New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-08
NEWlS OF ZH.E CIT 7.

DEATH BY THE RoPE.-The trial of the negro
boy Ned, belonging to Mr.. Henry Dugue, OF the
parish of Jefferson, who stood charged with
having committed rape, on the 18th ult, on
the person of Elizabeth Schlindwein, aged about
eighteen, came off yesterday in the town Of
Gretna, before Judge Guy Dreux, and a jury of
ten Shareholders, as specially provided for by
law. The Courtroom was intensely crowded
by the population of the town, and great in
terest 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
defense The examination of the witnesses eli
cited the facts, as previously stated in the city
papers at the time of the occurrence. The fol-
lowing will give our readers an idea Of the tes-
timony:
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 MIR.
| Polycarp Fortier's plantation to gather black
| berries As they passed near Mr.. Fortier's
mill they saw two negroes lying on the ground,
who both sprang up and looked at them as they
passed. About half an hour afterwards, when
| they had reached the woods, they were met by
soner, and also as being one of the two whom
they had seen at the mill. He approached
| Elizabeth and said a few words to her in Eng
lish, which she could not understand, and i'm
mediately afterwards drew knife, and, in pre-
sence of the four terrified women, perpetrated
the outrage. One of the persons present at the
time was unwell 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 cross examination it was shown that
on the day succeeding the occurrence, Elizabeth
Schlndwein, together with her friend, repaired
to Mr.. Fortier's plantation, and after long
and careful examination of all the negroes
could not succeed in identifying single one
present as the perpetrator of the crime. The
second day they paid another visit to the plan
tation, and being admitted separately into a
large room where twenty six negroes were as
sembled, recognized each different one, until
the last witness, sprightly little girl of twelve
or thirteen, positively identified Ned as the boy
whom she had seen in the woods. 1t 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 offender for while
[ created strong impression on the minds of the
jury in favor of the accused, but it was soor
counterbalanced by the testimony of slave o
g Mr. Fortier, who said that he saw the boy Nee
) 1AANSe va
!, women had passed the mill that Ned was t
have stayed in the mill all day, but did not maxi
e his appearance until the next morning, etc
P Mr. Polycarp Fortier, being next sworn, re
r lated in few clear and forcible words the man.
b circumstances which had led him to suspect Me-
4 of the crime; that Ned was working in his EN-
a ploy that he is a lazy negro, although goo
!, boy and that before being taken to Jail Ne
e had confessed to him that he really was guilt
6 of the charge.
n The above is o statement of all the eyidenc
e given at the trial. The District Attorney sub
it mitted the case to the Court in few brief an
lie forcible remarks, and was followed in an elc
II quent appeal by Mr.. Edward Bermudez Th
n jury retired, and about fifteen minutes after
le wards returned with verdict of Guilty. Judg
d Dreux then proceeded to pass the sentence Of til
lie law upon the accused, condemning him to
t. hung within the walls of the Parish prison q
Is the 18th day of June. The prisoner was yer
h much affected when he heard his sentence, al
ID burst into tears, thanking his master for Il
interest manifested in his behalf, and evincing
state Of great nervous excitement Heisayoun
- stout, and we'll built negro, about twenty fl
IN years of age, and although always known
g, have been somewhat lazy and little inclined
or work, had never yet shown any symptom of vi
I'd or yillaipy