St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1892-12-17
AN OLD SWORD.
History of Poker in Use at the Police
Station.

StatlGN.
When the fire at the central police
station burns low, these cold nights
says the N. @. Delta, the officers stil
the dying embers with rusty ole
cavalry saber. 1t is perhaps the most
curious old poker in the city, and
Qhen strangers remark at the strange
office it is fulfilling in its old age as q
weapon of peace, the officers tell an
interesting story of its history.
The old sword followed Banks in his
famous raid up Red River after having
been bestowed upon a dusky cotton
picker to assist in liberating his en-
slaved race.
After hostilities had ceased it gpar-
tieipated in many Grand Army par
AIDES and was the center Of an admiring
circle on Franklin street, not far from
where police headquarters are at pres
ent located. One cold night several
years ago, however, it fell from grace.
From up in the third story from an
old rookery where it had SO long hung
upon the wall and glistened in the few.
faint rays of sunlight that managed
to struggle through the dirty windows
there came cries of murder, followed
by a negro woman who came sailing
down two flights of stairs and landed
in the street in heap.
BY degrees she told how Banks old
body guard was on another raid up
stairs and threatening death to who
ever intruded. Several slashes about
her head and body seemed to verify
her story, and the occupants of the
other floors decided to give him the
entire house, and until the minions of
the law arrived and routed him. When
the first officer started up stairs, and
by the glare of a bullseye lantern, saw
the dusky old warrior at the head of
the stairs brandishing a cutlass, heI
beat hasty retreat Upon being re-
inforced, however, rush was made
and the upper floor carried by storm.
The cutlass was thrown aside and |
the enemy captured retreating in bad
order on the roof of a rear building
A few weeks later he followed one Of /
the criminal deputies on a ride up the
Mississippi as far as Baton Rouge.
Whether he died IN prison or left for
other parts when his term expired is
not known, but he has never been
seen by the police since and no one
ever called to claim his sword.
In the course Of time the poker at
the central station got lost in the
shuttle or wore out from constant use.
The surplus in the city treasury was
not so large that the city fathers sat
up at night wondering what to do I
with it. In fact the appropriation
for supplies for the public buildings
was not coming fast enough to keep
the flames in the crate at the central
up to the regulation height and the
old sword was hauled out of the cabin
ct where divers articles marked "A.'
evidence aB,o etc., are stored, and it
was forthwith commissioned to per-
form new junction.
In the course of time the end was
broken off and constant use has since
worn the blade down near the hilt.
There is a chance, however, for the
central station to continue to indulge
Id the luxury of a sword poker, for
yesterday another old African veteran
went on the warpath and re-enacted
the rebellion to suit his own peculiar
fancy. As on the previous occasion
the pertify of woman was chosen as
the subject.
This latter occurrence was enacted
on the New Basin shellroad, near the
oil mills, Wednesday night at 8 o'clock.
Ed Nero, a negro, had a quarrel with
his wife, and attempted to murder her
After struggle she managed to escape
from the shanty with her little child,
and was closely followed by her hus-
band. Her cries, however, attracted
the police, who arrived just in time to
arrest the negro as he was in the act
of striking her with his sword.
NOTICE.-Killed by the undersigned,
for breaking into his enclosures, 5 miles
north of Vile Plate, an old stag, lfacsim-
lie of brand of which can be seen at the
CLARION office.] The owner is requested to
come forward prove property, pay costs OF
this notice and receive his pay.
dee10 At ]. B. NIDRINE.
NOTTCE.-The public is warned against
trading for lost promissory note signed
by Caroline Jones and Ben Jones. dated
Nov. lst, 1891, for $153.S1, and payable to
fiec13 Ii w EVANS,