The Opelousas courier., 1883-11-03
urres ondence Of The Times Democrat.


Most Noted Exploits.
CORES ondence of The Times Democrat
OPELoUsAs, October 90. 1888
The subject of this sketch was born in
Lower Plaquemine, st. Landry parish on the
3lst of August, 1916, and is, therefore, now
81 years OF age. He remained at the old
homestead and enjoyed the advantages of
the country schools until he reached his 18th
year when he sought Il better and wider
heid TO carve his destiny from an nnk krown
future. From the outset he engaged in the
vocation which has not only brought him
famc, but which, we might justly add, he has
distinguished by his numerous deeds of valor
and skill in the pursuit and eaptnre of desper
ate criminals.
Duson began his official career as Il deputy
under Sheriff Hayes in the year 1868, and,
with the exception OF u months, has been
deputy sheriff or sheriff ever since. During
this period he has shown detective skill
which few men possess; he has manifested
and exercised an energy which knew no fa,
tigue that stopped short of success he has
faced and overcome peris that would have
appalled, men of less courage and endurance;
and IN the capture of various desperadoes, he
has pursued them to the borders Of Texas aud
Mexico, into the mountains OF the Indian Ter
ritory, and as far north as Illinois; he has
never had q prisoner to escape from his hands,
and after surrender has never shot one trying
W tSCdpe Ilo naS tufec uGSp6fdtt Hs5nts.
aud been shot at nine times in arresting pris.
.Oners, towit: once with shot gun, twice
with Winchester rifles, and six times with
pistols.
st. Landry has had otifer good sheritfs, but
Duson stands without peer among his prede-
cessors, and without fear of rival aipong his
successors. man of cool and undauuted
courage, he is as mild aud affabe as woman;
an officer fearless and determined in the exc
cution OF his duty, he is the very impersona-
tion of Kindness and sympathy to his prison
ers Open, candid and nnreserved III his so.
eial relations as q citizen, he is shrewd Rey-
nard and an ubiquitous chameleon in tracing
cut crime and bringing lawless mel to Justice.
Duson keeps bis plans to himself, and is often
gone and back with prisoner before any Que
kaows that he has left the parish. He has
but to conceive pursuit and capture, when
he executes it, at all hazards, with uniform
success. What he does he makes no boasts of.
and looks upon his achievements as comlnen
sequences Of easily executed projects But for
fear your readers may charge the writer with
fnlsome praise of hle sheriff whom we vt. Ian
Organs are so proud Of, he appends some OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT ARRESTS
made BIZ Duson since his incumbencg as sher-
if which will fully prove that all of our utter
ances are fully sustained by his persistent and
| heroic devotion to duty.
l. III October, 1879, WHOM Il deputy under
Sheriff Il. .. Hayes, Duson pursued and ar
rested j, l.. Reeves u Texas, who had mar
dered I. -. Sloan and his father, Arthur s,oab,
| in the southwestern portion OF this parish.
2. On the nth of August, 1878, acting as a
deputy u S. Marshal, with woother deputies
| he traced the two Gaiilofy brothers. " In had
murdered yeuiiG pian III TINS PARISH. to 1at-
allona parish. In attempting to arrest them
Il terrible tight ensued, IN Wbieh eight sliots
were fred. three by the Guillorys and i've by
| Duson and posse, resulting IN the
/ DEATH OF BOTH OF THE GuILLoRYs
| These men had defed the law for some time,
and had shot two men for accompanying Du-
sun on two former occasions in seeking for
| them.
/ 3. On tile 18th OF August ls7 70, accompanied
by one deputy, he captured Lonis Rousseau
l fyho had murdered young Brlgnac at Vl,ie
| Plate1 north of the Canadian river, in the
| Creek Nations There being g dual govern.
| ment at that time IN the Indian iefrltory-
| the 4 Downing party anu thompson party
/ ard being unable TO procure the assistance
of an Z y. Marshal u nsoii made the arrest on
his own hook, anu l.'e ~ ~
\ lowing return 70 Coy helio@g MOI 5tihs
ahle to prscnr. the aid Of the iitiah antllori-
ties proceeded 81 e asapis TO execute the re-
QUESTION lnyseiL Rousseau was prong " - piaeA
TO St Landry, triea ana eonyieeen q hf'IusI,
and nnder warrant q 5oy. Nielois an ~s 'l'''ls
by Duson On the olii os june . -.
n On the ioti " as's ~ ts'4 =
waa placed III Dusoils aitiisss TOT INC appreIeh-
! sian OF one lhoinas oioaittstchhfge.l WIFI tape
on II girl iD years " age sloane nag iled !, lo
Texas Immediately aftef a o. e
crime Dnsan pufsaeds nm iot ~ saaNf li1ailsh
Central texas =, IN, ne,
up 20 san saaa, ls1as ~
and relnrhea WI io nv 49, 81 =. e.. w. ~,
). In Oetober, 1919. 1apt fsall littas, ~ 'aii-
cot had TWO lne nofses :
bles Dusoh anu sus sie5 ta
for 10 days aha eapi'.Isu IT, noai' 4"
hum, 1exast oile ~ shss7 iies' ssas
| A TEXAS MURDERER,
ana indicted in Arkansas for mail robbery
Tba other had lust been tried in Rapidas par.
4 ish for the murder of a negro.
a q & IN March $780, d requisitioh was issued
n far the arrest Of Que john Solinier, who had
i,a..,, in,iieted for murder III ST. Landry and
Calcasien, and hld been g might've since July
1871. Many fruitless Efforts had beei, made to
4 capture him. and be WAS regarded ~ one oi
1.-The most willy and dangerous men That ever
lived in Southwestern Louisiana Through
/ diIipeut and persistent inquiry Dnson finally
4 learned that he was IN BFazoria county, Tex.
He started Tor sonhief ~ s mn us'u Y,
i alive. III company with Sheriff Noble and
| Deputy Sheriff Fauta of Harris conn y Texas,
| he traced him to n convict camp, where Sou
nier was guarding prisoners nnhef the name
i al Miller He WAS sontF captured alive by
i arapl,linu with him befvre he could use bis
4 arms Solinier il no v serving q life sentence
1 ii, the penitentiary ut Baton Rouge.
i Il In MARCH,, 1881, areqnlsItien was issued
/ Nv Gov McEnery on the Governor Of Illinois
| for one john Fahey, who, IN February, 1881,
had murdered and robbed bis fellow work man q
on the Payne plantation ~ TINS PARISH. IN,
son, with his usual detective skill hd tlassa
out Faheys Whereaeonls ana atmea WI. 7 w
proper papers went Tor his hsan anu "a nfeu y 81
i E;,,. IaaEav il ptw serving Il life sentence III