The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-29
ANOTHER MURDER.
An Old Man Drained with Hatchet.

About o'clock last night the neighborhoo
of No BAG Robertson street was startled b
the loud cries of man evidently in gref
pain.
1t appears that man named John August
had high words with woman known as Mar
Estelle, and in the heat Of her fury she seize
hatchet close at hand, and, with giant force
{ dealt him blow with it about the middle c
the forehead.
The Ratchet was large, broad-blade in
strument usually used for taking the bari
from timber. The entire blade was covere,
with the brains, hair and blood of the unfor
tunate old man, and, from appearances, mus
have been buried up to the very butt in hi
head.
The cause of the difficulty could not be ac
curately ascertained. The man, notwith
standing the CHASTITY wound he had received
fingered, after he was conveyed to the Charity
Hospital, until 1926 A. NJ, when he expired.
The deceased was a small, grly-h haired ne
gro, Of about sixty-fve years Of age, very de-
crepit and apparently very weak.
Our reporter repaired Immediately to the
Fifth Precinct Station, to interview Mary Es-
telle, the murderess, but from whom moth
ing could be learned. She positively denied
having committed the murder or to know any,
thing about it.
Mary Estelle is stout black woman of
about 30 years Of age, and seemed, even when
visited 10y this reporter, to be suffering from
the effects of liquor.
Sae wore a light calico dress which was
besmeared With blood from her shoulders
down to her feet. Her hands we've also
deeply stained with the lite-blood Of her vic
tim, who In a moment of frenzy she had sent
to an untlmely end. Learning that the place
at which the murder had been committed was
No. 346 Rob ns0n street, near Columbus, our
reporter Immediately repaired to the scene of
the bloody tragedy
Entering a long, dirty alley and coming to
II large yard, in which were scattered several
Old shantles, our reporter started to interview
some of the inmates Of the place.
Nine. Andre, who resided there, gave the
following statement:
That about week ago the old man and
Mary had someW hat of dispute; that the wo-
man had been the 'paramour' of Augustin,
but that they had quarreled and Mary lately
moved to the shanty IN the yard which she
occupied at the time Of the murder.
On the night Of the murder Nine. Andre
stat IS the woman told the old man to 90 and
get his supper, which he did, but on return
ing found that his armoir had been broken
open and his clothing taken out; he lived in
a little shanty facing on the street; lie imme-
dlately went back into the room where he ac-
cused Mary with the theft of his clothes, and
asked for the return of the same. She returned
the clothing, but refused to give up some bed
clothing, and that was the origin Of the ca
lamity.
The little girl, Marie Louise, daughter of
Mary, stated that while lying in her bed, she |
was suddenly aroused by noise similar to |
slap on the face. She awoke, and seeing her
mother and the old man there again fell
asleep. But some time after she was again |
sroused by terrible noise, and getting up,
an out OF the alley into the street, where she
saw her mother in Charge of two officers.
She then ran into the room of the old man to
all him, but CHASTITY sight met her gaze
The old man was lying on the floor with
MS head wide open and in perfect pool of
blood. The Ratchet with which he had been
mt was lying by his side.
Mrs. Fagot, another resident Of the prem
ses, stated the particulars as above given,
Ii
7hen Mary Estelle rushed in ard said, .Oh,
line. Fagot, come and see; the old man is
oating in blood
Madam Fagot Immediately rushed out and !
rent into the room where the murder had !
cen committed, and saw the old man, as ;
lated above by the girl. She turned to Mary :
stelle, and said: "A foul crime has been I
one, and you are the one Mary denied it, :
nd said: "Oh, no! he was struck by some :
ne out in the street." Madam Fagot asked !,
err: "Well, what is this Ratchet doing here 2" :
Pointing to the Ratchet lying by the side of :,
ugustin.) !,
The desperate woman then stated that the i,
zen who cut him had done it in the room, and E
lat she ran out to find her. Nine. Fagot. | r
alite Bono, an old woman, vino had brought :
AIRY EstelIe there, stated that for some time q
lie murderess had been drinking very hard, .
i'd that she intended to take the little girl,
arie Louise, and keep her T
The representative of the BULLETIN was \
len conducted into the room where the deed ~
i'd been committed which was surrounded :;
= dingy windows and old, rickety wooden =
alls, which lent more gloomy aspect to the u
enc. In the centre OF the room could be y
en the traces Of blood.
The prisoner was to-day taken from the 4
fifth Precinct and put for sffe keeping in the -
irish Prison. \
The coroner held an inquest on the body \
the deceased at the Charity Hospital, and =
turned the following verdict: THAT the =, -
ceased had come to his death from pene- ~
ating wound in the head, from sharp in =
rumens in the hands of Mary Estelle. Il
We haze received fsaan Mr.. Theobesd For tt
all General G,,nerintandapt of tha Naw Ell