Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-05-08
AN EARLY HANGING,
An Entertaining Romance Of Long
Time Ago In Somerset County.


Time Ago In Somerset County.
In Somerset, Pennsylvania, there is an
unmarked mound in the old graveyard on
the hill. II was the last part of the place to
fill up with graves, as if the people who laid
their dead down there stunned leaving them
close TO the murderer's last resting place.
1t was pointed out to strangers and children
with the words: THE Frenchman lies
buried there the first man ever hung in
Somerset county,"
One day in December, 1918, when the snow
lay several feet deep upon the ground aud
the pines bent under their heavy white load,
at long, low, wooden tavern on the SUM-
NIT OF the Alleghenies there stopped sleigh
containing two gentlemen, who alighteG,
went in and asked refreshment for them
selves and their horse. They spoke very
broken English, said they had not long been
In this country and were travelling for pleas
ure. The countrymen lounging about star
ed at them, because they did not often see
such guests at Statler's tavern. They were
handsomely dressed in the fashion of the
day. The elder was tall, large, fine looking
with jet black hair and eyes. The younger
was pale, slight intellectual in appearance,
with large, ST. brown eyes and chestnut
hair.
Among the crowd of idlers and drinker,
at the tavern was drover who took drop
too much and Dragged of the fine sales he
had made of his cattle in Cumberland, from
where he was just now returning with his
money in his pocket The drover rode away
I on his white horse alittle while before dusk
for his home. some miles off, The French
men soon after inquired where the next
good stopping place was to be found, ordered
their horse and sleigh and drove in the track
Ut the drover, saying they were in hast, to
reach certain place by the next day. That
night the drover's waiting wife saw his
horse come home, without his master, with
his white coat spotted with blood stains.
The drover's body was found next morning
stiff and stark, with bullet through his
brain, shot from behind. The neighborhood
was reused. The Frenchmen were at once
suspected and pursued. They were found
at public house some distance on, sitting
quietly in room in the second story. When
they suddenly became aware that there was
an excited mob of countrymen after them
they were too much excited and frightened
to pse the little English they knew, and
could only gesticulale and chatter in their
native tongue, which was all lost on the
Doors OF Somerset county.
At length being too hard pressed, one of
them Jumped from the back window of the
room. 1t was the big one. The little one
tried to follow, but was caught by the
clothes by burly Dutchman and held for a
moment, suspended outside Some one was
going to shoot him from below, but the
Dutchman said that he would attend 20 the
little one and that those below should look
after the big one. He was answered by a
rifle shot, and the big one, who mad been
trying to run through the deep snow, fell
dead. The little one was taken to Somerset
tried and found guilty Of the drOver's muir
der. The money which the drOver had car
RED upon his person was never found. 1t
was supposed by many that the Frenchmen
had thrown It INTO the fire when they found
that they were going TO be mObbed The
pale young gentleman protested his innO-
cence, said he nad Influential friends and
family In his own COUNTRY, to whom the au-
thOrltleS here would have to ans wer for their
treatment of him. He persisted to the last
III Tic utCidIdtl tudl 1t dnu His ucdu COIL
pagnOn de voyage had passed The drover in
the road and parted with Inn in quiet aud
fri-Bdiy manner. He demonstrated violent
~ when the officials came 10 put MN into
Cart with rude pine coffin and take hiIn Oat
10 be hanged, and tried to break the coffin
10 pieces. He wore about him a miniature,
set with pearls, of a lovely girl. He gave
b ) name as Noel Huguel.
Many wondered IL Inat girl did not wait
ana watch and pine in France for her beau
tiful lover, who was hanged by the neck d
al ne was dead In the tar of mountains Oh
Pennsylvania. Many thought HIM a victim
OF clrcumstantial evidence, that the drov-
er's murderer escaped scot free with the
money and that Noel Huguel was an inuo-
Cent man, his mysterious disappearance new
er accounted for 10 his trIends III France.
He was refused the privilege vi writing 10
tnem after ne was arrested.
Many years alter the hanging party of
young men were discussing Noel Huguel
and tneIe was some dispute about where he
was buried. Then and there, at the dead
nOur of the night, they went to the grave
yard, dug him up and found his bones
Oae of the young men aforesaid was Jere