The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-27
Assasslnated.

Last Saturday night, at about half. asst eight
O'Clock, Henry Pope. Radical sheriff of this par.
ish, and Valentine Chase. Radical parish Judge.
were assassinated at 0'Niels hotel, by parties
We were in Smiths store. corner of Odd Eel.
lows hall, when the first reports of the pistols
were heard. Walking rapidly towards the hotel
we halted IN front Of Healy's coffee house when
the last shots were fred ten or fifteen In ali,
Twlve or fourteen persons had rushed ont Of The
TO the fri1E Ns
As soon as the firing was over there was sol
emn pause in the crowd and around the hotel.
Inquiries ran rapidly from man to man 10 regard
TO the cause OF the shooting, and who was shot
ana all present appeared to be profoundly igno.
rsht OF the nature Of the difficulty, and so many
sh Is were fred that the idea suggested itself that
! was serious fight between parties at the hotel
several parties cautiously proceeded to O'Niel's
'front.' gallery to inquire about the cause aud re-
suits of the firing, but could learn nothing there,
as all IN the house were attracted towards the
rear. where the firing occurred, and those who
went to inquire returned TO Healy's, not knowing
but that Il might be Sight instead of an assassin.
alton, and that the trouble might not yet be over
the belief that il was a fight.
:. In short time, however. the news came that
Mr.. Pope, the Radical sheriff, was shot and killed.
an5 that the assassns, being thoroughly disguised,
hi made their escape. As soon as the firing
commenced, ell in the hotel fed to their rooms for
safety and TO get out Of the way of danger which
gave The astassins ample leisure for escape. Mrs.
Pope had just stepped to Mrs. O'Niel's room as
the firing commenced. Mr.. 0'Niel was in the
room Ut the time attending on bis wife, who was
sick. Upon the first reports of pistols on the gal
lie near by, Mr.. O'Nel closed his room door to
protect his wife and children and Mrs. Pope from
harm, not knowing the cause of the firing
MIR. Pope was on the gallery when the firing
commenced, and quickly retreated 10 his room.
when the shooting stopped and where he expired
We saw nothing of the assassiDs except one
VI nv tEn 10.
six-shooter IN bis hand, so thoroughly disguised
that no person could possibly recognize him. He
was about OF medium height and size. II is re-
ported that those engaged in the homicide mount
the road.
Loyal LesRue club was holding its weekly
meeting at the negro church at the time the shoot
ing was heard, but the members retired quietly to
their homes, when they heard the melancholy
A strong police was immediately organized. and
the town and vicinity were amply protected
against disorder during the night.
Alter midnight the patrol stumbled over what
appeared TO be dead man, between the hotel
and the bayou. physician was called, and it
proved to be the body of Valentine Chase Rsdi-
cal parish judge, and upon examination life was
Iound to be extinct. guard was put over the
Dc dy uil morning, when q coroner's inuuest was
held over the two bodies, but no traces could be
discovered in regard to the perpetrators of the
wo assasnations.
There is some speculation in the community in
egafd 10 who committed the homicdes but it
hus far has been all mere idle speculation. They
ave guessed that 1t was strangers from New Or
cans, and from other places, and some negroes
ave stated that they could put their finger upon
be men who did it, but upon investigation they
md these statements 10 be utterly false and IN.
ounded.
We have no idea of the real perpetrators of the
rhine, but from appearances we conclude that il
aust have been so well planned and so completely
xeeuted as 10 defy investigation. -[Fraoklin Isl.
lary) Banner.