Louisiana capitolian., 1880-02-14
Justice Dauthiers Version Of the Her
mitage Affair.
HERMITAGE, January 9th. 1890

Editor Fointc Conpcc Fehcan-As have
noticed in Baton Rouge Adcocatc of the
23d inst, also the Baton Rouge CAPir0.
LiAN Of the Gath inst, statements in con
ncction with the death Of VIM. Love,
and nlso ny to my official action in the
premises and also intilations to the cf-
feet that the deceased had been robbed
after being wounded, much of which IL
mMiftstly incorrect, beg Of you, aa the
nearest editor Of Il newspaper to whom !
cnn apply, to publish the following fact
in hopes that those papers which have
given sucl, incorrect reports will make
the proper corrections:
In the first place, Mr.. Love was not
found on the lcvee by two negroes, IN
stated in the CArfToEtAN, but was feand
by the two Mcssrs. Trudcan, Mr., J..
Kaufman, and Mr.. y. Patin, and I was
Immediately summoned. When ] re,,ch-
cd Love he was found with all l,is clothes
on and had not been stripped of amy Of
his clothing, ny stated both In the C,ArI-
ToiIAN and Adrocair. The truth il that
| myself caused his cont to be taken off
after he was dead, when Dr. Bcrgot mr.
rived and requested that IL should be
done, NO that he (thc Doctor) could cx-
anime the wound. All the effects found
witt, the deceased were delivered by me;
to his friends, M follows: On the 22d +
delivered TO J. W. Bates, Sheriff Of East.
Baton Rongc, II bundle made up by my:
self, Of the things found on Mr. Love by
myself, and consisting ofonc watch chain.
II pair of kid gloves, pocket book con
tanning some money CHE amount do
not know as did not count IT'D also
some papers and letters and his under.
coat, the latter being rolled around the
osbcr things and made into " bundle,
'lhr watch chnin wns found by me rolled
up IN the vest pocket Of deceased The
ovcrcoat aud hat of deceased were over.
looked by me nt the time, they having
been left IN the binding where decreased
had been transported by two negroes
under my Instructions. subsequently,
forwarded this ovcrconi and hat tn llc
friends Of deceased by Mr.. r. G. Burnett,
travelling agent of the Wheeler a. vii
aon Sewing Machine Company, for wNich
company Mr. Love had also been travel
ing, Nothing else was found on th- dr-
ccnscd, and am informed BY Mr.. -i,nr-
nett, that he had been will, MIR. Love
during three days and had seen his Natcil
chain, but had not seen him wsh n
watch, and does not believe he hat, one.
The Adrocaie of the 2}d says, .:>ihat
the Justice Of the Pence Of the Gtl,1Vard
ofWcst Baton Rouge had held IN ipqucst
Oh the body; that though alive, nodying
declaration of deceased was takGa nor
had any evidence for the Stat, been
taken"
The facts are, that intcrrogats.d Mr.
Love, who was in II dying cA,diiion,
and evidently unable to make ! state
mcnt, and MI he said to me wass 10 ask
for wafer and to be put under c.i,s.rr. !
summoned n jury Of inquest, anal also
took down In writing the tcsiisnany of
the three witnesses residing Mt t1u. place
and the voluntary statement ofas. Patin.
The jury of inquest returned 4 yerdict
that deceased came TO his dcal}! from q
gun shot wound, (not wounds, ::,sSrcport-
I'd in the .idroca'e) supposed s., have
been inflicted by Mr.. y. rHiin, =n;s it wns
clearly proved that he only frdd:in self
hclcnsc, while defending his li4.>agaiust
n mur'lrrous attack. Under tla:crcum-
stances there was nothing whi.i;nnilibr-
izcd me t" hold OF commit Mr. pa'in,
Due return was made by nc, TO the
court OF West Baton Rouge - all my
doings and proceedings had xi,y me in
the premises. Besides Mr. rni5H and the
three witnesses, whose tcstin,rsny re-
Turned to the court Of West Ba, an Rouge,
have never heard Of any olfe persons
who were likely to throw ani light ON
the killing of Mr.. Love, cyctFting Mr..
Leopold Kaufman, Of Iointc tt's,pcc par
ish, and Mr.. David Wilde wSo resided,
rs / am informed, in East I's;ts,n Rouge
the latter having been im:ficatcd in
the shooting. Both of thcs'~lrave since
testified before the Parish IH'Egc.
The Adrocaie Of the 2M airs, says, chat
a hole had been dug about f:1!;y feet from
the river and the body, in u; cough box,
buried in it, ::
The fact is that regnlat grave of the
proper dimensions, was d..lSs;, u coffin
made with the best matc,91 at hand
and ~ good rs the circumstances and
c"nvcn'cnccs of the place Rt:mittcd, the
body placed therein and bs7ed,
In closing, | will state tsfa6as soon rs
| reached Mr.. Love and sa:v, his condi-
ton, sent for the ncarcst physician,
but he only got to the p!'ae after Mr.
Love was dead. =.
y Very respectfully,
A. DAuanIER, ~
Justice of the Peace, 6tE Ward, West
Baton Ronyc.
Az about Z N'rlnrl luud S:,ti,r,l,v ,;rlt