The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1886-11-27
NOVEMBER ~, 1885,
Escape of sonnier and Boasso.

The Capitolian- Advocate of Monday
last gives the following account of the
escape from the penitentiary at Baton
Rouge of two noted characters. John
Sonnier, it will be remembered, was
sentenced for life about five years ago
for HE murder of Andre Prud'homme,
in this parish, committed several years
before. Several other murders have
been charged to him:
At about 1915 o'clock last Saturday
night, John Sonnier and I. j. Boasso,
prisoners in the State penitentiary,
made their escape from the hospital
ward into the rear yard in which the
factory buildings are located, and out
through the gate in the south side wall.
An investigation was at once
made by Capt. Burg, who found that a
hole large enough for the prisoners to
pass through had been cut in the third
story of the hospital building through
the brick wall that divides the hospital
wards from one of the machine rooms,
and that it was through that hole the
men had escaped. Every effort is be-
ing made to have them captured. Mr..
Malta has had number of descriptions
of the men made and has sent them
out to the sherifs of the several par
ishes together with the offer of rewards
for their capture Il is believed that
| they will make an effort to get into
Mexico. Following is a description of
the two men: John Sonnier is about
80 years old 6 feet and inches high ;
swarthy complexion dark grey eyes !;
black hair; one upper front tooth de-
cayed black and slightly broken; he is
tall, slim and raw boned ; has a pecu-
liar walk suggestive Of string halt !;
speaks English with half French -Ital-
| ian accent; speaks French huently {;
| has had his collar bone broken has
moles on night side of neck, near right
side of temple and on left side OF face,
and generally wea.s a wide riinsned
black felt hat Theodore j Boasso is
about 81 years of age, but looks young
or; feet 81 inches high, l,as fair COM
plexiou, hazel eyes, black hair, full face
aud stout built; full set OF teeth, with
one upper front tooth slightly ont "f
place and easily noticed when talking
or laughing; has mole on the right
side Of the neck and one in centre OF
the throat has a gunshot wound in
the right side of, the stomach, slight
scar on the left cheek, a scar across the
fingers of the right hand, aud has a
blood boil on left temple and one on
the right cheek. Speaks English and
French, was at one time chief of de-
teetives in New Orleans, and generally
wears soft felt hat split in the middle.
Sonnitr was sent from st. Landry about
five years ago for life, for the crime oi
murder. Boasso came from New Or
leans for fourteen years, for the crime
of forging and uttering as true public
document purporting 10 be marriage
| license. He was received at the prison
on the gath of March, and had been in
prison eight months. At the time o
| their escape Sonnier was sick IN the
hospital with consumption, and Boasso
was detailed as nurse in the hospital
The Police Jury recently appointed
| for Acadia parish met at Rayne on the
j 1lth inst, and elected DR.. b. E. Clarf
President and A. S. Chappuis Clerk
They then divided up the parish intt
Police Jury and Justice of the Peace
wards and established the following
!, polling places, viz: Ist ward, a
I Ravne, Town Hall; I'd ward, at Pla
I quemine Brulee, store of Kahn &
/ Smith; 3D. ward, Church Point, at stor'
of H. Barousse 4th ward, at store o
S. Cart 5tll ward, Mermentau, at stor'
of E. G. Fremaux. Messrs. j. E. Pei
ton, J. G. Lyons and w. w. Duso1
were selected as commissioners from
Acadia to confer with like numbe
of commissioners to be appointed b,
tile Police Jury of St. Landry. Th
, duties of these commissioners are de
, fined in the act creating the parish o
Acadia as follows:
/, They shall convene in the town G
!, Opelousas, in the parish of st. Landry
on a day to be fixed by the judge Q
J the Thirteenth Judicial District, With
twenty days after the appointment Q
t the commissioners, who shall give t
SAID commissioners due notice thereof
and at said meeting said commissioner
. shall proceed to ascertain the amour
of Indebtedness of the parish of 81
! Landry Immediately preceding th
adoption of this act, and to apportIe
to the parish of Acadia and to the PAL
) ish of st. Landry the apporti0nmen
and proportion of said indebtedness
due from each parish respectively, whic
amount shail be determined by sal
commissioners, aud shalt be in propot
ton to the relative value of the taxabl
property in each Of said parishes; afte
having ascertained the amount OF sal