St. Landry democrat., 1883-06-23

day morning accompanied by her young
niece, and another young lady, q music
| teacher at the Mansfield College, where
Miss Borden is herself teacher. The
party put up in this city at the house of
a gentleman of family, former resi-
dent of the locality of the killing, in
tending to remain until yesterday, when
they were to depart for their homes in
Alabama. The stay here was mainly
devoted to recreation, ending on Satur-
day night with q pleasant visit to our
| lake resorts.
Yesterday morning the gentleman at
whose house they We're staying, upon
picking up the morning paper, was
startled by the headlines of the account
OF the tragedy, the parties to which are
all well-known to him, and after hasti-
ly pernsing the details took the precau-
tion, Of ,e;oneealing the paper lest it
might fall into the hands of the sister
| of the victim and provoke a fatal shock
| to her nervous system. Means were
| then taken to
SOFTLY BREAK THE NEWS
of the terrible affair to her, which was
successfully done with the assistance of
the wife OF one of our well-known Ca
rondelet street physicians.
When Miss Borden had become suf-
| ficiently composed her host. desirous of
getting at the truth of the affair, held a
long conversation with her the result
of which is given below, and is very
extraordinary in some of its aspects.
Miss Borden began by saying that the
whole affair was a perfect mystification
to her and that all that she could do in
| the way Of racl1ing her brain brought
nothing to indicate anything wrong
having occurred within her notice be-
tween her brother and
Miss BUTLER,
the young lady.
After the close of the commencement
exercises of the Mansfield College,
which occurred last week, preparations
were made to leave for home, and on
Friday morning Miss Butler, Miss Car
teacher, together with the Rev. Benz F.
Jenkins, took the south bound train
from Mansfield, the Rev. j. T.. Borden
seeing them to the train, and the sepa-
ration was a most cordial one all around.
The time was spent very cheerfully
down to Robeline station, somef40 miles
from Mansfield, where the Lev. Mr.
jenkins left the party, he having pro-
fessional engagement at that place ON
Sunday.
Never said Miss Borden, "was
there pleasanter party, and at no
time could she detect in the face or
manner of Miss Butler or of Mr.. Jenkins
that any grave eventwas occurring
Miss Butler is the daughter OF large
sugar planter living at Cheneyville, and
is bri ght and accomplished girl, a lea
der in her class, much liked by the pu-
pills, who entrusted her at the COM
meDcement exercies with the task of
presenting a silver pitcher and gohlets
to their President.
When the train reached Cheneyyille
Miss Borden and her party became the
the down train. During the whole time
spent there Miss Butler was in the best
OF spirits, and among other manifesto
tions of happiness presented Miss Bor-
den with handsome fruit basket. The
party then came down to New Orleans.
During the entire session of the col
lege," added Miss Borden, "Miss Butler
occupied room Immediately adjoining
her own and was in constant intercourse
with her, and never has she in any
manner excited her suspicious or those
OF any person about the college," This
part of Miss Borden's statement Isl cor
roborated by the music teacher, whose
name we failed to obtain, and who also
said that il any irregular relations ex-
listed between Mr.. Borden and Miss
Butler, it could hardly have been con-
cealed.
Returning to Miss Borden's account
this lady also said that the engagement
of Miss Butler to Mr.. jenkins did not
date back more than three or. four
weeks; that the rules of the college
were very strict regarding the inter
course Of outsiders with the pupils, but
that the clerical character of Mr.. Jen-
kins and his intimate relations with Mr..
Borden gave him easy access to the
school, and it was in this wise that the
engagement was brought about.
Yesterday morning upon being in
formed of the terrible intelligence, Miss
Borden's first impulse was to return
Immediately to Mansfield, but upon the
advice Of friends aud her own better
counsel she concluded to pursue her
course toward her home in Alabama,
whence she left yesterday evening, after
who lives in Dallas, Texas. The Rev.
Mr.. jenkins is we'll known in New Or
leans, and has a brother living here,
member of the Continental Guards, and
actually with his company on their
Northern tour.
Specials to the Picayune.
LETTER FROM THE FATHER OF miss
BUTLER, AND STATEMENT OF TIE
YOUNG LADY HERSELF.
MANSFIELD, La, June 19.-W. T. ..Hall
District Attorney, Immediately after the