The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-02-28
LYNCH LAW IN RAPIDES.

ish, lynch law has been administered
in Rapides. The circumstances
which led to the summary punish
ment of the criminal as we learn
them are as follows:
On the evening Of the t22nd inst,
after dusk Maj. Geo. 0. Watts, who
lives a short distance below Alexan-
dria rode to town, hitched his horse
to a rack and went aboard the Bart.
Able, then at the wharf on her way
down. When he came ashore ready
to 20 home his horse was missing
from the rack, and on inquiry he
learned of some one having ridden
him of while he vas on the boat. He
borrowed another lorse, and armed
with only a small pistol he started
down the Bayou Robert road after
the horse thief, and found out at the
toll gate that man on horse an
swering TO the description of his had
passed through half an hour before.
The gate keeper and others described
both tie man and horse, SO that even
before the thief was captured it was
known who he was. Maj. Watts fol-
lowed him and by some means found
himself at the Baillio store about
nine miles from town ahead Of the
thief. He started back and met hin
in the lane Of Gev. Moore's upper
place. Ee demanded surrender
and the man surrendered and Maj.
Watts had started him back to town
ahead of him afoot, when Selling ali
opportunity the thief and assassin,
turned aud fired two shots at the
Major, one of which took effect in his
right breast just above the nipple
and it is now thought passed through
the lung. Disabled by the fist shot
as he was, Maj. Watts fired two shots
in return without effect, aud the
horse thief and would be murderer
escaped. The Major made his way
back to the store, when a carriage
was procured and he was brought
home.
Early next morning as soon as it
was known, party with Il deputy
Sheriff started in search Of the Grim
inal who had in one night committed
two foul crimes. 1t was known from
the description given that he was q
young man who gave his name as
Cage, and who said he came from
Wilkinson County, Mississippi, and
had been around town for some days
ostensibly seeking employment
a part Of the Sberiff's posse got on
he trail and tracked it to the Lodi
sugar house, when after at first refu-
sing to surrender he was fna!l y cap
tured and brought to the Parish Jail.
That afternoon he was carried to
Mai. Watts residence where he was
lying in very critical condition, and
he recognized him at once as the
man he had caught on his horse the
night before and who had shot him.
Other parties also identified him vino
had the night before seen him leaving
town on Major Watts horse. This
could be more readily done, as the
night was bright moonlight one.
He was again placed in Jail and after
that we must let the Jailer tell the
next step in the tragedy of blood.
His statement under oath will be
found in another place. From that
it appears that in the night party
Of men came to the Jail,
overpowered him and took away the
prisoner. The next thing known to
to the public was that the man Cage
was found in the morning hanging to
a limb of an oak tree, on the river
bank about one mile below town.
The place was visited by many of our
people to see how speedily punish
ment had followed the double crime
and we heard but one sentiment ex-
pressed that it was q terrible punish
ment, but that it was just and de-
served by the criminal. For eight
long years our people have seen Grim
inals bid defiance to law with impun-
tty and they have suffered in silence.
They have seen men whose hands
were red with blood, either Escape en-
tirely or by legal bubble elude the
clutches of the law, and they have
said nothing. They have seen muir
derers, thieves aud robbers undergo
the farce of trial before inefficient
judge and ignorant juries, and come
out eager to commit other and great
err crimes, and they have horne the
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