The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-10-13

-SUsPiciON OF cHAMPE
RENDON.
Investigation by the Coroner-Convinc-
ing Circunastantial Evil =
dence of His
Guilt.
THE VERDICT.
The Lynching of the Arch.Fiend by the
Outraged Citizens.
cHAMpE's PAST REcoRD--THEoRy OF THE
MURDER.
One of the most heinous, diabolical
and horrible crimes, considering all the
circumstances and facts, of which the
most depraved human nature only is
capable, was perpetrated in this Parish
on Sunday, October Sd, the enormity
of which far exceeds anything that is
recorded in the annals of crime in this
community. The victim in this shock
ing tragedy was Frances Rendon, lit
tie white girl about twelve years OF age,
and her ravisher and murderer was
Champe Rendon, an illegitimate half
brother by negro woman. The little
girl Frances and her mulatto half-bro-
Their both lived with the family of Mr..
W.. l.. Morgan, on the Bayou Rigolette,
about five miles north of this Town, ON
the East side of Red River. Mr.. Nor
gan has been resident of this Parish
tor the past forty years, and has always
borne the character of an upright, hon
est and orthy citizen. He had raised
and cared for the girl Frances and the
young man Champe, who was about
twenty years of age, since they were a
year or two old. Members of the same
household, they were aware of the re-
lationship which existed, and, it is said
that he had always manifested for her
the affection which is natural, and, in
return, she reposed in him the conf
dence which long association and every
day intercourse is likely to beget in
those of tender age. In every sense the
girl Frances was child; in size she
was below the medium, considering her
age, and her person revealed no evidence
of premature development.
The young man, Champe, was rather
dark for mulatto, about the medium
in size, and was quite intelligent. His
features were regular, and his counte-
nance, which was rather pleasing, gave
no outward token of the fiendish spirit
which lurked within. The past record
of the negro Champe is marked by
crimes which exhibit his true charac-
ter. He made deadly assault upon
Lawrence Mccormick. a citizen of Pine
vile, a year or two since, firing upon
him with pistol, tile sh 1T from which
passed entirely through his head, frem
which it was indeed a miracle to re-
cover, for which he was tried, convict
ed and sentenced to the penitentiary,
but in some way eluded the demands OF
justice. He is charged, and there is no
doubt of the fact, with having commit
ted assaults upon young white ladies,
at other times within the recent past;
but the public We're never permitted to
obtain the evidence in such form that
they could apply the remedy. Trained
to no calling or occupation, he had been
allowed to follow his own inclinations,
and to pursue the whims of a capricious
nature. Possessing some taste for mu.
sic he had learned to play upon the vic.
lin; student Of art lie had acquired
some know ledge of painting, and nu.
merous rude sketches, highly colored IL
oil, betraying ignorance of the rules Of
perspective, but giving evidence Of
some talent, adorned the walls of his
sleeping apartment. His literary At
tainments enabled him to read anC
write, and his erudition and religious
zeal, it was thought by his own color
peculiarly fitted him for labor in God'
vineyard. If not All enthusiast, he hae
obeyed the -scriptural injunction t,
"hide not your light under bushel. ,
For some time past he has been con
nected with the Church, and attended
services quite regularly on Sundays a
the "Omega" plantation as the super
intendent or teacher of the Sunda,
School, he had been prompt in attend
ance, and was esteemed by the congre
CATION of which he was a member
On the day that the murder occurred h,
left home at a very early hour in tn,
morning to attend his Church and t,
perform the duties ofhis sacred mission
he did not return until about nightfall
About the time Of his departure in tn
morning, few minutes before or after
the little girl Frances was missed from
the house, and as no one had seen he
leave, it could not be determined il
what direction she had gone, The lit
tie duties of the household which sh
had been accustomed to perform wer
left unfinished, and she had disappeare,
without taking with her bonnet o
putting on her shoes. Diligent inquir
and search were commenced as soon a
it was determined she was not abou
, the premises. No suspicious, it ap
! peared, had connected her disappear
, ance with the departure of Champ
, about the same time. The morning wa
+ quite dark, and as clouds obscured tn
sun it was supposed she might hav
strayed into the surrounding swamp
and losing her way have been unabl
to retrace her steps. Acting upon thi
theory, the neighbors, on Monday, 70
miles around, who had learned of he
, mysterious disappearance, Joined in tn
search, which was prosecuted with un
remitting interest, until the discover
: of the body on Tuesday afternoon abou
two O'Clock. The various parties en-
, gagged in the hunt, on Monday an
Tuesday, numbering perhaps fifty q
sixty men, explored every nook an
corner for miles around; so thoroug
had been the search that within RI
dius of seven or eight miles on tn
North and East, and as far as the Tow
, of Pineville on the South, and Re
River on the West, there was scarcely
rod of ground that bad not been ira