St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-04-10

| gotten he was by all others except
Duson. He had never for one moment
relaxed his efforts to ascertain his where
abouts. Finally about the latter end of
February of this year he succeeded in
locating SonnieI's whereabouts. Soon
after the adjournment of court, he OBJ
tained requisition from Governor
Wilt, and on Sunday, March 21st, left
for Texas via Lake Charles, He went
direct to Houston, and there learning
Sonnier was in Brazoria county, he tele-
graphed to Governor Roberts to author
ize Sheriff C. NJ. Noble, of Houston, to
assist him in making the arrest. Noble
was immediately authorized, as re-
quested.
On Friday morning March Goth,
Duson, Noble and deputy sheriff FAINT,
early in the morning, mounted their
horses and proceeded to make the arrest.
About 6 o'clock that night they reached
the eighborhood Of SOnnier's stopping
place. Next morning, they proceeded
to Derrington's sugar house, Oyster
creek, where sonnier was employed
guarding convicts, under the assumed
name of John Miller. Knowing that
he was armed, from his occupation, and
desiring to arrest him, and to avoid a
conflict, which would have been inevi-
| liable had any of the party Of officers
been recognized, it was arranged that
sheriff Noble and his deputy Mr.. FAINT
should enter the house, and that puson,
whom Sonnier knew, and two citizens
summoned as a posse should remain
outside, so as to stop him in the event
he should rush from the house. Noble
and FAINT then entered. They enquired
of Sonnier the whereabouts of negro
on the place. While he was telling,
where the negro could be found, Noble
asked him his name. He replied Miller,
whereupon Noble and FAINT both covered
him with their pistols and ordered him
to surrender as John sonnier He
began backing, saying "don't shoot me-"
at the same time putting his hand to
his six shooter, which was seized by a
Mr.. Hill who happened to be present.
He stoutly denied that his name was
Sonnier, or that he had ever been in St.
Landry even after being confronted
with Duson. Subsequently he acknowl-
edged that he was John Sonnier, and
begged Duson to protect him from
lynch law on reaching St. Landry.
He was taken to Houston and secured
in Jail until ready to take home. Duson
having friends amongst all the Texas
officers, where it seems, he is almost as
well and as favorably known as in
Louisiana, took none of his deputies
along with him. Being alone he deter
mined to return via Galveston and
Morgan city, which latter point he
reached at 1 o'clock on Sunday, took
the cars and came to Vermillionville,
reaching Opelousas with his prisoner
the next morning at o'clock, and
lodging him in Jail. Since Mr.. Duson
became sheriff of this Parish in 1874,
he has followed to other States and
territories, and brought back SO many
fugitives, that when man now COM
mits a murder or steals a horse, he is
about as unsafe III Texas or the Indian
Territory as he would be in his own
parish. Sonnier however, has caused
the officers here to expend more money,
and given more trouble to arrest him,
than any criminal we have ever had in
the late Eighth Judicial District. He
however, is at last in the hands of the
law, and in due course Of time will be
called to face St. Landry jury, with
the sad reflection that if he runs the
gauntlet and escapes here, he will be
called on to answer the same charge in
Calcasieu.
Mr.. Duson informs us that he was
received and treated in the most kindly
manner by his brother officers in Texas,
and requests us, if we noticed editorially
the arrest Of Sonnier, to make special
mention of sheriff Noble of Harris
county, and his deputy Mr.. J. J. Fant'
for many acts of kindness at their
hands, for the promptness with which
they accepted the authorization of Gov.
Roberts to assist in making the arrest,
and for the efficacious manner in which
they did it.