The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-04-03
Important Arrest.

In 1871 john SonnIcr was indicted
in st. Landry parish for the murder of
an old man named Prud'homme, and
in Calcasieu parish for the murder here
shortly afterwards, of an old man
named Runnion. Both the victims
were about sixty years old. Soon af-
forwards Sonnier disappeared, but Wis
tied St. Landry in 1876, and narrowly
escaping arrest by sheriff Duson, went
to Texas, with the ayowed intention of
not returning to Louisiana. Prn-
d'homme was killed for chastising a
little nephew of Sonnicr, who was liv-
ing with Prud'homme. Runnion was
killed for his money, his empty pocket
book being found near his body, blood
stained, with two buckshot holes
through it. Soon after Runnion's muir
der Sonnicr spent some money at a
store, including some bills, blood
stained, and with holes in them. These
bills were afterwards folded and placed
in Runnion's pocket book, and the
holes through the latter exactly cores
ponded with the holes in the bills.
Last week e. G. Duson, sheriff of
St. Landry parish, passed through Lake
Charles, going west. He is now return
ing to St. Landry with John Sonnier.
The Houston Telegram of last Tues
day gives an interesting account of
Sonnier's arrest, which we condense as
follows. Duson first went to Houston,
and informing sheriff G. M. Noble, of
Harris county, that he was after Son
nier, and that the latter was in Drazoria
county, Texas, sheriff Noble and one
of his deputies, named FAINT, accom-
panied sheriff Duson to the neighbor-
hood where Sonnier was employed
under the assumed name of John Mil
ler as guard over some convicts
working on a plantation. Knowing
that Sonnier, if he recognized Duson,
would resist unto death any attempt by
the latter to arrest him, it was decided
that the arrest should be made by
sheriff Noble and his deputy, who were
strangers to Sonnier, and that in the
meantime Duson should remain out of
sight. Finding Sonnier at a sugar
house, Noble and FAINT levelled their
pistols at him and demanded his sur
render. Sonnier looked them straight
in the face, and replying quietly 'Don't
kill me gentlemen" attempted to draw
his pistol, which was snatched from his
belt by bystander before he could
reach it. Knowing nothing of Duson's
presence in the vicinity, Sonnier siren
uously denied being the man the Texas
officers said lie was, and on being asked
by them if he knew Dnson he said
he did not. On being confronted
with, and recognized by, Dnson, Son
nier at first denied knowing him, but
after a while acknowledged that he
did, and then begged Duson, while
conveying him to jail in st. Landry, to
protect him from lynch law.
The Houston Telegram describes
Sonnier as "a tall, dark eomplexioned
Frenehman, about six feet and one inch
high, square shouldered, fine form and
face, heavy moustache and thin chin
whiskers."
1t says also, "All the officers con
nected with the arrest deserve the
greatest praise for their GOODNESS and
Judgment. Sonnierisa desperate char
scter, as was shown by his movement
to draw a pistoliwhen told to surrender,
and when all the odds were against
him, and such eases generally result in
a killing"
Afew years ago reward of five.
hundred dollars was offered by the
Governor Of Louisiana for Sonnier'sl
arrest for one Of the above named
Ihomicides.
They are getting to build state.