St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-09-07
The Couiee Croche REGULATORS.

The preliminary examination of the
Coulee Croche Regulators, which was in
progress before Judge Lewis, as We
went to press last week, was concluded
on Saturday.
On motion Of District Attorney Og-
den, the following named accused were
discharged, there being no evidence to
implicate them in the outrage: Lastie
Meche, Maurice Smith, Joseph Meche,
Joseph Smith, Celestin Levergne and
Charles Melancon.
Two OF the accused, Taylor FaIgout
and Telismar Bergeron, were released
from custody and accepted as State
| witnesses, and made clean breast of
the whole infamous affair." The facts of
the case, as detailed by these and other
witnesses for the State, are substantially
as follows: several of the accused met
at the house Of Leoval Meche, which
was the starting point; leaving this
point they were met by several others
until they numbered eleven, when they
started together to hunt up a mulatto
woman known as "Fille," who some
time since had become involved in u law
suit with Arvillion Beard, in which he
was cast, and fearinga suit for damages,
it was determined upon to regulate"
her, and thus deter her from commen-
cling the threatened suit. After visiting
several cabins and not finding the wo-
man, they learned that she was at Mr..
J. B. Duplechin's house, where she was
engaged in nursing sick child. They
went thither, arriving about one o'clock
in the morning, and calling Duplcchin,
were asked who they were. Falgout
answered, "The High Sheriff." and said
they wanted the woman Sylvanie Le-
Blanc, commonly known as "Fille." At
this point Duplechin attempted to get
out of bed, when. Falgout jumped in at
the window, got on the bed and cover |
ing Duplecbin with pistol, called for
the crowd to come in. About this time |
the woman came to Duplechin's door |
and begged for protection. The Regu-
lators, who had in the meantime entered |
the house, grabbed her, she at the time
catching hold of Mr.. D., claiming pro-
lection. A scuffle ensued, and she was
dragged from the house into the yard. |
In the melee Duplechin had secured |
possession of his gun, which was loaded |
with buck shot, and going to the door
fred at the crowd in the yard. Almost |
simultaneously the shot was returned,
filing the breast, face and hands of Mr., |
D. with shot and bringing him to the
floor. 1t was this shot of Mr.. Duple- |
chains that brought Gerrasin Meche to
the ground seriously wounded. The
then nnfed volley into the
house and dispersed, bearing their
wounded comrade with them.
Falgout, in his testimony, said, "this
gang is an organization known as "Reg-
but Bergeron testified, that
the true name of the organization was
'The Whites" The acknowledged lead
er or captain Of the band was Leoval
Meche.
The evidence adduced on the examin-
alton was conclusive as to the partici-
patton in the outrage of the following
parties, viz: Leoval Meche, Cyphroyen
Mecfe, Lastie Smith, Charles Aribi,
5errasin Meche, Eugene Meche, Ursin
Roudreau. Aryiil: Ss.'.."sy = - =
.aile Meche, and they, with the ex-
.eption of Gerrasin Necilcl who is un-
Ter guard at his house, were remanded
% the parish prison, without the benefit
pf bail, to await such action as the
Grand Jury may take at the next crlmi-
1al term of the District Court, which
in November next.