The New York herald., 1874-08-22
Atrocity of the Crime and Strange Con-
fessions Of the Murderers
DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
A Gold Mine Offered for q
Respite.
TIE LEGAL TRAGEDY CCNSUMMATED.

beJed here witnessing the third legal execution
IN Louisiana in period OF over ten years. good
many men have been informally hanged during
that time for hog killing cattle stealing in the
Teche parlshes-LOngiel0w's sadly misnamed
ARCADIA" Commercial MISUNDERSTANDING and
questions OF personal veraclty on family honor
have produced frequent fatal duels or street rem
c0ntres Political assassnatiOns have been num-
berless but an old-fasnioned hanging under due
form OF law for the highest offence known to GRIM
inal jurisprudence has long been q rarity in
Louisiana. On the only occasion within the time
specified, when the majesty OF the law was vindi-
Gated In New Orleans by the innction OF the death
penalty, the victims were two Spanards, convicted
or assassinatng sailor, and on the drop they
able to assert with much apparent truth, that they
were hanged simply because they were foreigners
without money or friends; and they mentioned the
names OF prominent cotton brokers' and merchants
OF New Orleans recently arralgned for murders of
even worse character who had been set free
through the venaity OF the jurors the complas-
ance Of the judge or the prosecuting oficer who
had tried them.
Ir is probably premature to say that change for
the better has been inauguratec in this respect in
this State, but certainly one or two important
steps have been taken in that direction. Su-
perlOr Criminal COurt has been established, with
wide jurisdiction; the jury laws have been so
mOdifed as to call into requsition the services of
the very best citizens OF the State jurors, and,
BY curious accident, the two lawyers whose in
genuity and knowledge OF the intricacles of
criminal law had hitherto been most effective in Sc.
curing che release Of criminals charged with capi-
tai Orences have dropped into the positions OF
Criminal Judge and Prosecuting Attorney respect
lively.
THE MURDER
n ri for dvaf f,Id
piatiOn was exacted to-day, was Of a nest afro
clous character, premeditated. and planned solely
for the purpose OF robbery. The murder was not
an accidental accompaniment OF contemplated
robbery 1t formed par OF the original plot In
deed, the assassins projected and nearly accom-
plished the death OF two persons instead of one.
Among the many curious features Of
LIFE ON The BAYOUs
OF the Mississippi delta the floating traders are not
the least curious. With an old natboat stocked
with all the requirements OF country store they
pole their way into regions apparently inaccessi-
BILE or drift azily with the current from place to
place, and wherever they go manage to find
trade. They pay neither rent nor taxes II they
are disturbed or nnd business dull at ono
point they move on to the next, ana,
barring their half.yearly trips to New
orleans to renew their Stock seldom
flls up MS time while waiting for his customers
by working at some trade-clock. .mending most
frequently. Wniskey, Of the cheapest and vilest
kind, is always to be found on board these boats,
and In dispensing it the flatboatman makes no dis.
tnction on account OF race, color or previous
ditiOn. Often one will see a frOwsy headed woman
thrust her head out Of the cabin to yell at her
ragged brood fishing for catfish over the sides OF
the boat and "yaller dog' is almost sure to be
on hand to yell iranticaly at every passer-by.
Elisha Eastwood.
THE MURDERED NAV,
was natbOat trader, but Of a much better class
than ordinary. He was q native of Onondaga
county New York, and was about sixty years OF
age. He came to Louisiana ten or twelve years
ago q widOwer, with one daughter. and started
country store; but his daughter dying some three
years ago he built natpoat and started trading in
the Bayou Lafourche. Attended only Dy an old
cQl0red COOK ne passed his cheeress, lonely lie
Simost Entirely on board his boat, doing q
some s.. .coO against the government. which had
recently been decided In his favor. and as he as
known to have received official letters from Wash
lngtOn within lew days OF his death, his assas-
sins doubtless believed he mad this money with
him on the boat. on the morning Of
the 25th OF April last, Eastw00ds boat was tied up
at Mrs. Flowers plantation on Bayou LalOurche,
lour miles below Nspoleonvllle. 1t was lour
vicinity were aroused by the screams OF woman
Whc ran to house and awakened the inmates,
~ the boat This 'y was Eastwoods colored COOK, COO
woman named Henrietta. As soon as practicable
tae nelghbors assembled and proceeded to the
boat The murderers had fed, but the bloody
corpse OF the old man attested shat they had ac-
compIisned already the worst part OF their terrible
parent psrenty Tie feless e bloody and disSgured. This
woman was named ROsalie. Unfortunately for.
herself she was at the time visit TO the woman
HenrpftQ hQreelf
noise and seeing the assasslns, mad burst through
Of the windows OF the boat fell into the bayou,
one OF their number on the evee to watch, escaped
uninjured and gave the alarm. At daylight thor
hickory bludgeons were found; one was enclrcled
at tine end VIII with heavy iron ring the other was
eTSv hairs Of the murdered man. pisto e nit
and bit,n we're likewise discovered. The cowardly
wLO escaped. had ned without their expected
booty, leaving even their weapons behind them
the brace and bit as means 70 anhcoE the % asch.
On examination Eastwood's head was found TO be
smashed 6y repeated n,,, blows OF blndgeon; The
eral places, was still alive, and subsequently re-
covered.
were at once made, but though the suspected per-
sons included three OF those who were subsequent
y proved to De the murderers no evidence could be
found against them and they were discharged
Meanwhile Colonel W. B. RatllfL . large planter,
Of Assumption parish, who had known and re-
spected Eastwood for some years, examined the
weapons lett behind by the murderers and identi-
hed the iron bound bludgeon found In the natboat
- the property OF q 0ne-legged white man named
James Robinson, who travelled abOus the bayou
70 skin protesting to be a clock mender and an
ex-Soniederate soldier sherln's posse and .
Robinson, who, for long time evaded
arrest but his remarkable appearance, SIX feet
Inree inches nigh, broad In proportion, with the
Nump Oh MS missing leg fitted to q gigantic
wOoden peg almost as thick as his thigh rendered
his escape impossible, and he was finally captured
and lodged IN jail. Then
ROBINSON CONFESSED.
Little ny little he disclosed the particulars OF the
DIutsi oeea, al me time denying any active par
on hand with his SKIN to receive the proceeds OF
the ROBBERY, and acknowledging that he loaned
!0nh Ross, negro, ms bludge0n for the purpose
OF knocking the old man on the head. AS the
facts unravelled 1t became clear that Robinson
planned and nstigated the whole affair. though
TOO cowardy himself to bear a napd in
It, John Ross was arrested, oQether