The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-12-28
Homicide i'm OpeToUsas.

cOlored man, was shot at by NlctOTln
Lastrapes and Missile Lastrapes, both
also colOred, and mortally wounded, dy-
ing next day about 3 o'clock P. NJ. All
the main facts in the case will appear
from the following which We take from
the record of the preliminary examina-
ton before Justice Knox.
DYING DECLARATION OF DECEASED.
Being aware that my condition is a
serious and critical one, and that l am
liable to die at any moment from the
wound that | receivedlas night, | there
fore, in the presence Of my Maker, be-
fore whom I expect soon to appear, make
this my dying declaration. Yesterday
| was employed by MI. Felix Lesassier,
clerk for Louis Desmarais, in moving
meat from the warehouse to the store,
while thus employed IL of the should
ers of meat fell from my hand to the
ground, at that time forgot to pick it
up, it remained there until last night,
and on my way hOmeward | thought Of
it and returned to get it-as | knew MI.
Lesassier would be madif tOOkit in the
store, so | started home with it, when |
was hailed by Missie Lastrapes, and as
soon as I got over the fence he fired at
me, this ball from the first fire struckme
in the thigh, and a short while after Vic
TORN Lastrapes hailed me and asked me
to stOp-I went on my wayne then
fired at me, the ball taking effect in my
right side, Immediately under my ribs,
and coming to neal the umbilicus-I re-
cOgnized VictOTin by his voice.
TESTIMONY OF DR.. THOMPSON.
Dr.. VIM NJ. Thompson sworn for the
plaintiff says-he is an NJ. D., practicing
in St. Landry parish, and as such eX-
amined Jerry Thompson. The ball
struck him.
Certificate of DR.. VIM. N. Thompson
offered in evidence-The ball exhibited
to Dr.. Thompson, he says it is the same,
or one similar to the one he extracted
from the body of Jerry Thompson.
Observation-Disclosures was a small
scratch on the thigh-which Jerry said
was also a shOt-it was merely grazed,
the flesh was not cut-it was directly
transverse, coming from the side, it
seems to have come from the same irec-
ton the fatal n came in.
TESTIMONY OF Jos. LASALLE.
Jos. Lasalle, sworn, says-1 was told
between 8 and 4 o'clock in the evening
of Friday last, that a ham had been CON
cealed in a corner Of the yard of Mr..
Desmarais' store in this town, Twas told
this by F. Lesassier. No arrangement
was made between myself and ais. to
catch the thief-butI was on the look
out for him myself was in the house,
the door being closed. / was waiting
for some n who was watching to give
the alarm-didn't know who was watch
ing. The first thing | heard was some
II opening the gate, and the voice of
some One saying-stOp Jerry. / know
yOu-the voice sounded like that of Mis-
sie-NapOleOn Lastrapes-I opened the
door and heard the report Of a pistol, and
saw the flash going up-after that heard
VictOTin Lastrapes cry, "Arretez stop
then heard the second pistol shot, al
most simultaneously with the hailing to
stOp-from the flash of the pistol, the
party shooting 'seemedtO be in the street
/ between the Market-house and Desma-
rails store-at the second shot Isaw Jer-
~ run between the Market-hOuse and
Jail-judge that the parties were about
10 yards apart when the shooting occur
red-think V. Lastrapes was alone with
the thief when the firing took place-this
was between 7 and s o'clock in the even
ing-the store had been closed up Is or
90 ~minutes-dO not know exactly why
the store was closed so early on that OC-
casiOn, but think it was dOnein order to
| give the thief a chance to come early af-
ter the meat-abOut 3 or 4 o'clock in the
evening I was in the store of Desmarais
and heard Felix Lesassier say that he
supposed it was Jerry, the deceased, who
had hid that meat, and wanted witness
and the others to keep a lookout forhim
when he came after it that night. My
room is near the store, but not q part of
same building-I was already out in the
yard when l heard the last shot fired at
J~erry-Witness then locked his room and
went out to see what was the matter
witness, when he reached the street, saw
a crowd OF mel coming from towards
the Market-hOuse, going towards A. La
cOmbe's-I recognized some of them
Vietorin Lastrapes, Felix esassier, there
were about 10 others but don't recOllect
them-When witness overlook deceased
was opposite the Court House, going to-
wards Austin Lacombe's.
Cross-eXamined-Was in the yard ad-
joining my room on the South, where
the ham had been hid, and hadjust spO-
ken o word to Napoleon Lastrapes. !
heard VictOrin Lastrapes cry stop! be-
fore / left my room, and after I left my
room / saw the flash from VictOrin Las
trapes' pistol, didn't see the thief before
he reached the alley between the Mar
ket-hOuse and Jail-didn't see him cross
the fence-didn't see him cross the street
las o 0 as / heard noise in the yard I
opened my window and saw the flash of
the first pistol fred-and that first flash
of the pistol was almOstperpendicularin
the air.
TESTIMONY OF FELIX LEssAssTER.
Felix Lessassier, sworn for plaintiff,
says-I am clerk in Desmarais' store.
On Friday last Jerry, the deceased, was
removing meat from the warehouse to
the ~store-durfng the day, some time, I
happened to be examining some barrels
in the yard of the store and there dis
| covered a shoulder of meat hid-this
shoulder is worth about SO, I told Vic
TORN Lastrapes about it and proceeded
to make arrangements to catch the thief,
Witness took his stand between Lasal-
les roOmsand the warehouse, VictOrin
L~astrapes took his stand somewhere on
the street running between the Market
house and the store, Iasalle was to re-
main in his DON to rush out when the
thief came in. Napoleon LastrapestoOk
his stand inside of the gardennearWhere
the meat was hid-the store was closed
between 4 and 8 o'clock In order to give
the THETA chance to come early. Neither
myself nor any n else engagedin thus
watching for the thief made any appli-
cation to the Sheriff or any other officer
for assistance In aTregtfng the thfef-a
short while after we were parted some
one climbed over the fence and took the
ham, and threw it over IN the adjoining
vacant lot-as he threw the ham over
Napoleon Lastrapes haltedhim, saying:
II know ypu,p Witness then rushed
out and as he was doings so perceived the
flash from Napoleon Lastrapes' pistol
can't say whether the firing took place