The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1889-05-18
preliminary Examination of the
Valle Plate Prairie Prisoners.

quite ripple of excitement was caus-
ed Ill our town on last Saturday by float
ing Fumois that an armed force of one
nuhoTeu men were coming in town on
Monday to bulldoze the officers, and if
necessary to rescue the three prisoners
accused Of firing into the house of the
colored man, Alfred HilIory, in Vile
nit. 'N 'D'''
AS matter of precantion aud 10 be
prepared for such contingency meet
ing OF citizens was called TO orgauize n
Law and Order Association, for The
purpose of assisting the officers in case
OF any disorder or demonstration of vi
olenee by friends of the accused. or any
other body of armed men.
On Monday, the day fixed for an ex-
animation of the prisoners, quite num-
Der OF persons from the section where
the accused parties reside were in town,
but no arms were visible, no threats
were uttered, and all hostile intentions
of disturbing the Court or of attempt
ing a rescue were denied By those sus-
pected of such design. It is nroner
to state, that from the outset Judge
Lewis announced that if there was the
least interference or disturbance that
he would remand the prisoners and
postpone an examination. The exam
lDation proceeded and tue testimony
evoked was substantially as follows:
Alfred Hillory,a eolored man living on
the plantation of Capt. Sam Haas, tes
tilted that his dwelling house had been
fired into on Saturday night, on or
about April the 18th or 14th; that lie
and his family were occupying the
house at the time that he and his fam.
lily abandoned the house that night at
which time he complained to DR.. John
Haas at Vile Plate of the shooting into
his house the night before. This wit
ness stated, that he had nailed up his
house when he left, and did not know or
recognize the parties who had fred into
his house, aud did not even see them
It was shown by another witness that
there were three bullet holes in the
front door, about two feet from the
floor, and buck shot holes through the
window shutter, against which the bed
of Hillery stood, and on line with the
bed.
DR. John Hans on being informed of
these facts on Sunday, posted himself
near the negro cabin that night for the
purpose of learning who it was that hfr3
fired into the cabin the previous night
He teatiied that the accused parties
Armand Forest, John L. GnilorY and
Simon Durio-came mp short time AT
terwasds and stepped on to the gallery
of the cabin and demanded that The
door should be opeued, which not being
done, one Of the accused told the other
two to s'5ieak the door open aud let us
get the d-u negro ont and kill him
Whereupon the two broke the door OPP
en-. entered the house, aud failing to
find Hi!iory or any person therein, made
quite nuise for d willie, then coming
out mounted their horses aud started
away. passing pear To where he was,
and upon discovering him one of the ac-
cused parties cried out athere he is now.
let us kill him." Whereupon DIR. Haas
informets them they were mistaken \
/ conversation then ensued between him
| and the parties, two Of whon weie well
! known to him, which lasted about III
teen minutes. Upon being asked by
/ the Court, s.if these two who had enter
Led the house we're armed" he answered
/ the did not know. The only arms be
/ saw was /. shot gun CT rife 10 the hands
!. nf the man who stood on the gallery
I Upon being further asked IF he cou!e
state positiyely that he recognized these
/ 4artias.p lie answered, sttlIat he was
nositiye because he was q shottdistance
away, saw them wien they entered the
house, saw them when they left it, com
flba ia metliately therefrom % where ht
(Witnessl was, III which time the con
yersation above alluded to took place
tGuiilory, one Of the accused parties. ht
did not know by name, but identified
tl,im as eBe of the three with whom ht
had The conversation,
/ The cbarge preferred against tic pil
snnefs was under section $50 Of the Re
risea Statutes, which uTense is no
bnilable. the penalty being death Tn
81 .dence disclosed the fact chat no per
son occupied the house at the time
tile bfeal}Iug and entry, and this being
/ M essential ingredient Of the crime IN
d der the statute, the charge as preferred
II therefore was not established The OF
fence MS shown by the evidence belnl
/ Of d lesser grade, and punishable 2
hard labor for n limited term OF years
was hailahle under the law, ana ih
bond of each VAS fixed at 1000, Wil1e
was furnished and tie parties released
Il 81 =