Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-28
THE RANCE BROTHERS.
Their Appearance in Court and
in Prison-A short Sketch.

Brothers, who. it will be remembered,
murdered Edwin G. Mix, Of that city,
one day last week. They believed Mix
guilty of having seduced their sister,
and while infamcd with revengetul
passions, took his life in a cold ard
bloodthirsty manner. Subsequent de-
yeIopments scenl to indicate that Mix
was innocent. some miserable scoundrcl
having, it is said, assued his name to
accomplish cruel wrong without dan
ger Of punishment. The Democrat
says:
After eighteen hours Of anguish and
terror in cell in the fifth precinct sta
tion. the three accused, wearing a care
we.n aud hagyard look, appeared yes
terlay before Judge MiItenberger, to Ce
arraigncd for the murder Of Mix. They
all pleaded not guilty, and were escorted
b. Capt Zach Bachemin and Court oti-
Ger NalllIllt!i W al Valid w III '"i''"S'
and driven to the parish prison.
On arriva! at the prison they were
taken TO the haliand located III the room
styled by the prisoners the Star Cham
her and III this room that they were
visited by tic reporter. Ferdinand, the
eldest brother. is II man OF splendid phy-
siaue, has q good face and a bright,
black, piercing eye. He wears slight
black lloustacne and short side whis-
key3. At the time Of the entrance Of
the reporter he appeared to be suffering
considerable torture, which showed in
his sunken and b.eared eyes.
On al old wooden bench sat Armand
Rance, wh0 seemed occupied III picking
his nails. He was quiet, spoke not
word, but appeared to be nervons. He
is q wei b.:il5 man, with square should
ors, regular features aud dark hazel eyes.
Reclining in al easy position on cot.
w::h half of lis face hid in one OF his
hands, was the youngest Of the three
brothers, Henri de Rance. He seemed
perfectly unconccrncd, and frequently
his cOuntenancc was wrcathed in smiles.
He is beardlcss boy of small stature,
has raven black curly hair, and a coal
black eye, which rolls in the sockets,
aud bespeaks plainly the determined
character of the youth.
They were all unanimous in saying
that they had no statement to make be-
yond that whichhas been published i'll the
papers. And here short sketch Of the
DE Rance brothers will not prove unin-
tcresting. There are four De Rance bro
tllcrs, Fernand, Armaud, Sydney and
Henri. The eldest, Fcrnand, has from
loyhood been noted for his quick tenn
and violent disposition. The quietest
is Sydney. Fcrnand has had countless
disputes and fights. Two years ago he
shot at Edgar Bouligny OF the steps OF
the French Opora House during the in
Permission. He fired three or four times.
One ball struck a button off Bouligny's
vest, and the other shots hurt no one,
though there were many ladies aud gen-
tlemcn going up and down the steps.
The difficulty was caused by a previous
misunderstanding between Armand De
Rance and Bouligny. Fcrnand shot
again at Bouligny, it is said, during the
constitutional convention election. Hc
He also had shooting affair sonlt
mouths, ago with one Of the employees OF
Sarrazin's tobacco factory. Armand and
Henri were also in many scrapcs, which
however, were OF minor Importance as
the world goes.
After this visit the reporter withdrew
and on leaving the prison during the
course of his ramblcs met some of the
intimate friends Of the Rance Brothers
They did not hesitate to justify them il
fIie killing Of Mix.
They place it upon the grounds tina
hc was a married man, and had no buSi
ues, where lie was, and that, as he ha'
been warned and Lcedcd it not the sum
mary retributon wreaked upon him Wa
deserved.
VIXEN asked where anything crlmina
was proved against Mix they place i
at the door Of his brother Franklin, an'
ask him fo. the answer. They say tha
until the surviving brother proves be
yond peralventure his brothers inno
ceuce, they, as well as all the friend
Of the Rance brothers, will stand b,
then.
TIE prisoners say they dare not speak
for they have fight to make Tor tltei
nccl;s, and they might make state
ment that would prove disastrous i'll th
future; while on the other hand, nj:
is free to divulye the whole affair.
From others conversations had tin
GENERAL feeling in the community al