The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-10-07
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER.

EDITOR CHIEF:
The only fault found with your paper
at this eql Of the line is that its pages do
not amount in number to what a journal
widely read throughout twenty-six
parishes should aspire; we therefore
recommend all extra sheet, supplement-
to satisfy the adlniring reader, for at
least one month on trial; and the all
inspiring events Of the present canvass
might justly excuse such addition. In
this case :" the end willjnstify the MEANS"
and should any one oppose, let him talk
who will. We have entered into a
campaign as much Of moment, as much
in earnest, and in mood as serious as
Admiral Seymour did against the adam
antine walls Of Alexandria. The great
fight of Louisiana Republicans is for
protection:" protection of lands from
overflow, protection of home production
against that of slave or eoo1ie labor, pro-
lection of liberty, happiness, life, and
last, but not least, protection of the
material and iyil.rights of man guaran-
teed by the constitution of the United
States. The men who have done most,
who promise most, and who can be
trusted most, will undoubtedly be chosen,
if we act without fear and without favor
we have put our hand to the plough,
let us not falter by the way. Of old we
used to judge our candidates by the
Iukewarmness or the malice of our op-
ponents. Can We afford to give our
standing rule the go-by9 We think not,
and to put things i'll their right light,
when men turn Il political canvass into
a personal fight, they undoubtedly act
All ignoble part.
The people of Louisiana in their liber-
atty have been noted for extending their
sympathy to the criminal classes and
have always more or less forgiven man
bold enough to take the life of another,
wherever circumstances permitted of the
least excuse; but to-day we are con-
fronted with the fact, as presented in the
Riculfi case, that immunity from punish
ment prompts the coward to take an
advantage over the man he fears, and Of
two men probably the better citizen is
violently removed from the stage. The
great disregard for law wlic.,,a all inconl-
petept and vicious government has
entailcd, must be frowned down. We
must try to be just as we'll as generous.
Public opinion should be powerful enough
to compel an enforcement of the law,
and to cnrtail the pardoning power.
The law has been outraged. The dignity
of the State has been assaulted. A citizen
has been foully murdered, in broad day
light, in cold blood, and no false feeling
of charity should prevent justice being
metel ont to the offender. The Coroners
Jury has brought in a verdict that w. f.
Fackler came to his death il the bar-room
ut the corner Of Customhouse street and
Exchange Alley, from two gun-shot
wounds Of the heart, inflicted by one J.
Robert Riculfi, now in custody, aud hold
.. n. u. McC!ung, now i'll custody, as
accessory before and after the act. From
the evidence elected at the examination
it appears that Rieuifi and Fackier lived
and worked together some time ago in
the parish Of Terrebonne, aud an init
macy grew up between the wife of Fack-
Ter and Riculfi, who Oh that account left
tie place aud came to the city. The
soon after left Facker and he,
Ricnlf of the job, vowed
Faekier also left Terrebonne
and obtained work just below the city
III st. Bernard parish, from whence lie
made frequent visits to the city, and
often came to the ill-fatei bar-room |
where he met his death. Riculh, hearing
# the threats made by Fackler, brought
| double barrelled shot gun to the bar
Dom aud laid in wait for his victim.
Upon his second visit ahoat 9 o'clock Gu
he morning Of the 23rd ult,, lie was
AS Fucker entered the bar
lie took up his gun and poured both
Dads into deceased without a single
word of warning. Faeller fell dead
The police have so far failed to discover
he whereabouts Of Fuckers wife, but
heir dere1lction is historical. The man
dcCinhs could undoubtedly clearup a
leal of the mystery connected with the
ftalr, were lie not prisoner. He may
urn States evidence at the trial.
Saturday evening our city was thrown
II Whirl OF excitement when news
rived that the great river palace Robt.
:. Lee had been destroyed by fire that
aorning ut 3 O'Clock upon her downward
rip, about thirty miles south Of Vicks-
'urg. The books were all DESTROYED so
is impossible to detail the lost, but
bout thirty lives are supposed to have
'een sacrificed. Five colored cabin BOYS
re known to be among the missing.
he boat and cargo are total loss. 1t
Gems to US that i'll this age ofiron, all the
pper part of the floating pagodas that
ly up and down our coast, could and
honid be constructed entirely of that
The government should step /
q and prevent the present matchbox
arrangements from running until their
fho1e upper decks are made fre-proof.
90 many lives have been sacrificed to
estate any longer