The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-06-21
AN INTERESTING TRIAL.
The Triumph Of Science in Aid of
Circum stantial Evidence.
rSt CharIas Nfirr:or.lI

Keeper, OH anu re5peCteU, was 1OOOO
dead, stretched ON the stone floor in
his Office, and the tssses of deadly
scutfle plainly visible. The skull was
fractured in nine places; there was
blood ON the floors, blood on the coun-
tiers, blood ON the drawers, blood ON
the shelvings, blood in the bed room.
The unfortunate victim had evidently
survived long enough to wander dis
trs,ctedly through the premises, vainiy
calling for help. The evening and
night had been icy cold, rainy and
stormy, and the assssssins had indeed
wen chosen their opportunity. ,.,,.
The occurrence was shrOuGlcd In mys-
terry, but the community was so shock.
ed that the authorities and several we'll
known citizens determined to track
tho flends who had done the decd.
They found out tho names of those
who We're last seen in tho store the
evening of the murder, and four color
ed men We're arrested on suspicion.
Great credit is due the public officers,
to the local members Of the bar who
assisted in the prosecution -Messrs r.
N. Sims, r.. N. p,igh and Fred Duffel
Ito Mr.. John HI. Ilsley, assisting the
State with them, to the efficient Dis
trict Attorney, +. B. Earhart, and to
Messrs. Landry, Claverie and Coiomb,
who, we understand, were the foremost
in securing tho prisoners and saving
the evidences and preserving the
traces of the crime. ..T ~ f,,,.,79, t.,p .
Two of the accused were tried, and,
after five days of unremitting trial last
week, were found unqualifletlly guilty,
although ably defended by IMeesrs.
Winchester and Cheevers. The inters
esting feature of tho trial was the evil
dence of tho eminent chemist of New
Orleans, DIR. Jones. It seems that one
when arrested, a cloth coat with cor
tain stains on the lining Of the sleeves
and on the lapel. This attracted at
tcntion. Flo was questioned and ex-
planned that they were stains OF paint
from certain coal oil barrels handled
by him at Mr.. Gondran's store in
Donaldsonville. On further. inquiry, it
was found that there was no barrel
with red paint in that store, although
the accused had worked there. The
coat was secured, and tho stained
pieces of lining cut out, sealed up, and
sent by a sworn messenger to DIR. Jones
for examination and analysis. He
pronounced the spots undoubtedly
blood, having all the characteristics Of
human blood, and further showing
black globules indicating that the
human being had been AFFLICTED with
malarial fevers. Pieces Of the money
and other drawers and of the counter,
saturated with the blood of the victim,
| were also sent down and analysed ,antl
under the microscopical examination
showed that the blood on those pieces
of wood had the identical measure
| ment of corpsuclcs and characteristics
| as to nalaria1 globules found in the
spots analysed and taken from the ac-
cused. -..L, 3D. .-.. ...f. 1896. ..'-....i
By a singular coincidence, showing
tho accuracy of the scientific test, the
deceased was known to be man SUBJ
ject to that kind of fcvcrs. The Doctor
explained on the stand with great
clearness and force, to the jury, the
progress of science in that respect, and
specially how by hundreds of expert
ments he had become able to test the
presence ofmalarfal disease on the sub
ject from which the blood was taken,
and as that only attacked man, not
withstanding the great similarity be-
tween the corpsucles of the blood in
man and the domestic animals, it was
a sure indication of the spot or stain
being human blood. Average size of
human corpsucles, 132OOth of an inch;
domestic animal, 1-4OOOth to 1-GOOOth
of an inch. ..s. ,l.. t.4. ... i..'
There was other evidence, partly di-
rect and partly circumstantial, but this
proof had a powerful effect in bringing
the principal offender and his accom-
plices to justice. TIIEMIs.
-----------oe-<~ -S--~-------