogyBank]
The Homicide in Grant.
THE KILLING OF JOHN STARKS BY BRECKENRIDGE STARKS -- THE PURSUIT OF THE MURDERER.
The Colfax Chronicle, of April 5, says: On Sunday, the 2d day of March, there was an affray in ward five of this parish, between two cousins, in which Breckenridge Starks killed John Starks. We gave a limited account of the affair three weeks ago. Since that time Breckenridge Starks has been hiding out and a large number of the citizens of Grant, assisted by a dozen or more of the citizens of Winn and Catahoula parishes, have been searching for him.
The desire was universal among all the good people that the perpetrator of the deed should be apprehended and held to answer the demands of law. A posse was formed and search begun, fully 75 or 80 men joining in the hunt. To prevent their giving aid or counsel to Breckenridge, it was considered advisable for a guard to be placed over his father and mother, Christian and Rebecca Starks. For the same reason a watch was put over the family of Mr. J. P. Lincecum, whose daughter was the wife of Breckenridge Starks. No harm was intended to the parties put under surveillance. On the contrary, it was thought by the older and cool-headed citizens to be the best way to protect them from indignity or harm which might be offered by some rash or inconsiderate persons while the excitement was at its height. After keeping watch over them for three days, until a thorough search could be made, they were set free, and Mr. Starks was advised to leave the country for a few days, until the excitement was over. No threat was made, none intended. That Mr. and Mrs. Starks should desire to shield their son was considered nothing but natural, and the only object was to prevent them aiding in his escape.
Since returning home from a trip through the hills we find the following communication from Mr. Christian Starks:
Editor Colfax Chronicle -- A few days since a band of lawless men from Catahoula, Winn and Grant, without a warrant or any excuse, save the pretense that it would help them capture Breckenridge Starks, arrested my wife and myself and kept us confined for three days. In order to justify their action they have intimated that there were some charges against me, and invited me to leave the country. Now, sir, this is a country of law and order, or ought to be. The courts are open, and I take this method of informing those men that I not only do not fear but invite investigation of any charges against my honor or honesty, and dare them to the test. One other thing I would like them to know: I have the right to live where I please, and while they may murder me at night, or in the day time, or take the cowardly advantage of numbers against one old man, yet they cannot scare me or run me out of this country. Now, let us see who is doubtful about letting the broad sunlight of day shine upon their actions. If they will not go into the courts of their own free will, I will try to force them there as parties defendant. I don't intend to leave my home and property, and these men had better now understand that the day is passed when a few men can club together and force citizens to leave this country. -- CHRISTIAN STARKS.
The above letter was received several days ago. Since then warrants have been served upon some eighteen or twenty of the men who engaged in the hunt for Breckenridge Starks, charging them with "conspiring to murder and falsely imprisoning Christian and Rebecca Starks." In addition to those served with warrants, some thirty more came forward and surrendered, and last Wednesday fully sixty men came into Colfax to be present at the preliminary trial held by Judge Blackman, District Attorney E. G. Hunter representing the State. The accused were represented by Attorneys S. M. Brian and W. A. Little, of Winnfield, and through their counsel waived preliminary examination and asked to be placed under bond for appearance at District Court. Judge Blackman ordered that they be held to bail in the sum of $250 each, which was readily given and the accused set at liberty.
- Colfax Chronicle (Louisiana)
26 April 1884 [via Chronicling America, Library of Congress -- http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/]
Proclamation by the Governor.
$500 REWARD.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
State of Louisiana. }
Whereas, I have been officially informed that on Sunday, the second day of March, 1884, in the parish of Grant, BRECKENRIDGE SRARKS [sic] did, in cold blood murder John Starks, and afterwards made his escape; and whereas, for the good of society and in vindication of the law, it is necessary that the perpetrators of such deeds should be brought to justice and dealt with as the law directs.
Now, therefore, I, SAMUEL DOUGLAS MCENERY, Governor of the State of Louisiana, have thought proper to issue this, my proclamation, offering a reward of FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for the arrest and conviction of said BRECKENRIDGE STARKS.
This proclamation to be in force for the term of sixty days.
DESCRIPTION OF BRECKENRIDGE STARKS.
About twenty-two years old, no beard, dark skin, weighs 125 or 130 pounds, dark eyes and dark swarthy complexion, brown hair, thick lips, long front teeth, five feet seven inches high, quick spoken and speaks loudly, and uses a great deal of profanity, wears almost continually a smile.
Given under my signature and the seal of the State of Louisiana, at the city of Baton Rouge, this 14th day of April, A.D. 1884. S. D. McENERY.
By the Governor:
WILL A. STRONG,
Secretary of State.
- Homestead Certificate No. 6613 confirmed George's claim had been "established and duly consummated" for 156 acres in Grant Parish, Louisiana on 7 January 1897.
- Colfax Chronicle (Louisiana)
Saturday, 21 March 1914 - pg. 1 [via Ancestry Public Member Tree - Hudgens Family Tree by Wilton Hudgens]
Ambushed and Assassinated
Breckinrige Starks Waylaid and Shot to Death from a Carefully Prepared Blind that Concealed the Murderer at the Side of the Road
Bloodhounds Take Trail to Two Houses
On Saturday, March 14, about 1 p.m., Breckinrige Starks, a well known farmer who lived near Selma in the northeastern portion of Grant parish, was waylaid and shot to death on the model road at a point about two miles southwest of Selma. At a spot 300 or 400 yards east of the Iron Mountain railroad, in the edge of Bear Creek swamp, the assassin or assassins had prepared a carefully concealed blind in the bushes near the road, where the indications are that he or they must have waited and watched for the victim a day or two before he came along. This is supposed to be the case from the well worn indications at the place of ambush.
The shooting occurred within a minute or two of 1 o'clock in the afternoon, and was heard by two or three parties. Four shots were fired from a Winchester rifle, only one of which took effect in the top of the skull, scattering his brains and killing the victim instantly. Starks was riding his horse and carrying a sack of eggs t market, and appeared to have been pitched from the frightened animal about forty feet from the point where he was shot. The bloody horse ran up to the house of Mr. Atwell near by, causing an immediate investigation and the finding of Starks' dead body.
Sheriff Perkins and Coroner Blackwood were notified of the tragedy at once, and Dr. Blackwood and Deputy L. O. Clinton left for the scene of the killing in the Doctor's automobile, arriving there about 4 o'clock. A coroner's jury was impanelled, which returned a verdict that Starks met his death at the hands of an unknown party.
The spot where the assassin stood was guarded, and sheriff Amet Guilliott, of Avoyelles, was telephoned to and requested to bring on his bloodhounds. He arrived Sunday morning at 8 o'clock with his dogs in charge of Chief Deputy F. A. Ardoin, and the dogs were at once given the scent at the blind. They took up the trail, going first to the house of J. F. Evans, and from there after circling around a bit successively to the homes of R. G. Lincecum and G. G. Lincecum.
It appears that no grave suspicion was entertained against Evans, who is an old man, but he became angry and violent toward Ransom Rambo, one of the deputies, knocking him down; and for this he was arrested and brought to the Colfax jail, charged with assault. He has since been released, having given bond to answer for the assault. He furnished a satisfactory alibi as to his whereabouts at the time of the killing.
R. G. Lincecum also proved an alibi for himself at the hour of the shooting, and was not arrested, but G. G. Lincecum not having given a satisfactory account of himself at that time, was taken into custody on suspicion, and has been confined in the Colfax jail pending an investigation.
- "The rest of the story" per Penny Lincecum Wyatt via email to me dated 7 April 2018:
Well the Lincecum boys did have a hand, sorry to say. As I was told by a few of my family members the story goes as this; The Lincecums owned a good bit of the land around there and George Starks owned a nice spot right next to theirs, so when Bobbie and George started up their dating the boys devised that this would be good because that land would be in the family as they wanted anyway. As the years rocked on, Ole George was very violent to their sister Bobbie, the boys hated him for that. When the story came out about George killing his cousin and getting away with it, well that didn?t sit well with them. So they devised a plan, each brother had an alibi, they didn?t pull the trigger but another family member did. See, Dixie Lincecum married Ida Brister, and her sister Emma married Gideon, Dixie?s brother. Ida and Emma?s brother, don?t know the name, hid along the roadside and waited till George came riding by and opened up on him, shot the reigns from his hands and shot him up pretty good. As the story goes, George?s horse darted, but George knowing he was mortally wounded turned the horse and charged back, pulled his gun shooting wildly about as he didn?t know where the Brister man was hiding. It was then that the Brister brother finished him off. I was told by a Starks family member that her grandmother said she remembered when they brought George home in the back of a wagon full of holes. It was a terrible site. So, whether it was revenge for George?s violence towards their sister or him getting off with shooting is own cousin or a land grab, who knows. My grandpa said it was because he was mean to Bobbie and he was just a flat out SOB to anybody and everyone. Now thats the story as I know it from my Lincecum ancestors straight down to me. I?ve been going to add the story to my ancestry pages, but my dad always said, better wait a while on that, our Lincecum blood still runs thru the Starks and it might cause a Hatfields and McCoys in Georgetown.
Belive me plenty Lincecums know the real story, but the Starks don?t. Oh, the Brister brother left town for a good while right after the shooting, eventually came back home when it all cooled down. I?m gonna check my tree to see what his name was, can?t remember off the top of my head. If I remember right, one of the Lincecum boys was in bed with the flu, and another when the sheriff came around his gun was hanging over he door with cob webs on it, and another was in Alexandria at the time of the shooting. Each had an alibi. My Great grandpa was John Gaitlyn Lincecum, he was one of the boys.
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Abt 1860 - 1914 (~ 53 years)
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