The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-08-17

noceuce he stamped upon the drop Sehe-
1nently and his voice rose to q scream. His
words we're: Good morning; good morn
ing; good morning to you all There's
good many people here; some know me;
some don't; but hope to meet you all in
Jesus; good luck all; take care yourselves
and do well. AS | am on the stand this
morning hopes and desires to tell You l
am not guilty what am scused of I'm not
guilty not guilty not guilty J: was
sleeping in my bed. / wish all well-every-
body. Wednesday night was sleep in my
bed it looked like rain. I'm not guilty
man on earth don't know, but the one L got
to 90 before, He knows. l was eating my
supper on the steps Wednesday night, and
it looked like rain. can tell you what
that oman cooked for me it was rice anu
fried meat !; then | went to bed. am going
to be put to death on the wrong cause L
am innocent of the death. l don't think
hard Of you, gentlemen you only knows
what you hears. These men can't tell you
nothing about me if they done it, don't
know if they didn't, don't know. l wish
you all well. I'm got three little children
out there f; I'm robbed OF my life and OF my
children, but Pm going to God. If had
done something, Wouldn't mind it. Don't
you believe am guilty of killing Q white
man the white man was my only friend
he would always give me nickel or o dime
when asked for it. My own color always
know me for gentleman. | am innocent.
God knows am. That's all | would wish
to say
Octave Lauve staggered slowly to his
feet when the Deputy Sheriff addressed the
usual question to him, and after two unsuc-
eessful attempts to speak, he managed to say
in husky voice, Gentlemen, far as can
see every one come to see me hung to-day"
then in spite of Constable st. Martins sup
port he dropped into his chair, sobbins and
choking. Wine was given him and tho per
SEPARATION wiped from his face. He tried to
rise again to speak, but soon sank back ex-
hausted. He was almost dead from fright
before the drop fell, but at intervals he
managed to gasp forth the following: Let
me say the few words l have to say. Oh,
Father, let me go. am a weak man and
can't speak, but I'm an honest man. ! want
to 90. Gentlemen and ladies, amt had no
chance to speak to you my life is taken for
nothing; try to meet me in heaven. Im GO
ing home, thank God. Oh. Lord l blame
two men for it; God will whip them.
place all in the hands of Cod His last
words were uttered with the moose about his
neck.
At intervals while the others were speak
ing, Childress would make such exelama-
lions as, a. want TO go :" Is Make haste; the
sooner the better" ~ want to leave for
glory" Brother DAM God bless you; try
to meet me in glory" "rell all my sisters
to remember am an innocent man."
While the legs of the prisoners were being
tied Banks exclaimed: Good bye every
body; haven't done anything. but my life
is got to be taken" Calling MIR. f. N. Pugh
to the foot of tho suaffold he said, 81 Mr..
Pugh, tell my wife to fetch up my children in
the Catholic faith. Good bye, Mr.. Pugh,
God bless you if you ever done me harm
don't know it."
The hanginan mounted the scaffold ut
lilo, tied the legs of the condemned to-
gether with the remaining cotton ropes in
his belt. adjusted the nOOses around their
necks and placed the white caps over their
heads. Lauve was still too weak to stand
and his chair was moved forward upon the
drop. At ll:l72 the ministers and officers
left the scaffold the hangman quickly fol
lowed, anu half minute later, with two
blows Of his keen hatchet he severed the
rope supporting the drop and the four con-
demned were launched into eternity, amid
the shrieks and lamentations of their rela-
tiYes in tho crowd. Death was instantan-
eous in all, though the usual muscular con-
tortion was noticed some moments after the
drop fell. This motion was most vigorous
in Childress, of longest duration in Banks
and Carter, and least noticeable in Lauve.
After emitting the rope the hangman had
run rapidly through the open gate into the
lalI Nafu nut Ill IWcHtA minutes ne EetuTHtu
and cut first the cords securing the hands
and feet of the dead men, then as the collins
were brought and placed in readiness to re-
ceive the bodies, he severed the suspending
ropes removed the nooses from the necks
and the caps from the heads of the deceased.
The expression of all the faces was natural,
showing that death had resulted from frae-
ture or disloeation of the neck and not
strangulation.
BURIED.
The corpse of Lauve was at once taken
charge of by his friends and buried in the
Catholic cemetery. The other bodies were
removed tn the Jail yard, where an exami-
nation by Drs. McGalliard, Duffel and Van
dergriff demonstrated that in the cases OF
Childress and Carter both tlislOcation and
fracture of the odontoidc process had taken
place, and in Banks. ,lislocation Of the axis
without fracture. BY reason of the immedi-
ate removal of Lauve's body it was not ex-
amincd, but the appearance of the neck as
the corpse hung suspended in the air indi-
Gated tiislOGation certainly. and doubtless
there was also fracture. Constable st. Mar
tin had the remains of Banks cared for and
inferred near those of Lauye. The body of
Childress was taken to Assumption and
buried in the graveyard of Rev. Osborne
Diekersons church, and that of Carter in
the Protestant cemetery on st. Patrick
street.
FINALE.
Gradually the large crowd dispersed, bat
it was several hoHrs before all had left the
scene, although drenching shower of rain
occurred just after the falling of the drop.
Not the slightest disturbance took place dur
ing the day, thanks 20 the law abiding
spirit of the people and the presence of the
Sheritf's posse con'ifdtHs. In the course of
the afternoon the Cann0necrs assembled in
the court room. where they were briefly ad-
dressed by Sheriff Jones. who warmly
thanked them for their services and dis
missed them.
The arrangements for the execution were
admirable and were carried out without 3
hitch, a fact rejecting credit upon our eff
fcient Sheriff and his capable deputies.