The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-16
Trial and Conviction OF a Slave In Louisiana
for Rape.
THE NEGRO SENTENCED TO BE HUNG.
from the New Orleans Crescent, June 81

[From the New Orleans Crescent June 81
The trial OF the negro boy Ned, belonging to Mr..
charged with having committed rape, on the nth
ult, on the person of Elizabeth Schlindwein, aged
about eighteen, came of yesterday in the town Of
Gretna before Judge Guy Dreux, and q jury Of
ten Shareholders as specially provided for BY law
lation Of the town. and great interest seemed to be
manifested in the result Of the trial The prosecution
was conducted by Charles D. Dreux, the young but
able District Attorney of the parish, and Messrs.
Henry Dugue and Edward Bermudez appeared for
the defence The examination of the witnesses elected
the facts as previously stated in the city papers at
the time Of the occurrence. The following will give
our readers an idea of the testimony
On the morning Of the 18th of May Elizabeth
Schlindwein, in company with her mother and three
Of her friends, went on the rear of Mr.. Polycarp
FOrtiers plantation to gathef backbeTies. AS they
passed near Mr.. Fortiers mill they saw two negroes
lying on the ground, who both sprang up and looked
wards, when they had reached the woods, they were
met by negro boy, whom they recognized as
the prisoner, and also as being one Of the two
whom they had seen at the mill. He approached
Elizabeth and said few words to her in Eng
ish, which she could not understand, and i'm
mediately afterwards drew knife and, in presence
Of the four terrified women, perpetrated the outrage.
One ofthe persons present at the time was unwen
yesterday, and consequently unable to attend the
trial. but the testimony of four intelligent witnesses
corroborated in every respect the relation of the
above facts.
In the crossexamination it was shown that on the
day succeeding the occurrence, Elizabeth Schlind-
vein, together with her friend repaired to Mr.. For
tiers plantation, and after long and careful ex.
animation of all the negroes, could not succeed in
identifying single one present as the perpetrator
visit to the plantation and being admitted separate.
ly into large room where twenty-six negroes were
assembled, recognized each different one, until the
last witness, asprghty little girl Of twelve or thir
teen, positively identified Ned the boy whom she
had seen in the woods. It was not until then that
the other four were satisfied in their own minds as
to the identity of the prisoner. The difficulty that
the witnesses had met with in recognizing the Of
fender for while created strong impression on
the minds of the jury in favor of the accused but it
was soon counterbalanced by the testimony Of q
slave of Mr. Fortier, who said that he saw the boy
Ned going towards the woods half an hour after the
women had passed the mill that Ned was to have
stayed in the mill all day. but did not make his ap-
pearance until the next morning, etc.
MI. Polycarpe Fortier, being next sworn related
in few clear and forcible words the many circum-
stances which had led him to suspect Ned Of the
crime; that Ned was working in his employ that
he is . lazy negro, although good boy; and that,
before being taken to jail, Ned had confessed to
him that he really was guilty Of the charge.
The above is statement Of all the evidence given
at the trial. The District Attorney submitted the
case to the Court In few brief and and forcibe re-
marks, tnd was followed in An eloquent appeal by
Mr.. Edward Bermudez. The jury retired, and,
about fifteen minutes afterwards, returned with q
verdict Of Guilty" Judge Dreux then proceeded
to pass the sentence OF the law upon the accused,
condemning him to be hung within the walls Of the
parish prison, on the 10th day of june The pri-
soDer was very much affected when he heard his
sentence, and burst into tears thanking his master
for the interest manifested in his behalf, and
evincing state of great nervous excitement. He
is young, stout, and well built negro about twen-
ty-five years of age, and, although always known
to have been somewhat lazy and little inclined to
work, had never yet shown any symptom OF vice or
yillany.