The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1889-11-23
THE BAYOU BEUF TRAGEDY.

a special from 1t. Nart!nviile to
the Time5-Deasocrat, Of the 18Th inst,
says:
The Bayou Boeuf tragedy assumed
a local interest Monday, when it was
learned that Monroe Baker, a well-to-
DO and respected mulatto Of this place,
had been looking after his missing
son, who was expected from Nashville,
Tenn, the day of the Bayou Dnuf
tragedy. All descriptions in Sundays
Iimes-Demoordt Of the man who com
mitted the deed coincide in every par
ticular with Bakers missing son.
Lis brother WAS interviewed with
the following result: "lIy brother left
/ Nashville on the 4th inst. From Il
letter received by one of his friends
iii New Orleans, II barber at II Canal
street, addressed to my brother at st.
Martinville, | understood that he must
have left the city on the 9th or 9th.
de never wore marked linen; he had
1.-TWO sears on his breast; he was eener-
/ ally very orderly, and always kent Il
strict account Of all his expenses. His
trank arrived here Wednesday, the
9th. In the trunk we found his
diary. He had his hair cat and was
shaved before he purchased his ticket
in Nashville. Between the 4th and
9th hepurchased a new suit of clothes
for $3.50 and q pocket knife for 81.
The color OF his hair, his weight, and
all descriptions as to his person given
in Sundays Time-Democrat are cor
rec"
News was received here last night
from Il gentleman who went as far as
Morgan City with Mr.. Baker, who
states there TO longer remains any
doubt but that Felix Baker was the
man who committed the unfortunate
tragedy. As Mr.. Baker stopped in
Morgan City to procure authority for
disinterring the body, he viii be duly
identified this evening. He must
have left New Orleans on the 9th, the
day his trunk arrived in St. Martin
vile. The knife found on his person
was a new one, which woald coincide
with the item found in his note book.
His Communication ticket was also found
with his name signed to it and punch
ed for St. Martinville The conductor
of the train on which Baker was re-
ports that after leaving New Orleans
Il man came to him acting very strange
ly, and asked him to please protect
him, and that posse of men were on
the train and wanted to hang him.
The conductor remarked that he did
not see any posse. eyes, look at those
men, they want to hang me-" The
man continued acting in this way until
the train reached Schriever, after
which he was missed. 1t is supposed
that he wandered on foot to Bayou
Beuf, and on the way threw away his
top shirt, vest and coat.
His brother stated to the Times
Democrat correspondent that five years
ago he was baggagemaster on the [.
81 2. He pretended one night that
some party had shot at him twice in
the car, whereupon he got off the
train while it was runningsat full
speed. An investigation by the rail
road authorities failed to find that any
ball had struck the car, or that any
one had been in the car at that time.
He was found two days after lost in
the woods, and part of his clothing
was missing and he was without shoes.
Morgan City, La, Nov. 13.-MoD-
roe Baker, of St. Martinville, accom-
panied by his son Gustave, formerly
deputy collector at this place, came
down on the train yesterday in order
to ascertain if the unknown murderer
killed at Bayou Bpuf was not a son
of the former, named Felix, A
thorough examination Of the letters
and the few effects of the dead man
which had been preserved, together
with an accurate description, fully
convinced them that it was Felix 2.
Baker. Mr.. Baker thinks his son
must have been crazy at the time, for
he can account for il in no other Way.