Feliciana sentinel., 1879-06-21

shaw's stable to get the horse aud bug
gy which Capt. ID. desired me to take
to Baton Rouge for him, for he was in
tending an immediate trip up Red river,
on Internal Revenue business. MI. Hen.
shaw was up in St. Frahcisville, at a
Lodge diner, and Capt. D. requested
me to drive up for him and bring him
back, as he wished to get his valisses.
etc., from the stable office which was
locked mp, in o: der to DO prepared for
tho expected boat. .r-
I did so, and Major H. and myself
After dinner we went to Major Hen
arrived together, he in his hack and
in the buggy which 1 drove into the
stable and left there. I Immediately
went to the river front and found Capt.
D. and we went together to the Hotel.
and upon looking for the package Of
money, it was missing.
We searched everyw here, inquired
everywhere and could get no clue. The
door was open no one there and I could
| form no opinion as to what had become
oft In our search among other ques-
tions Capt. D. asked me if did not take
or hide the money, as a joke-for he per.
sisted in saying 1T was very strange as
1 and he alone, knew where he had
placed it, This made me- more deter
mined to do all could to assist in fer
reting out the mystery, for it was as
suming q serious form, though I colld
never have imagined that Capt. D. sus
pected me Of having stole his money
That evening and night our search re-
suited in obtaining no clue. The rext
morning drcw up an article Offering
$3.50 for the return of the money, and no
questions asked which Capt. D. copied
clean suit of clothes and could do no
| good, sot out for home on IL Jackson
team, telling the Captain that if he re-
quired my assist lance that would stay
or that would return if he wished the
next day. We parted in friendly
manner at the stable, and after leaving
town it was iutimated to mo that I was
suspected Of knowing where tho money!
was. I thonght several times of going
back Immediately; but concluded to e.
on home, get a clean suit of clothes aud
return the next day. After l had left
town Capt. D. entered an accusati N
against me, and a Deputy Sheriff and a
| town Officer were dispatched after me,
and as knew there were no grounds for
such n charge. l quietly submitted to
an unjust arrest, and returned with
them to Bayou Sara, where I was ilapris
on cd without one chance for Gefcnse
outside of the Court room.
! At the preliminary tri al before Judge
| McC. Lawrason, of the Parish Court, no
| one coming forth to sustain the charge,
1 was Immediately d dismissed.
Thereupon the Deputy Marshal Judge
Lane, being on hand, took me in charge,
| and with Capt. De'Grey also under ar
rest, we took passage for New Orleans.
| Cap. ID. on board the boat wrote 1ue a
| very lengthy article again offering $3.50
or $500 or more if I demanded, for the
| return of the money; but as I did not
| have it, and had no clue whatever as to
| it's Whereabouts, this was au impossi-
bility. Aftor arriving in Nov Orleans
an investigation of matters was entered
into and after one days snjurn in the
| N. 1
that should aid in recovering the mon
| 9y (fol we had obtained a slight cnle or
thread and endeavored to work it u2)
| I went back to Bayou Sara with Judge
Lane, to ferret ont the case. The mon
ey was recovered and we returned to che
! city where ar honorable discharge was
| made out by the High Court of u. s.
| f,> r tI,o Il; Il
point towards me, as the party, and I
| returned homo to find my own papers
accusing me of having taken the money.
Now when two courts have investigated
9: case and no evidence is brought for
! ward to sustain the charges and prison.
er is honorably discharged is it not best
and most charitable to let the matter
rest.
Thre has been no loss to any one ex-
copt myself, unless perhaps the Govorn-
ment officials have lost a little in the
prosecution. The money has been recov-
cred and ho lives lost. have been hon
orably discharged and is it not better and
moro charitable to give me the benefit
of doubt, which the common law gives
every ono, than to hound mo down and
turn me into 4 esperado like p. G. But
ler or Ike Cox, to exile me from my home
or to drive me into q self made gravee
Again say that I stand on the bull
wark of innosence as to this charge. The
courts have both discharged me, there
being no evidence as to my guilt; then
why not stop this senseless injustice and