The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-16
THE ST, BERNARD DOUBLE
HOMICIDE.
Sta.eaen: OF \ Friend Of the Marrer0
Brothers,

fiavins given the statement. Of the friends
OF the Estopinal brothers in relation to the
dreadful affair that occurred in the parish OF
st. Bernard on the 9th inst. We subjoin a
statement of friend of the Marrero brothers,
which has about it an aiy Of eandor and
plausibility:
Editor N. o. Bulletin:
Dear Having for a number of years
been intimately acquainted with the Marrero
brothers, implicated in the shooting affray
which lately took place in st. Bernard parish.
was astonished at your report Of the affair,
as could not imagine that two quiet and in
offensive young men as had always known
them to be, could murder in cold blood two
Of their friends, as your paper seems to state.
As friend Of the Marrero family, have
made it my duty to seek such information on
the subject as would show the affair in its
true light, and all of the many persons from
st. Bernard, of whom have made inquiries
give the following as the true account of this
sad business.
It seems that Herman and James Marrero
were at supper when Matheo Estopinal came
to the door ind called Herman out
The latter went to the door and asked him
to come in, upon which, Matheo replied tina:
he had come to find out about his barrel of
sugar Now, to show where the difficulty
arose it would be proper, perhaps, to say
something about this barrel Of sugar.
Herman had made an agreement with
Estopinal for some services rendered by the
latter to give him in payment barrel OF
sugar, as soon as he got through grinding his
crop He had put the sugar by for Estopinal,
but had removed It from the sugar-house to
make way for a neighboring planter, who
having no mill ON his own place was to have
his crop made at Marreros. 1t was this
moving Of the sugar which was the cause OF
the whole trouble, for some Of Estopinal' S
friends told him that it was done with the in
tention of detrauding him. SO that with this
belief he called on Herman with several OF
his friends, at 9oclock Wednesday night, to
demand settlement When he asked TOR his
barrel Of sugar, Herman told him why he had
moved it, and furthermore that it was at his
disposition whenever he wanted it.
Estopinal answered that he did not want
the sugar; he wanted money instead.
"Wel,. answered Herman. ''sugar or money.
it is all one to me come in the morning and
will settle with you" Natheo then began
talking loud and said that he wanted a settle
ment in one way brother at the moment.
mean that YOU will have to pay me imme-
diately or fl light" replied Estopinal. II can't
paw you at this time of night come in the
morning" replied Herman, ''and do not talk
in that way, as my wife and children are
within hearing" well, come out on the
road. then said Estopinnl Herman went
out with him, and found Il crowd with sticks
awaiting him. Nv hat does this mean,
MatLeo?" said he. 1T means that you will
have to fight" said Matheo's brother coming
M to him. Hermans brother, coming out OF
the hollse, heard these words, and ran to the
gate. where he was coliared by NIatheo, who
told him that he would have to fight him
while Pope fought Herman. James answered
that he haG not come out to fight. and that
he did not want to fight, shaking Matheo OF
and rushing to his brothers side.
At this moment Pope rushed on Herman
and struck him with stick, when the latter
opened fire on him. Pope fell, and Mathec
seeing his brother on the ground drew dag
GER and rushed at them, when James drew his
revolver and shot him. All the bystanders fled,
| and Herman and james knowing that it would
be dangerous to fall into the hands Of the re-
lations of the deceased concealed themselves.
Subsequent events proved that they were not
| wrong in doing so, rs a short time afterwards
crowd broke into their house, crying out
| vengeance! Hang them" etc. If they
are hid, am sure it is not through fear of the
law, but from the idea of the little security
| that the parish Jail would afford them, aud Ell,
long they will surrender themselves and
prove that what they did was only to save
themselves.