The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-07-15

kill him upon tue spot. Upon cohsui1a-
ton, however, with other friends, he
sought the legal advice Of Thomas Ba-
deaux, Esq, a young Thibodanx attor-
ney. After having advised with Mr..
Badeaux, whether with the advice and
consent of his counsel, Monsieur Verrler
attempted to heal the wounded honor OF
his niece by proposing to Father Venlssat
that he would abandon the shotgun
policy provided his reverence would pay
$4,000 cash $4,000 drawing 10 per cent.
interest, secured by mortgage on real
estate, tile annual interest Of which was
to be applied to the maintenance OF the
establishment of the elder niece. This
proposition of Verrier was Indignantly
declined by Father V6nissat. Lawyer
Badeaux was correct in his advice to
yerrier, to the effect that the surest way
by which lie could secure the punctual
payment Of the annual stipulated interest
to provide for the support Of the present
and accidental future, was by first mort
gage on unincumbered real property.
His concise and lucid written statement
to the court went very far, but not
conclusively toward establishing case
of blackmail. Some comments upon the
strong> corroborating evidence OF MIR.
Badeaux, whose unsullicd reputation as
Il lawyer, citizen and high minded, honor
rable man, virtually exonerated Father
V6nissat. It was asserted that as all
business affairs confded by client to
lawyer are deemed sacred and privileged,
| Badeaux should Hot nave disclosed any
| conversation thus held between him and
Verrier; but where the life of man
| depends upon the refusal Of lawyer to
| make disclosures, as in this instance,
| am free to confess that Mr.. Badeaux is
not amenable to the slightest reprehen-
sion.
The elder Devilliat girl infinitely de-
lineated every circumstance of her seduc-
ton with such precision of manner, calm
narration and directness of statement us
to lead to tho conclusion that she had
set down nothing in malice nor did she
anything extenuate. She furthermore
exposed the alleged wrongs committed
by the Father against her sister. Then
came the younger sister Olivia, who
| fatty contra,licted her sister, asserting
most emphaticaly her own innocence
and that of the Priest and other pupils
in the Convent. This strange and mex
the paltisans of Ver:ier, who say that
the little girl was separated from her
uncle Wednesday night, and wasentirely
| under the control and influence of the
Priests and Nuns, OF i'll other words that
sue had been tempered with and thus
made to state the reverse of what she
had previously stated to Il reputable citi-
zen of Napoleonville, at whose house she
was staying on the Monday and Tues
day preceding the trial. But there is no
evidence of her ha7ing been subjected to
such eXtraneons and colrnpting intin-
ences.. At this stage Of the examination
the court considered the State had col
and SO notified it's representative; but
the defense insisted upon its ght to in-
troduce the Nuns, Convent pupils and
other friends and adherents of the
Father, in order to sweep away every
doubt as to Ills guilt. The evidence be
lug naturally favorable to the accused,
his counsel submitted the case. Where
upon the District Attorney in a brief,
appropriate and eloquent speech yielded
up the ghost amid u round of applause
from the elatel partisans Of the Rev.
Cyprian Venissat, who, with his brother
Curates and their allies, proceeded to
tue Assumption Church to test the mer-
its Of the plethoric larder Of Father Bou-
clet and those "old wines in new bot
ties" In tie meanwhile the i'll fated,
discomfitted girls, with heads bowed
down with shame eternal burning on
their youthful cheeks, added to the
whitening stings quivering cruelty into
their blasted, hopeless souls, YEARLY wend
their way Lomeward to seek that hith-
erto bright, joyous home, but now con-
verified by this overwhelming calamity
into a moral dungeon filled to the brim
with inpenetrable darkness and gloom
Sad and melancholy indeed, is the fate
that lies before them!
On the day succeeding the trial, the
Father, accompanied by several Priests
aud numerous retinue, fully armed and
equipped, it is said, took up the line Of
march for the Holy Land-Labadievill
, where it was rumored his advent would
be forcibly resisted. This, however
proved unfounded, and the church mill.
tant invested Little Grenada without
molestation. Here !. grand festive board
was spread which groaned under the
weight Of viands rich and rare.
The circumstances which surrounded
this grevious affiiction to society at large
6 should have, in my opinion, precluded
such ostentacious demonstrations, and, il
really seems to me that such solemn
occasions should rather he characterized
with that gravity and stately dignity
comm ensurate with the serious, painful
, reflections and baneful effects they are
, spontaneously calculated to inspire in
the minds ofan enlightened and thinking
community.
Those who participated, under undue
excitement no doubt, in these thought.