Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-23
TROUBLES IN LOUISIANA.
Assassination In Sc. Mary Parish
sheriff Pope and Judge Chase Killed

TROUBLES IN LOUISIANA
Assassination In Sc. Mary Parish
sheriff Pope and Judge Chase Killed
| From the New Orleans Times, Oct. 20.
A dispatch, dated Franklin, Oct. Is
contains the startling intelligence tina
the Sheriff and Judge of that parish have
been asssssinated. We copy as follows
"Last night, the 18th, at about half
past s, the citizens Of Franklin were
startled by some eight or ten pistol shot:
fired in rapid succession at 0Neill's Ho.
tel. The crowd gathered to ascertain
the cause, when, after few moments, il
was announced that Henry Pope, Radi-
cal Sheriff elect, had been Killed. II
seems that Pope was on the gallery near
his room, when several men advanced
upon him and commenced firing. Before
the citizens could resch the scene, which
took place in a rear building, the perpel
traitors had made their escape, and by
many, it is said, mounted their horses
and went, full speed, down the road, and
although some Of them were seen, it was
impossible to identity any one. The
citizens, ignorant of the cause which led
to this, and apprehensive of an outbreak,
immediately organized a heavy guard for
the town, who patrolled until morning
"In their rounds, passing between the
bayou and the hotel, on what might be
called Water street, another body was
found. A physician was Immediately
sent for to ascertain whether or not life
was extinct. The surgeon pronounced
him dead. The body proved to be that
of Valentine Chase, lately elected Parish
Judge. A guard was placed over his
body to protect it until the Coroner
should take the matter in hand. At an
early hour this officer was Oh the ground,
and his jury having been Summoned, an
investigation was gone into, but no facts
bearing on the case were elected, nothing
to give rise to any suspicion as to who
were the actors in this terrible tragedy.
At present the townis quiet, and although
the blacks are here in considerable num-
bers, there are no evidences of any feel
ing which would cause apprehension
still, ell are on their guard, and ready at
a moments notice to quell any violence
/ We learn that the bodies Of Judge
Chase and Sheriff Pope left Franklin on
the train for Brashear. One of the boz
dies, we understand, is 70 be buried at
Brashear, and consequently the negroes
are congregating there in large numbers.
Trouble is anticipated, and the citizens
have placed their families on the 0pe-
lousas train and started them away. The
citizens are also gathering at that point.
There has as yet been nothing like an
outbreak, but there is some apprehension
of disturbance. 1...- cd
The 0pelousas railroad has acted gen.
erOusly in delaying the train to receive
these bodies, and in carrying away from
all danger the families of the citizens of
Brashear.
"a ADDITIONAL. -ff.
Upon going to the Opelousas. railroad
depot last evening, on the arrival Of the
train from Brashear City, we found that
the report of the apprehended disturb
anCe at that place, as it had first reached
US, was entirely unfounded. No fami-
lies, as had been stated, were on the
train. A Mr.. Nelson, who has 4 saw
mill near that town, had sent his family
away on Sunday, for some reason, and il
was upon this, probably, that the state
ment was based. Everything was quiet
at Brashear City when the last train left,
and no disturbances were feared by the
citizens there.
From parties who came from Brashear
we learn that, on Saturday, the day on
which the double murder was committed,
there had been q Democratic Gag raising
on the plantation Of Messrs. Walker &
Bronson. The affair had apparently
passed off quietly, and no connection, SO
far as we have been informed, can be
traced between the two events. 1t was
about halfpast s that Col. Pope was
killed. The feeling among the citizens
was one of strong Indignation at the
bloody act. The assassins were unknown;
but there is no doubt that, if detected,
the severest penalties Of the law would
have been inflicted upon them.
From all we could learn, some little
feeling had been excited against Colonel
Pope, the acknowledged Radical leader
and Judge Chase, on account Of the re-
cognition by the latter of Col. Pope as
Sheriff of the parish Of st. Mary, instead
Of Mr.. Haheigh, the Democratic candi-
date, who was supposed by many to be
entitled to the position The feeling,
although apparent, was not so violent as
to cause even the more prudent Of the
community to fear any disturbance, and
this act of the assassins who struck both
down, came with startling force upon the
entire population.
On Sunday, the Mayor Of franklin Of
fered to take charge of the bodies Of COL
Pope and Judge Chase, and prom
ised that all due respect should be paid
to their remains in case that it was de-
cided to bury them at Franklin. Mrs
Pope, however, who had made arrange
ments to accompany the corpse of her
husband to Pana, Illinois, where his fam
lily live, declined. She left Franklin
with the body and reached Brashear City
this morning, remained there only suffi.
cient time to allow Of change of car,
and came to this city by the train Of p
NJ. Mrs. Pope, we believe, left for Hi
nois by the jackson railroad last evening
On Sunday evening, there was some
excitement among the negroes at Bra
shear City, in expectation of the arrival Of
the remains of Colonel Pope. The me-
groes met in groups, and appeared greatly
excited but wise counsels prevailed
among them, and they retired quietly to
their homes. On Monday, several had
gathered at the depot, with Grape on their
arms, prepared to receive the body.
When it was evident that there was to
be no burial at Brashear, the negroes dis
persed, and at the time Of the departure
of the evening train everything was or
derby. 3D.
Col. Pope, during the war, was Colonel
of the SD Illinois (white) regiment.
He had been Customhouse officer at
Brashear, was elected last April to the
Sherifalty of st. Mary, and had but re-
Gently been recognized as such by the
Radical Judge, Valentine Chase.
So far as We can judge from the re-
ports that have reached US, both Col
Pope and Judge Chase were moderate
Republicans. Col. Pope, especially, is
represented to have had great influence
among the negroes; but it was generally
believed that his counsels had always
been conservative. 1t is proper, perhaps,
however, to add that some in Franklin
supposed that he had been delivering in