Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-10-14


LOUISIANA VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
Bernard Laconture, who had been driven
away from the country by the Vigilance
Committee in the Parish of Vermillon,
returned on Friday the 23d ult., on the
steamer A. w. Baker, and was killed a
day or two after by the Vigilance Commit
tee at Cote Gellee We received this in
formation from Captain Meyuier, who
came down on Monday last from st.
Martinsville and New Iberia. The same
news has since reached US from other
sources.
The Banner publishes the following let
ter in regard to recent doings of the Yer
million Vigilance Committee: ,f s.r
VERMILLIoNvILLE Sept. &c. 1859.
There are now numbers of families al
most entirely destitute, not only of the
necessaries of life, but even of water, or a
cow to furnish sustenance to sucking
babes, and without wood to cook scanty
meal. We have seen a poor woman that
was compelled by hunger, with the assis-
tance Of ten year old boy and dog, to
catch prairie hog to appease their hunger,
brought about by the vigilance commit
tees. And also woman, with number
of helpless children, who has to go three
quarters of mile to get drink Of water,
and forced to burn her yard fence, or to
take the pickets from her house for cook.
ing purposes. These womens' husbands
have never been heard Of since the Sd Oh
Sept. .....
The members of the Vigilance Commit.
tee have went so far as 10 take man from
the side of his dying child having lost
his wife only a week before-tie his hands
and take him away, but subsequently lei
him off on being assured that he was in
nocent of any crime. They chastised a
young lad only fourteen years old most
cruelty and recently man that had been
driven away, returned from having noticed
an article in the New Orleans Courier
which he supposed emenated from the
Governor, was met on the road by some
members of the committee, and at mid
night on Saturday last the house in which
he had taken refuge was surrounded anC
the inmates ordered to deliver it up. Il
was the house Of his mother-in- law.
After having sought admission and be
ing refused they-the Vigilsnts-brok'
open the door with an axe, and demanded
their intended victim, who had seGreteC
himself in the second story, The house
was occupied by seven women aud clever
children. The Viglants rushed up stairs
in search of their prey, armed with guns
pistols, etc. The lady of the house sale
She heard the order "fre !" given, and he
SOM -in-law fell dead on the spot, receiving
full charge of shot in his face, ball il
his chin, which traversed his head, anC
another ball in the pit of the stomach
She further states that after the mel
left the house, that they discharged thei
! gung at the window, and as she was stoop
ing to raise the body of the dead man
shots came nigh hitting her in the head
) Pieces of the window sill struck her abou
the face, One Of the women in the hous
? asked why they shot. They replied tina
they were soldiers.
On the morning following Sunday sh
came to town TO make an aihdvit agains
0 the parties, but found no officer possesse
= of a sufficient amount of temerity to pei
form the duty. She then sought th
9 Coroner to have an inquest held on ii
= body but that high functionary state
that he had resigned his Office. 1t WI
C with difficulty that persons could be h'
to aid In burying the dead body,