New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-14


In the level blacllness of the prairics, beneath
the dark dome OF the sky. the lake lay sheet
of vibrating fire. Fire without flames; that
rippled like warm moonlight and burned with
out sound.
The negro was almost paralyzed with terror
"Oh my Lord, My Lord he moaned. rs
dat man done sent hell-hrc for to cotch me
befo' | Is daid. Oh. my Lord. My Lord. sabe
me, Sabe me-"
He broke into wild prayer and mumbled all
the voodoo charms lie had ever heard. rocking
himself 10 and fro in an agony of fear. When
ever he looked up to see whether the lake OF
FIRE had been removed its weird glow shonc into
his eyes and III in his weak brain n fire Of mad
ness. The hours that sped were like years in
Inferno 20 him. Sc great the torture Of his
mind that the pain inflicted by hundreds Of
swamp insects was unnoticed by his body.
At last his eyes looked out upon the gray
dawn lying over gray level, and the quiet
water Of the lake. gray too. in the monochrome
Of land and sky.
He felt dizzy with relief. Presently. as tho
light grew his eyes rested on his perogue. while
far across the water black spot marked the
three oak stumps and the way to freedom.
Reaction followed quickly. That lake the
mouth Of hell. Daylight could not fool him. ne
il with fascination IT grew pink in the
sunrise Presently ne ate. still watching IT,
His brain was too paralyzed TO take any ac-
count OF time or circumstance.
The air Wbrated with heat. The prairie fowl
ripcd in the coarse grass sprlnkled with wild
flowers; blue-egged herons and plovers. with
row and then the beauteous plumaged grossbeak
dipped in the take for morning bath. a large
rowboat glided into the lake and drifted n mo
ment.
There he is" yelled a man in the boat, and
the oars splashed forward.
a month later n perspiring crowd gathered
about the stuny little courthouse OF Polntc Ste
Marie. lying midway between New orleans
and the Gulf. Negroes were In the majority
even on the jury.
Judge Lafrance was stout and very warn.
He was not without wit In his method Of ab-
breviatng trials in midsummer
"On account OF the heat We will hold court
out OF doors" announced the Judge The hot
little courtroom had been emptied ~ It's benches
The Judge sat a small wooden balcony In
front o. the courthouse with his Panama hat
on. The balcony had ir.hc ~ shade. but tn
jury sat where the shade would not reach them
til late afternoon the prosecuting attorney ana
and the audience followed suit
Hats off before the court" said Judge La
france. and the prcllmlnarcs to the trial q
Baptiste Moran were IN order.
The prosecuting attorney fclt rs II his elo-
oucncc and his argument alike were oozing OUT
OF his heated forehead The defence cut hi
flight Of oratory down 10 n silhouette II the
case. Tho Witnesses proved the horrible manner
IN which Baptiste hai been yoodoocd. the Ills
that had followed. the cost OF getting a vooioo
doctor to remove the spell. and the mo count
character Of the "yaller coon To this they
added that Boptiste was suffering 80 with
r,inorse that he could not sleep at niEh'j i'r
groaning about the lake of fire.
Baptistc's wife wcpt vociferously through tho
whole proceedings. and delivered a mon"l'Eu'
on the virtues Of her husband. Nobody troubled
her as long as she did not ycll too loud.
The judge charged the jury. and they re-
paired to the hot jury-room TO d"ibrrat" inc
negro majority were for acquttai-on The evil
9encc. not on the judges charge.
"ybat do you say" asked one Of tho white
minority Of the others
"Oh he seems a petty quiet sort OF ngFrr
with no sense: he never was troublesome Dc
fore. say. a few years in the penitenuary
The negroes began 10 argue the case Inc
heat and odor in the tiny Juiy-Tooi" "c'e
Sitting. The people outside were impatient; the
Judge sent in to know II they hadn't reached n
verdict.
'I'yc got long ride to dinner and I'm
blessed if | wait in this room another minute
on any Niger. Wen hang him ard be done
with IT," said the foreman
The negro jurymen pleaded for their verdict
outside the wife Of the accused howied ais
mally.
Presently the foreman handed the Judge 'hc