The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1897-03-06
Condemned to Hang.

The trial of the Blanc brothers, at
Lafayette, after several days ofanxiety
to judge and jury, officers OF the court
and citizens, came to a satisfactory con-
cluson, the majesty of the law was up
| held, the good name of Lafayette was
| preserved and an object lesson given
the people which they will not be quick
| to forget and it may have salutary
| tendency III preventing those lynching
bees which are standing and disgrace
full commentary on the laxity of our
| criminal laws. or rather their inefficient
execution. Ii criminals were speedily
tried, condemned and punished, the ne
cessiiy OF lynchiDg would not arise, for
while there is Il blood thirsty element
in every community which would pre-
fer, pulling on u rope at lynching
rather than see due process of law exc
cuted, there is another element-the
most respectable, and it is to be hoped
the most numerous-whO prefer to see
the law executed, and who only coun-
tenance lynchings as a deruier resort.
ln this particular case, owing to the
fact that the crime had been widely ad-
vertised, it would have been difficult to
secure au intelligent jury who had not
heard of the crime in all it's CHASTITY par
ticuIars. The jury which was finally Sc
cured was as respectable and intelligent
as any that ever tried II case. The pris-
oners, although without money, friends
or political influence, were ably de-
Tended by a most formidable array of
legal talent exGov. G.. II. Mouton,
Col. G. A. Breaux, C.. ID. Caffrey and r.
w. Elliott, were ut counsel Every part
of the case was stubbOrnly contested;
numerous bills of exception taken;
III, vi, do, 20 l..
but the damniDg evidences of the crime
were too great and, as on. of the priss
oners remarked to our reporter: ave
burned the last bridge of hope when we
made our confession, and the verdict is
a just one"
The charge of the judge was able, i'm
partial and beautifully wOrded. The
assault Of the state attorneys was irre-
sistible in it's force, eloquence and vigOr
The defense pleaded earnestly and elo-
quently to temper justice with mercy,
hoping thereby to secure qualified ver-
dict. The most intense interest was
taken in the trial, and the court room
was crowded with spectators. Next to
the prisoners, the most noticed person
was the 1.-the and active cowboy" sher-
1T, Ike Broussard, who,
With proudly arched and glossy neck,
Kept an eye on everything, and has put
another feather in his cap.
The sentence, 'to be hanged by the
ueck until dead! DEAD!! DEAD!!!" :"
will be pronounced by Judge DeBaillon
some day this week, and tho execution.
which f,t the le1uest Of the brothers
vii! be tDubie, Will take place in three
or four Weeks, for it is hardly probable
that an appeal will be taken as the boys
dec a'r.S--.hey were acca', I'D full justice.
s""e must congratnl..e .e brother Homer
Mouton, of the Lafayette Gazette, on
his enterprise in getting up splendid
report &C the triS<tno the illustrations be-
ing his oMa.handiwork, and although
his time was limited the Gazette put
in All appearance early the morning
after the trial closed.
King Attakapos held forth in LaFay-
ette, Mardi- -Gras.
One of the vagaries of fortune is evil
denced by the fact that Bailin, so long
in Jail suspected of the murder of Beg
maud, designed aud decorated the floats
for Mardi-Gras.
All the neighboring towns sent in DEL
egations with floats, etc, to participate
in Mardi Gras festivities.
1t is to be regretted that Opelousas
did not get up parade and thy to keep
at home the many dollars spent in New
Orleans during the carnival.
LAFAYETTE, March 4. Gus.