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

DEATH BY THE R0PE.-Ihe trial OF the negro
boy Ned, belonging to Mr.. Henry Dugu6, 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 a 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 Mr..
Polycarp Fortiers plantation to gather black
berries. As they passed near Mr.. Fortiers
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 a knife, and, in pre-
ssnce 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
Schlindwein, together with her friend, repaired
| to Mr.. Fortier's plantation and after long
4 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 q
large room where twenty-six negroes were as
sembled, recognized each different one, until
the last witness, sprighty 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 soon
counterbalauced by the testimony of 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 appearance until the next morning, etc.
Mr.. Polycarp Fortier, being next sworn, re-
lated in few clear and forcible words the many
circumstances which had led him to suspect Ned
OF the crime; that Ned was working in his en-
ploy 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 sub
mitted the case to the Court in few brief and
forcible remarks, and was followed in an elo-
quent appeal by Mr.. Edward Bermudez. The
jury retired, and about fifteen minutes after
wards returned with 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 prisoner was very
much affected when he heard his sentence and
burst into tears, thanking his master for the
interest manifested in his behalf, and eyincing
state of great nervous excitement. Heisa young
stout, and well-built negro, about twenty iys
years of age, and although always known to
have been somewhat lazy and little inclined tt
work, had never yet shown any symptom of vice
or villany.