Reward for Capture of Guillorys

September 1, 1873

Petition of the undersigned respectfully represent that accompanied by Messrs. C.C. Delafosse, Aristide Ortego and Benj. Fontenot, and armed with the necessary bench warrants from the 8th District Court of St. Landry on Thursday, August 13, 1873 to arrest Benjamin Guillory and Cyreaque Guillory, fugitives from justice from this parish, indicted for larceny and murder, and for the arrest of whom your honorable body had offered rewards amounting to $800.00.

That on the 18th of August they reached the residence of the Guillorys on Little River, parish of Catahoula and the next morning attempted to arrest them, that they resisted, that one of them, Benjamin Guillory, fired upon the posse twice, that the other, Cyreaque Guillory, was shot down in endeavoring to reach his wife who was coming towards him with a double-barreled shotgun, that after Cyreaque Guillory fell, Benjamin Guillory ran through the house with his rifle in his hand, that as he reached the rear of the house he was halted by Deputy Sheriff W.C. Lewis, that he immediately raised his rifle to shoot Lewis, who fired upon him killing him instantly.

Your petitioners aver that they desired above all things to arrest said parties and deliver them alive into the hands of the sheriff. That they made every effort to do so, and that they only fired in order to prevent a useless and unnecessary effusion of blood, and to save the lives of some of the posse, that your petitioners had no other alternative left but to kill said Guillorys, and that your petitioners under the circumstances claim the reward offered by your honorable body, and pray that a warrant for the amount issue to them for their general relief.

W.C. Lewis, Deputy Sheriff; J.B. Jackson, Deputy Sheriff; C.C. Duson, for self and others; E.S. Andrus, for self and others.