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

Deeming synopsis of the most i'm
portant testimony adduced before the
undersigned, acting Coroner Of Rapides
Parish, and the Jury of Of Inquest on
the body of Frances Rendon, who was
outraged and murdered on Sunday,
the third day of October, which bears
upon the guilt of Champe Rendon, and
establishes the fact beyond reason
able doubt that he, and no other per
son, or persons, did commit said crime,
as a matter in which the public of this
Parish feel some concern, the follow
ing statement of facts is respectfully
submitted for your consideration.
1t will be observed that upon the
weight of the evidence OF the" several
material witnesses, whose testimony
was taken in writing and sworn to by
them, as regards the time in which
certain events of that particular Sun
day did actually take place, was main
ly founded the verdict of the Jury
which charged Champe Rendon with
having, to the best of their 1.-THE ,Jury's)
knowledge and belief, outraged and
murdered the said Frances Rendon.
To prepare the way for an intelligi-
BILE consideration of facts to be estab-
lished by testimony l shall cite, it will
be necessary, without consuming too
much time, to concede and to assume
the following facts, which were deter
mined by Champe in bis statement,
and sustained by every other witness
The distance from Mr.. Morgan's
house, his starting point, to the come
ga plantation, by the road he travelled
is, as nearly could be ascertained,
seven, or seven and one-half miles
This distance, on that particular Sun
day, was about equally divided into
three parts, as l shall show; at the
end of the first two miles and half
as nearly as Champe and all the wit
nesses could determine the distance land
marking the end of the first part of his
journey, he met Mr.. j. R. Martin, it'll
whom he passed the compliments Of
the day; proceeding, he next stopped
at the plantation of Mr.. Joseph Law.
renee. which is about five miles from
Mr.. Morgan's, or two and half miles
from where he met Mr.. Martin; thi.
was the end of tho second part. M
person was seen by Cl,ampe, aftel
leaving the plantation of Mr.. Law
renee, until the "Omega" plantation
was reached, which concluded tn,
journey that was made in the forenoon
His own testimony determined til,
time in which the distance in each O
the gaps was traversed, viz: twent,
minutes or an half hour; and, afte
he. passed Mr.. Martin, he exactly &C
counted for every minute OIL time
and his statements were borne out b,
every witness. The witnesses wer
examined by ME. separately, and coul,
have had no knowledge of each other
testimony or the way in which it wn
to be applied. Mr.. Martin testlfe,
that Champe was met by him at hin,
o'clock, or later; Mr.. Martin was me
by Mr.. Joseph Peoples, who was on
of the Jury of Inquest, within hun
dred yards Of where Mr.. Martin ha,
met Champe, and lie fixed the time a.
nine o'clock at the earliest. Mr.. John
Labat saw Cbampe when he rode u,
to the negro Payne's house, on Mi
Lawrence's place; he declared .h
time to have been as nearly half pas
nine as he could determine, Two wit
nesses on the "Omega" plantation
Richard Harper and George Washing
ton, both intelligent colored men, fixet
the hour that he reached
there as ten o'clock, exactly, and tina
was ascertained to be the true time
Bear in mind that Champe's statemen
fixed the time at twenty minutes {,
one half hour that he required to GOV
er each OF the several parts of th,
journey, and reclining backwards from
10 o'clock at the "Omega" plantation
made it nine o'clock, as it was deter
mined by Mr.. Martins and Mr.. Peo
pies testimony, that he was met a,
the end of the first two miles and 8
half ridden on that day. Now, a,
what hour did he leave Mr.. Morgan's
house, Cbampe Rendon and Mr.
Morgan testified that he left at seven
o'clock ; Mrs. Morgan that he had left
at seven or caller. Miss Mary Fender
CAST, a young lady who lives with Mr..
Morgan's family, and who observed
the time very closely on that day,
fixed the hour he left Mr.. Morgan's at
six o'clock, or before; from this time