St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-09-08
A Charge Not Sustained by the
Facts I'm the Case.
Lake Charles Echo.

reflect discredit upon the gentlemen in
question, and regrets that it should
have been the cause of even casting
temporary suspicion on one entirely in
nocent of the charge made. We
cleaned our information from the Alex
andria Daily Town Talk of July 81,
which stated in substance about what
was given in the Echo. Had we have
known that Mr.. Laurent Stage, was of
the same family of Stages members of
which reside in our own parish, the
item in the Town Talk would have
been discredited on the face of it, and
would not have appeared IN these col
umns:
WHITErLLE P. O., ST. LANDRY PARISH,
La, Aug. %, 1883.
In your paper of the 4th instant,
which have just this moment seen, APP
pears the following editorial paragraph /:
"a deputy sheriff of st. Landry parish, Lau-
rene Stage, together with Mr.. Davis and a
Mr. Eoa, of San Patrice, were arrested at
Alexandria, on Monday last, accused of cattle
stealing. Deputy Sheriff Mckinney who made
the arrest. seems rather to doubt the guilt of
the accused"
The paragraph undoubtedly refers to
myself, as / was employed by Mr..
Lyles, of Eola, on behalf of himself and
Mr.. Davis, of Sabine parish, in the lat
ter part of July, to assist them in the
purchase OF cattle in Old Grand prairie,
Messrs. Davis and Lyles having both
been subsequently arrested in Alexan-
dria by Deputy Sheriff Mckinney, upon
a warrant charging them with having
stolen cattle belonging to parties in Old
Grand prairie. | was employed by
these parties to interpret the French
language for them and to assist them in
driving the cattle purchased to Alex
andria. After purchasing 143 head
from the stock Owners of Old Grand
prairie. and while driving the herd
through lane, the cattle stampeded,
and in getting them together again, Il
know of no other way in which it could
have hapened) few head of cattle be-
longing to persons of that vicinity got
mixed in the herd. The mistake was
not discovered that nj GIT, as we reached
our stopping place at too late an hour
to count them. The herd was never
counted in my presence, nor did know,
until the deputy sheriff came to Alex
andria, that there were more cattle in
the herd than had been purchased inso-
much that, assured him that there
were no cattle in the herd except such
as had been boaght and paid for. |
was not arrested nor was there any
charge made against me, and / do not
think it would be necessary for me to
make an explanation in my own parish,
where | am known. Since, however,
my father and uncles have friends aud
acquaintance living in your parish,
who may have seen their name pub
lished in your paper in such an iDju-
rious connection, think it proper that
this statement from me should be given
publicity in your community. You will,
therefore, do me the favor to publish
this, and obllge, yours very respectfully,
A. LAURENT Stage.
p. S. As an evidence of the truth of
my statement above made, / offer
statement from Deputy-sheriff Nc
Kinney, hereunto annexed, which you
will also please publish, and oblige
yours, &c. A. L. S,
SHERIFF's Office, ST LANDRY,
OPELoUsas, La, Aug 81, 1888. ],
have learned with pain that Lake Charles
paper has published the name OF Mr.. Laurent
Stagg as one OF the parties arrested by me for
cattle stealing, near Alexandria, some weeks
since. Insomuch as this statement works a
great injustice to worthy gentleman, will
state the facts as they occurred Pursuant to
a warrant in due form. proceeded to Alex
Lyles, charged with cattle stealing in st. Lam
dry. After arresting these parties, turned
them over to Mr. Laurent Stage who is dep
uty sheriff of st. Landry, and returned to Ope-
loisas. Forty-eight hours after Mr.. Stagg ar
rived at Ope0usas in charge OF these two pris-
oners. Mr.. Stagg had never been suspected
in this matter, and make this statement sim
ply because this publication was made in a
community where Mr.. Stagg is not personally
known, for were such statement made in st.
Landry it would not be worthy OF notice.
will state, on my own responsibility, that Mr..
Stayg was not even remotely connected in the
transaction. A. e. MCKINNEY,
Deputy Sheriff St. Landry Parish.
hereby certify that the signature above is
the signature of A. Il. Mckinney.
GUS e. FOSTENOT.
Deputy Clerk.