New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-19
TRE vERMILION vIGlLANTs.

TIE vERMILION vIGlLANTs.
The Mistake Of New Orleans Jeweler
Came near Costing Country 0er-
chant his Life.
The REPUBLICAN published yesterday
morning an extract from the Lafayette
Advertiser, an account of the lawless pro-
ceedings in the case Of Mr.. Lazarus Levy.
It stated the entrance into the town of
armed men, the seizure Of Mr.. Levy, mock
trial by the vigilants, and his rescue by the
sheriff with the aid of writ of habeas
corpus.
Snce then, the Loui .iana Sugar Bo,el, OF
August II, with long editorial on the mat
ter, has been received. From this is
learned that Mr. Thibodaux intrasted a
watch to Mr.. Levy to be repaired; watch
was returned by him; Mr.. Thibodaux dying,
an auction of his effects was held; this
watch was then discovered to be another
than his: the family became excited, reused
the vigilants, took Mr.. Levy to Pinhook
bridge, and the proposition had been made
by ''some Of the members" to hang him,
when the sheriff sppeared.
The comments of the Sugar Boarl are on
all sides of the question. Mr.. Levy's state
ment that he had left the watch IN the city
causes it to suppose he may be entirely in
nocent, and it ''can not but conclude that
the committee acted hastily, and may have
greatly wronged an innocent man." To
assuage the possible wrath of the ''com-
mittee" at this imputatioI it says it favored
the organization of the vigilance committee
"where the civil authorities were either too
dishonest or powerless to do JUSTICE" and
qualities this by saying ''such is not the
case in the parish of Lafayette" Then it
asserts it may be its duty to arrest parties,
but should Immediately turn them over to
the civil authorities, and sees no oimpropriety
in it's continuing to do "patrol duty" but
the aim of all good citizens should be to let
the law take its course when anything like
justice can be done.
With an excuse of the miscarriage of the
mail, the following extracts from letter
received from Mr.. p. Lucas, No. SO Canal
street, who repaired the watch, are given
in . postscript
NEW ORLEANS. August 5, 1876.
Mr.. L. Levy, vermilionville, Louisiana:
DEAR FRIEND-You can not imagine how
glad was to hear from you about that
watch. It is impossible for me to explain
to Won what trouble I had. The watch
does not belong to yeu-yon have
the wrong one. The watch yOu have be-
longs to Mr.. H. Ash, Rockdale, Texas. He
left it with me to fix, and how it happened
l can not tell, but when he came for his
watch l must have made the mistake.
He will be glad to get his watch back. as It
is relic, and / had to promise him that
watch. shall write to him, ard am sure
will get your watch back.
The concluding remarks of the Sugar.
Bosci are more positive, and disclose some
evidence of the possession Of little COM
mon sense and independence:
Every one. even those who before coz
demned, will be glad to see that Mr.. Levy
has been able to completely vindicsts his
name, and at the same time ic makes us
shudder to think how narrowly an innocent
man escaped execution. This is indeed
terrible warning.
1t must be consoling to Mr.. Lucas that
before his letter was received the vigilants
did not learn something Of the truth of the
case, and that the heirs Of the Thibodaux
succession old not arouse them to come to
New Orleans for him. If he had been on
trial at Pinhook bridge he might not have
had friends enough in Lafayette 10 secure
writ of habeas corpus in time.