The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-09-27
A Nest Of Three Hundred Desperadoes
Broken uD,

In the Eernillionvillc Echo of the 10th. Of
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, we find the fol-
lowing:
stranger coming into our town early last
Saturday morning would have been considera-
ply surprised at seeing armed horsemen coming
from all directions, and hurriedly passing
through, taking westerly direction. There
was liked determination in the face OF each
man as he hurried by, which plainly told that
ne had some serious object in view. The facts
are simply these: IT,
About ten days ago the Vigilance Committee
OF this parish were informed that a powerful
and well-organized band of desperadoes, headed
oy John Jones or John Baptiste Chiasson, end
supposed to number about three hundred men,
were within about twenty miles of this place,
and prepared to give the Vigilants battle. The
COMMITTEE OF st. Martin, Vermllion, St. Ian
dry and Calcasieu were Immediately apprised
OF the fact, and on Saturday morning, tho
third inst, each was promptly at the place
previously agreed upon as rendezvous. After
the necessary arrangements had been made,
the VigilantS, numbering about five hundred
men, took up their line of march for the place
where it was known that the enemy would be
found. AS they marched along, two or three
men were taken prisoners, all armed with
double barreled guns, which, they said, they
carried with them to shoot birds, but on draw
ing the charges from their guns, they were
found to contain bullets instead gf shot.
About ten o'clock, the Vigilants came in
sight Of the house of one Emilien Lagrange,
where the desperadoes had fortified thems selyes.-
cutting holes in the walls Of the dwelling and
all the t-houseS, through which they intended
to fire on their enemy. When tho committees
got within short distance of the fortifcations
they halted and prepared to batter the build.
ings down, having with them piece of cannon,
but just then they learned that there were
several women and children in the dwelling
house, which caused them to hesitate about
firing, not wishing to harm them. As soon as
the belligerents saw the cannon pointed toward
them, they became greatly confused, and the
whole number left their forts and part of them
ran off into the woods, pursued by companv
OF Vigilants, who overlook and captured several
of them. The balance remained near the
houses, but made no show of resistance. A
deputation of four men was sent to order their
instant surrender, which they promptly did.
each man coming and delivering up his arms.
Seventy-ono were taken prisoners, and il is
supposed that about that number made good
their escape. Their flag and fifty three double
barreled guns fell into the hands of the Vipi-
lants, together with number of pistols and
knives.
One of the leaders of the desperadoes finding
that all was lost, shot himself through the
head with his revolver, thereby putting an
end, with his own hands, to his worthless life.
This, so far as we could learn, was the only life
that was lost.
AS soon as everything was quieted, regular
trial was gono into on the spot, and tho whole
number were condemned to receive the lash.
and given five days to leave the State, under
penalty Of being hung if caught after the ex-
piraton of that time.