The Opelousas courier., 1897-07-10
1.-THE Veillon Gang

1t being said that a petition is beng
circulated throughout st. landry par
ish in behalf of Armille Veillon, and
inasmuch as there is an effort being
made to pardon said Armille Veillon,
O serving sentence of eighteen
months in the penitentiary for petty
larceny, tho undersigned in his capacity
of Chairman OF the Law and Order peo-
| pie of Mammoth Prairie, deems lit to
publish the following historical account
| Of the Veillons who have so long ter
rorized one of the fairest portions OF
st. Landry.
1t is well to premise this statement 10y
| saving that since tie beginning al the
wear 1895 not less than % or 80 houses
| and barns were fired and destroyed 10y
fire in the Mamou neighhorliood, to say
nothing of tho large amount OF fence
cutting and other depredations. Ii was
an Opcn secret that most Of this was the
work of a band OF outlaws known as
'The Veillon Gang"
On July 10Th, 1895, IL petition signed
by all good citizens, irrespective oil fac
| tons or party, was presented To the
| then Sheriff II. S. Fontenot, calling mp
on him to come to Mamou in person
and stop these depredations, otherwise
the citizens would take the law in their
own hands and protect their property.
About the same time a meeting. pre-
sided over by the undersigned, took
place at Durald's woods, where iesolu-
tons similar in tone to the sentiments
expressed in the petition were unani-
mously passed, the meeting being com
posed of men of all political shades.
The result of all this. was that the add
ministration, with Il. S. Fontenot as
Sheriff, and E. b. Dnbuisson as District
Attorney, took the matter in hand and
procured a number of Indictments
against the Veillons.
First Noah Neillon was convicted and
is serving sentence for four years in the
~penitentiary. Secondly, Armille Veil
Ion was convicted of petit larceny, and
is now in the ~penitentiary for eighteen
months.
In order that Armille Veillou's record
may be fully understood, | give a list of
the charges now pending against him.
In suit No. 1920 he is charged with
shooting with intent to murder one Is.
McCauley. In suit No. 1926 he lin con
nection with Zeph. Veillon and j. Il.
Veillon) is charged with burning the
corn crib of ApOllonus Lat1eur. In suit
with burning { vacant dwelling house
VI 4 4 , III ilS VI " ao'ft
pending charges being preferred against
him by the Grand Jury during the add
ministration of the late T. S. Fontenot,
Sheriff.
To say that all the good element of
Prairie Mamou are Indignant, is to
put it mildly. After the conviction
of Noah Veillou and Armille Veillon,
these people were beginning to
breathe freely and feel safe, until they
discovered the efforts being made in
behalf of Veillon. 1t is hard TO believe
tina. the Board of PaIdons will lend
themselves to such IA scheme. The men
who brought abont the conviction of
these parties represent all races, all
shades of political opinions, but are a
unit on the question of the enforcement
of the law, and should the Veillons I'M
fortunately be again thrown among
them, there is no telling what they may
do. They appealed to The courts; JUS
tice was done, and if, after their efforts
to rid the community Of these outlaws,
the Board of PardoDs should zleases
these parties, then no one could blame
the community for protecting itself.
A. ii. MOUTON.