him on the head; that Charles broke away from him and started to run, after which the shooting began.  The Picayune, however, declares that Pierce began the firing and that his two shots point blank at Aucoin were the first shots of the fight.  As a matter of fact, Pierce never fired a single shot before he was covered by Aucoin’s revolver.  Charles and the officers did all the shooting.  The Picayune’s account is as follows: 

  Patrolman Mora was shot in the right hip and dangerously wounded last
  night at 11:30 o’clock in Dryades Street, between Washington and Sixth,
  by two Negroes, who were sitting on a door step in the neighborhood.

The shooting of Patrolman Mora brings to memory the fact that he was one of the partners of Patrolman Trimp, who was shot by a Negro soldier of the United States government during the progress of the Spanish-American war.  The shooting of Mora by the Negro last night is a very simple story.  At the hour mentioned, three Negro women noticed two suspicious men sitting on a door step in the above locality.  The women saw the two men making an apparent inspection of the building.  As they told the story, they saw the men look over the fence and examine the window blinds, and they paid particular attention to the make-up of the building, which was a two-story affair.  About that time Sergeant J.C.  Aucoin and Officers Mora and J.D.  Cantrell hove in sight.  The women hailed them and described to them the suspicious actions of the two Negroes, who were still sitting on the step.  The trio of bluecoats, on hearing the facts, at once crossed the street and accosted the men.  The latter answered that they were waiting for a friend whom they were expecting.  Not satisfied with this answer, the sergeant asked them where they lived, and they replied “down town,” but could not designate the locality.  To other questions put by the officers the larger of the two Negroes replied that they had been in town just three days.

As this reply was made, the larger man sprang to his feet, and Patrolman Mora, seeing that he was about to run away, seized him.  The Negro took a firm hold on the officer, and a scuffle ensued.  Mora, noting that he was not being assisted by his brother officers, drew his billy and struck the Negro on the head.  The blow had but little effect upon the man, for he broke away and started down the street.  When about ten feet away, the Negro drew his revolver and opened fire on the officer, firing three or four shots.  The third shot struck Mora in the right hip, and was subsequently found to have taken an upward course.  Although badly wounded, Mora drew his pistol and returned the fire.  At his third shot the Negro was noticed to stagger, but he did not fall.  He continued his flight.  At this moment Sergeant Aucoin seized the other Negro, who proved to be a youth, Leon Pierce.  As soon as Officer Mora was shot he sank to the sidewalk,