St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-04-11

have done SO, he could not have place,
IL on the stone. Why any man Shout,
have murdered him no one could con
celVe Expert detectives came AM
spent days in looking for clue, bu
went away puzzled. Squire Duvd de
clared that the old man had been aidec
by bad spirits in the execution of tn,
bloody design, yet this, while it ma,
nave found ready supporters among
people who believed in supernatural
agencies was ridiculed by the Corone,
ana laughed at by the jury.
Some time previous to the arrival o.
the old man | had incurred the morta1
enmlty OF a fellow named Givens. This
souliess wretch, biding his time. swore
out warrant for my arrest. CHARGING
me with the murder of the curious
scribe Ot course | was indignant, but
l soon saw that the people paid but
little attention to my protestations OF
innocence. was arraigned for exami-
nation before a Justice of the Peace. /
had Squire Duyal and the man with
whom l boarded introduced as wifi
nesSes. The Squire testimony amounted
to nothing, but the testimony of nv
landlord made my blood run cold.
Mr. Buck went to bed at the usual
hour, " said he, ''but about midnight he
got up and went out. When he came
back, which he did after some time, +
heard him washing his hands, and at
morning when l went to the wash shelf
on the porch saw blood stains in the
bottom Of the BOWL
The truth is, unable to sleep had
gotten up. | went out, lighted nv
pipe, and walked around, smoking. AS
L was returning to the house, I came in
contact with the end of rail which
projected over the fence, forcing few
drops of blood from my nose.
When | made the statement, the peo-
pie looked suspiciously at me. NV
lawyer made an able speech, DWELLING
on the fact that I was the old mans
friend, and that l had nothing against
nm; and, although had known him to
pc something of materialsst, yet sup
ported the Squire's opinion insomuch
that as the old man had unquestionably
written the note, he might have cut off
his own head.
The magistrate decided that the evil
dence was sufficiently strong to Justify
my detention, and, as the case was not
oallable, was taken to jail. | had /
great hopes that the Grand Jury would |
AL to return an Indictment, but [ was T
When it became known
hat the charge against me was sus-
aimed by the gentlemen in secret ses-
non, q mob assembled and it was with
sreat difficulty that the Sheriff could
leep me from the clutches of the yelling
.Vengers.
One morning, just before the meeting
I the court before which I was to be
RED, the Sheriff entered the jail and
''Mr. Buck, you are free. Read this
7tter. 1t was written by crazy man,
rell known in this community, and was
ddressed to the circuit judge
The surprise was So gladdening-the
fought of regaining my liberty and
nee more taking my place among re-
oected men, filled me with such desire
throw up my hat that it was with
thculty that I could repress my exulta-
on long enough to read the letter.
ne document which effected my liberia
On ran as follows: ,,
Judge, while no one is bothering me, and :
lille sit alone in my room, number l02 left
to school together, didn't we, Judge? Well. !
me time ago-I don't know how long, for
rnetimes 1T seems ten years and then ten t
nufes-l slipped away from the asylum. t
ey had given me the privilege of walking
t. got on train and went up to YOUR {
Rn. Ii was night and nobody saw me-
ter had walked around awhile / got down y
my knees and Tapped water out of pud- =
}. Yes, did. saw light in a house and '
rent in. An old. man with white hair was in Z
mouse. It tickled me to look at him. While :
were talking funny idea occurred to me: {
oppose the people were to come here in
} morning and find that old mans head i.
the rock table, what would they say? 1t =
uld puzzle EN- if he was to leave a note n
ing that he had cut off his head and put it
re. could put his head there and write | I
note, but the people might know his hand y
tfing and detect the forgery. won't COM b
forgery. It is wrong. They send folks to IL
penitentiaFy for forgery. I'll get him to y =
tie the note That is the way the funny u
ran through my head. began to talk "
m short distance from town. Well, do, U
ige. won't tell a lie unless it is to help
ng q great cause VIII you do me great II
orr asked He said that he would II u
1T to play a joke on my little GIRL said l cl
3 can read and write, but l can't. The tt
er day she whipped her doll / told her she M
hit not be so cruel, that if she didn't mind "
doll would commit suicide. Now, I tell m
what am going to do. am going to cut q,
the dolls head and putt on stool and =
e note, explaining the funny situation w
lie she is weeping over the death of the tie
will take out a nicer one which j shall ar
Q handy, and make her glad. Won't YOU al
ge write. down the words dictate? He ca
shed at the idea, said it was the first time of
had laughed for years. told him that =:
IS glad to afford him any amusement, I'll
that | would be grateful if he would he
e the words for me- He did so and ho
t out. / slipped into store, through a Do
low, and got new butcher knife. Then
mt back and found the old man reading ali
talked awhile, and then, when he wasn't IL
cling me, l grabbed him by the throat and Ia'
ed him to the floor. He was too weak to be
ggle much, and 1 had very little trouble of
lifting his throat, but cutting off his head - -
not such an easy job. l got it off after OH