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The Weekly Messenger.Published Everv .satm-lav.AT —6T. MARTIN VILLE, LA.ALBERT BIENVENUF.ditor an-1 Pri»pw*far.Official Journal of niK Town St Martinyillk.OktJ^.N'ibsrripf ion ft '»'» a usir in advance.ADVEKTIMSG liAT K.srA‘‘F..1 in2 in -.1 in*.li IIISI 1One tflfli...1 :»n2 .VI3 0*15 on] sonTwo Inches.i 2 VI3 VI1 Vmi NimHire.-1 VIVIJOlHl t^llilFour inehe*! i'']5 VIli 50I2 5O.22O0Five Indie*.! •» Offr, vi7 VijI | 00)2000Six iin hes..ft on7 50S 50ICOOj 3000One column15 on20 on24 mi15 00; 7.VHITransient advertisements 75 e»*nts per Inch for first insertion; 50 eeuts f«*r earh subsequent insertion.OlfirUl or legal advetii*eine»ts. %] per I inrh for first insertion; am! 5n rents for •a^h subsequent insertion.rr^ltrief communications upon nbjet t. public interest solicited. No attention will be qiven to anonvmous letters.»0#Ww»MOM»»n»TtTTr»yy^fTfSaturday. March 25, iSg.;.THE NOOSE!LOUIS MICHELPaid the Penalty of His Crime on the Gallows.Lewis Chambers Who Was to Hang With Michel for the Same CrimeWas Respited by tho Governor Pending His Application to the Board of Pardons for a Oommntatiou of His Sentence.Louie Michel passed a good night and slept soundly. He awoke early Friday morning and began to prepare himself to meet his death, lie conversed freely and laughed with all those who called to see him. lie ate a hearty breakfast and seemed to enjoy it. He was visited by the priest early in the morning who gave him communion. The priest remained with him all th* thus and accompanied him on the gallows.The prisoner was taken from his cell and marched to the scaffold at 11:30 a. ni.. accompanied by Sheri IT Rees who held him by the arm and Father Lan-glois who followed holding a crucifix in his hands. Michel hail his hands tied behind his hack, and held a cigar in his month.The Sheriff read thp death warrant in a loud tone but his voice was somewhat affected. Michel listened attentively to the reading of his death document and repeated a few words after the Sheriff.After the reading was over the Sheriff naked him if he bad anything to say. he could talk. He asked tho Sheriff to take the cigar from his mouth, after which he apoke nt soma length iu English. After he was through speaking in English ha said some of the congregation as he termed it, might not understand English and he would say a few words in French, which hp did in a loud and firm Voice. While he was talking he called on several persons whom he recognized iu the large crowd of |xieple who where outside of the jail yard.He y|M»ke in a cool and calm way laughing and joking, and on several occasion lie as well as the spectators burs-t»*d in laughter. He looked at the ro|* and said this is i|uit« a big rope, and then looked down lie made another remark iu a somewhat joking maimer, that the gallows was quite high for a man to fall through, lie asked for a drink and was given some wine and i alias water, lie kept oil talking for a while lunger and thru made his prayer, afterwhich he resumed his sueech. After lehad talked a while lie talked to tie priest iu a low voice, and than said I want tosav my prayer/’and wasassistrd by the priest. This last prayer was made at 12;17 p. m.. at l?:l‘.i his leg* were tied am! the |op»» adjusted around bis neck and Ho* black cap was placed over his head and at 121 p. m . the trap whs cut and his |„*dy precipitated into eternity. The fall was about six fret and his neck was broken. Ihere wa-noticed only two slight twitches of th * body. At 12:35 lie was pronounced d- uit and at 1:05 the body was cut down and placed in a plain cypress coffin, lb* was buried tire same evening |*oL.■■■■If...........While he wa« on the scaffold he called Messrs. \. V. Fonrnet and T. J. Lakbe and told I hem that he knew the people belie veil him guilty of the crime for which lie was about to be hanged, and that the people might have some prejudice against giving employment to his wife, and that they may die from starvation, and if such whr the case, to give them Mitiielhiug to eat.Ho protested liis innocence to the last, and said he was not hanged for the Robertson murder, but for an old grudge I lie people had against him which dales back 22 years.The fifteen witnesses to the hanging were: (iahrfel Greveruberg, James E. Muiitoii. Theopliile Elmer, I^urent Pu-cresi. \natole C irinier. Dr. A. C. Durio, Flailrillo Bienveini, Taylor Daspit, Jos. Rees. Email ual Liviachl. C. M. Olivier, Adolphe Cormier. Arcade Gauthier, Pao-Im Guidry. Besides the Sheriff and bis deputies and the newspaper reporters. Hut.sidc of the jail yard there were between six bundled to a thousand people.Louis was bold and plucky while on the gallows and died brave.The execution was properly carried through by the Sheriff and his deputies.Lew is Cham hers who was to hang with Michel wan respited by the Governor, while his application is pending be-fnre the iKKtrd of pardons, fora commutation to his sentence of death to life Imprisonment at hard labor in the penitentiary.Louis Michel was a fine specimen of the African race. He was tall, a little stoop, but was a good looking negto, with a smooth face, which, outside of his flat noee. was devoid of any negro features. lie was aged 42 years and leaves a wife and several children, some of them grown.Michel was for a time, during the Republican reign in (lie seventies, a prominent politician.exercising a great influence upon the voters of his race. He figured prominently in several (iutri-gues) during that time that made him an obnox ions character. He waa considered a brave, tmld and dangerous character.IthiTORY OF THE CRIME.At about seven o’clock, Wednesday morning, the 12, of August. I«»l, there was the appearance and suspicion of something wrong that enveloped the Robertson mansion.The people in the neighborhood soon went to the house to see and learn the cause of the late rising of those industrious people Who were early risers, but a dead calm reigned in the apartments occupied by Mrs. Jas. S. Robertson and Miss Iwahelle J. Robertson, her step daughter. -Mr. Philip Coyne, the engineer on the branch road nnd Chia Iker, the then brakeman on the same branch, slept iu the house. They were awaken and they tried to arouse the ladies of the house, but without success. The suspicion of foul pliy was than more than certain, and a peep through they keyhole revealed the horrible condition that existed in the murderous chamber.'Ihe police officer was immediately sent for. and on his arrival, the doors of the rooms of the unfortunate women wre forced in. Their eves fell upon the ghastly sight. The mother laid in bed with her throat cnt, cold in the embrace of death, while the daughter laid on the floor by the side ef her mother’* death bed. strangled to death. What an horrible sight! It chilled the blood in the veins of the citizens, men, women and children who beheld the horrible eight. The indignation and cousteruatlou of the people was terrible.At first suspicion pointed to several persons, among whom was Lewis C’hara-Iwr*. His strange doings the very day of the murder caused his arrest. Several other negroes and colored women were arrested and jailed, bnt were subsequently released.The disappearance of Raul Cormier who was seen in town late the evening previous to the murder had disappeared and left no clue whatever to his where-alsmts. The geueral impression is that lie was one of the assasins. He was la-ler oil seen iu New Orleans in company with Louis Michel. It was soon after ihe murder learned that Louis Michel, Louis Broussard, who had been bauislieil from the parish by the RegH-I atom had been to this town, and the •lay of the murder he was seen at Fause 1’omle ami ut Jeanerette. with a bsg of money which he tried (o exchange for bills. Michel was all the time accompanied by another man whose description tallies w ith that of Paul Cormier.Mr. Gab. Gardemal who was then heiiff of parish telegraphed to everymal learned that Louis Michel was at Plaquemine. La., he immediately telegraph to the Sheriff of Iberville to arrest Michel and hold him until a deputy would come for him. which was done. M hen he was arrested he was iu company with another negro who is sup posed to have been Paul Coruildr, from the description of the man given by the officer who arrested Michel.Ou Saturday the 22 of August Deputy Sheriff A. V. Fleming arrived here from Plaquemine. La., having Louis Michel in his chargp. Michel was jailed.On Tuesday the lfi of February. 1 v.»2. the trial of Louis Michel and Lewis Chambers was commenced. The jury was composed as follows: Auguste Bar ras, t'asiuiir Wilt*. John Coles, D.Champagne, Victor Mam int. Adolphe Hrilliou, Koiile Martin, L. Louis Legrand. P. Burras, John Franz, Alfred Geoffroy and P. Dwyer. On Friday the 18 of February the jury brought in a verdict of guilty without capital punishment.A motion was made for a new trial which was granted by Judge .las. K. Moutnn. with tho consent of District Attorney Foster, to Lewis Chambers, but Louia Michel was refused a new trial. He appealed to the Supremo Court, w hich tribunal reversed the judgment of the lower court.On Wednesday the 21 of September 181*2 the second trial of the accused began. The jury was composed as follows: W. II. Livingston. M illie Potier. Paul Halphen. Arthur Latin. Plaride Huval, Ambroise Degiiretaire. Alfred He lonne, Roacmbert Dupuis. Sidney Las-trapee. Jules Hebert, t has. Rees, Jr.. and Fred Schmidt. The trial closed late Saturday evening. The jury retired to their room for deliberation and remained until the Monday following when they rendered an unqualified verdict of guilty.An appeal was again made to thp Supreme Court. but this time the judg ment of the lower court was maintained.On the first of March, the Governor signed the death warrants, fixing Friday February 24, 1K»3, between the hours of II o’clock a. m., and 4 p. in., the day for the execution of the prisoners.Judge Jas. K. Montou presided at the first trial, and Mr. T. D. Foster, district attorney represented the st ite. At the second trial judge Felix Yoorhies presided and district mtorney R. F. Broussard represented the state.All the evidence produced at Mb trials and against both prisoners was wholly and entirely circumstantial. There was not a single direct evidence brought against either of the accused..Aair\vwDEMOCRATIC TICKET.At the request of a large majority of the I»eroocrntHof this town, the following gentlemen have consented to allow the use of thpir names as candidates for town trustees Rt the election to ho held on Monday the 3d of April uext:A. V. Fleming,T. J. Larbk,Albert Bien vent.W. H. Livingston,George Knight.Iu their hands and under their control the affairs of the town will he safe, and we have the guarantee that the rights and liberty of every one will be prntt c-ted, and the town will he free fmni breach of peace ot other infraction of the law.IcFor Blood, Bladder, Bilionsness. W. W.C—Mrs. Alcide Mcynicr, who wae a resident of this town for a nurubor of years, died in Xow: Orleans Tuesday the ‘21 inst., aged 75 years.Mr. Jos. Martin son of Assessor S. V. Martin, who was attending n medical course at (lie Tulane, New Orleans, returned home Thursday.Deputy .Sheriff Peter Williams of St. Landsy parish canto here this week nnd took a negro named Pen Hob who was in jail accused of cattle stealing. It appears that he belonged to a gang in St. Landry, and was indicted by the grand jury of that parish together with five other negroes.— Last Sumla\ evening whilefinishth;lt;of:offir*||OStovout1thev ill the mi K. ’ T tuiMa-StI)Iniand*FTrunHu.theHhea yea of 1 tin lithe jailer, Mr. Eugene Bertrand poiul Ihe description* of Michel and Cor- WftH n^0lt;vviDK seine of the prison-1ers to take a little out .Lie exercise in the jail yard, one of them I a negro named Jules Pi. no no-nii.1 ami worked dilegintly to apprehend them.\ detec the from New Orleans was em-I l-ye.l to work im the case but all ...time and attention was to establish the* ,,e’ malt;,° 1,ls lt;*eape by |connection of Lewis Chambers with the j( TH'v^n£ l’nlt;ler the fence in a gut-minder. iter. A search was immediately|Hn ib. i*, „f August. Sheriff Garde-1 made for him bill withoutwalUKIhertf i fiiei her. welD1lainon*leasHalsuccess.Dr
Newspaper Details
Saint Martinville Weekly Messenger
Saint Martinville, Louisiana, US
Sat, Mar 25, 1893
Page 2
Full Page
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USA 11 Sep 2022
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