The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-08-13

VERNON PARISH, La,
Aurusf 2 1891

In your paper of July 30, appears
reply signed by C. F. Conerly, sheriff
to my letter published May 81, 1881
My friend, in preparing my letter TO
print, signed my name j. L., when i
should have been ]. Conerly take
that for his text, and shoots forth hi
vulgar slang, and ridicule, which surel,,
would be unbecoming any christian
gentleman, and offers it TO the publ
as part of his defense, for not discharg
ing the duties of his office. Conerl,
says my letter was "a vile persona
Islander against my private and officia
character" ] defy him to show wher'
| said one word against bis private
character, and / am able to prove all
said against him as sheriff, and good
deal more, by the best of testimony
/ charged Conerly of having war
rants for several months for the arres'
of Stephens, and he failed to take
steps to execute them. Conerly, il
his reply says, :" this is not only false
in fact, but vile SANDER" and Their
be admits be had warrants for two Of
them, one for Tom, and one for bis
son Hobby, which is a confession on
his part, that my charge was correct.
He says Hobby was tout of the State
when he received the warrant, and re-
manned So" He appears to know all
about the whereabouts of Hobby, but
could never know anything of the
whereabouts of Hobby's father, Ct.
w J when it was fact publicly known,
that T. w. had built small house for
his residence in ten miles of the Court
house, and had spent the most of his
time for the last six or eight months
in said vicinity. But must tell Con-
erly that he does not know all the his
tory of Hobby. Hobby was in the
habit of visiting his people in this par
ish before the death of his father, I.
W., and made one trip soon after his
death, remaining in the neighborhood
about one week, and Concrly can't
DENY it.
Concrly says, "and as for I. w.
if J. L. W., or his reporter,
or any citizens had given me informa-
ton, as ! had requested, of his where
abouts, ] should have summoned a
posse and went Immediately for his
arrest" This statement is not true,
and Conerly knows it, and why make
such statements? lie was notified by
more than one reliable citizen of the
whereabouts of I. W. Stephens, and /
will prove it by the best of testimony
if he or his letter writers choose to
deny it. Conerly again says, "but
perhaps this patriotic J. L. W., who
seems SO anxious for the arrest of
might have belonged to a
gang that made an attack upon said
house one night some years
ago, hence would not give the neees-
sary information for fear of being
pressed into service, for 10 doubt he
with others knew his steel"
These conjectures and assertions arc
destitute of truth, and he has fabri-
Gated them without the least evidence
to sustain him, and did not think he
would stoop SO low as to be guilty of
such a Islander. What has such slang
to do with your defense You must be
hard pressed. The truth is, YOU can't |
rid yourself of the charges; YOU know
Tom Stephens was in the parish. The
people for fifteen miles around where
he built his house and prepared his |
homestead knew of his, and his sons
whereabouts. Mr.. Word and Knight
saw him on different occasions, talked
with him and made public their con-
in the country and in the
town Of Lecsyille.
Stephens sought conversation with
I. Richardson, and had it. He visited
several of the Mr.. Cooper's, his bro
theirs, Ol5aniou, and others; besides,
called on the road hands while they
were working of the public road, in
seven or eight miles of the Courthouse.
remaining with them for some time.
All of which was known to the public.
The sheriff of Calcasicu ascertained
his whereabouts IA distance of seventy
miles and found him, aud ] am salts
fed that all the officers of the Hon.
District Court aseertained to their
satisfaction, of the whereabouts of 4.
w. Stephens, weeks before his death.
And yet my friend Conerly breaches
ignorance for his defense.
As for Conerly's bear story, do not
consider it worthy of reply, and it is
surely not original with him, or new to
the people of Vernon, for Mr.. +. +.
Presley has told it SO often that it has
become quite common. lie may think
that it is the way to prove himself
clcar of the charges j made against
him. as sheriff ! choose to differ with
him, and leave it to the people to say.
Conerly says again, "as for the Ste
phens boys visiting Leesville, they
might have done So" Might have
done SO. Why should he use such Ian
gaage, when he knows that on one oc-
easion one Of his acting deputies, N.
5. Smart, notified him that two of the
Stephens boys were in town, and that
there were warrants for them in the
parish of Calcasieu? Conerly replied to
his deputy, saying, he did not have any
warrant for them, and did not consider
he had any business withem, Tor words
to that efect). And now he says,
9 they might have done So"
Conerly says i clearly intimated that
he had q warrant for Doc Stephens.