The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-04-07
AGLAE SPINOTTE.
s.~e lueldents in the Career of Woman
Without a II. art.

The day upon which General Lowell
and the Confederate forces evacuated
New Orleans was a sad day to Major
Suinotte, as to many others. The Majors
sadness lay in the fact that he had to
leave his bride, Aglae, just six weeks
married, and just sixteen years old.
Whether it was sad to Aglae or not, l
viii not decide, but presume it was, for
Claude was handsome fellow, just
twsnty.iour, ardent, handsome, rich.
However, Claude had to tear himself
away, leaving his young wife in care of
bis mother, and with a good store of
gold in her trunk. When spring opened
and things got more quiet, Aglae and
The mother were to retire from the city,
goto the plantation near Opelousas, and
thence, if chance served, cross the river
and get within the Confederate lines
again, somehow.
l do not know all the particulars of
the affair, but it is certain that in less
than six weeks Aglae had left Nine.
Spinotte's house and gone to live at the
st. Charles Hotel, where her beauty at
irscted much attention and a great
number Of admirers. Among these was
scertain Captain Coale, from Maine, in
ae Quartermaster's Department of the
FEDERAL Army, person of fine figure
and complexion, with quick blue eyes
and fascinating manners. There, was
some talk about the attentions which
Aglae received from Captain Coale,
but in the general whirl and disorder
Of New Orleans life at that time the
matter went for little. In the latter part
Of May young Nine. Aglae Spinotte was
sent "beyond the lines" by order of
General Butler, for "disloyal language
and reasonable practices" She took
refuge at Nine. Spinotte's plantation in
Opelousas, where Claude's mother had
aready arrived, and was most cordially
Meived, as became "a martyr to the
tsase." A week later three steamers,
With gun-boat for escort, came up the
lrhafalaya, landed at the Spinotte
lhntatiOn, and Captain Coale, COM
ing to the house, arrested Madame Aglae
Spinotte sby order of the Commanding
General" and carried her off, together
With l 100 bales of cotton, buried in the
woods, but which Captain Coale knew
how TO find as if by instinct. There was
also large quantity of sugar concealed
nthe next parish, to which Captain
Cosle's presclence led him straight.
Slngularly enough, the proceeds of this
spture were never turned over to the
authorities in charge at New Orleans
neither the lady, nor the cotton, nor the
sugar; nor does it appear that Captain
Voale made any report of his operations
the authorities. A British ship took
'aecotton, etc., aboard in Atchafalaya
0ay and sailed for Liverpool, while the
seamers and gun-boat returned to Bra
saear City. 1t is not my province to ex-
pam how these little irregularities"
we're permitted to occur.
~ un the Nth of August, 1862, Major
sauoe ~ Spinotte deliberately threw his
.ae away In the battle of Clarksville,
isan.' having received a letter the night
slore nom friend in New Orleans;
suo early in October of the same year,
sspain Kufus NJ. Coale and lady, from
- lngiand, were registered at one of our
sus! New York hotels. There seems
so9ouot now that the "lady" was the
'as saox q Claude Spinotte. Coale had
sMe sar oihculty with Kennedy and the
ssace, but apparently was able to show
=, sslsar record. At any rate, he was
W. sSs lnterfered with, and the couple,
sas a.. aaa abundance of money, lived a
Ss II. ana gay life. AS there is no evil
.S.s ,,Ts. % the contrary, it is only chari-
llSS~s.sosssnppose that they were married.
c.S A christmas of the same year.
ny nAn Coale met with fatal adyen-
y s ne was enticed to an unfreouent-
~;, maatt Ct Maryland, not far from the
as.as aaaary lines, by some device that was
s,es l clearly revealed, and there set
sa...! spUa and murdered, his pockets, which
~ ss's,ned an several thousand dollars. be-
rs,s = aned. No traces of the murderers
were ever found. '''' A'''' "''''S