The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-11-10
Deplorable Tragedy at Baton Rouge.

ming, barely a day after his election
to congress from the sixth district OF
this state, Judge George K. Favrot OF
Baton Rouge shot and almost instantly
killed DR.. r. q. Aldrich, leading
physician Of the same place. The
tragedy occurred IN the vestibule Of
the Raymond building, where Judge
Favrot met DR.. Aldrich as the latter
was descending from his Office and
shot at him three times, two Of the bull
lets taking effect in DR.. Aldrich S
throat and causing his death within a
few minutes. Judge Favrot surren
dered to the proper authorities and
was placed in jail, where he has since
remained. The coroner empanelled q
jury and held an inquest over the
body OF DR.. Aldrich, verdict being
returned in accord ance with the facts.
On Thursday Judge Favrot resigned
his position as Judge Of the twenty
second judicial district and the resig-
nation was duly accepted by Governor
Blanchard, who has ordered special
election TO be held on J Ian. 6, 1907, for
the purpose of filling the vacancy.
Meanwhile, there is no one competent
to order an investigation or fix bond
ia the case, and Judge Fayrot may
have to remain in Jail until his sue
cessor is elected.
The following statement, signed by
1Y,1 nff
nan, Beale and Laycock, was given
*. Favrot, by advice Of his counsel,
will not make any detailed statement
at this time, but he authorizes US to
say that the killing Of DR.. r. E. Al
drich resulted from the lattsr's circu-
lation Of renorts OF such character
as to force uage Fayrot to act. Com
plete Justification for his action will be
shown at the trial of the case.
It is rumored that the reports circu-
lated by DR.. Aldrieh reflected upon
the honor of Judge Favrot's wife, but
as TO what these reports were and to
whom they were made nothing is de-
finitely known.
DR.. Aldrich's funeral took place
Thursday afternoon and was attended
by an unusually large number of peo-
pie. The deceased physician possessed
a genial, friendly and kindly DISPOSE
tion, and was universally liked and
esteemed. Besides other relatives, he
leaves wife and three children to
mourn his death.
The deplorable tragedy has cast a
gloom over the community IN which it
occurred and is very deeply regretted
throughout the state.
Don't Deadlock the Lock Question.
The Chief has advanced the PROPOSE
ton that it is nothing short OF 8 re-
Election upon the official and personal
char acters OF the members OF the
Atch afalaya and Lafourche leyee
boards to intimate that they are
capable OF even contemplating an
evasion of the moral and legal obi.
cation under which they rest to pro-
vide for the construction Of q lock TO
replace the dam which shuts off con-
nection between Bayou Lafourche and
the Mississippi river at Donaldson
vile, and we have no inclination or
desire to assume the appear ance of
making such an intim alton: but we do
feel at liberty to caution these public
officials that they should avoid any
course Of conduct which will seem to
justify suspicion that they are re-
luctant to perform their plain duty in
the premises and are willing to accept
any reasonable pretext for delaying
definite action.
We published recently report OF
the proceedings of the joint session of
the levee boards held on October %,
at which the only bids received for the
lock work were rejected because they
were Excessive and double the cost
estimated by the board Of engineers. !"
The vote on the rejection Of the bids
was nine to four, Messrs. Maurin,
Brady and Foret Of the L4afourche
board and Beary of the Atchafalaya
board having voted against the mo-
ton TO reject, thus indicating their
belief ID az the bIus should have been
accepted, and suggesting the proba-
bility that the estimates OF the en-
gineers may have been defective and
incomplete. 1t was properly resolved,
however, to readvertise for bids, and
there should be no unnecessary delay
y
ought TO be sufficient capacity on the
board OF state engineers to prepare q
fairly accurate estimate OF the actual
cost OF constructing the lock, and it
should be simple matter for these
competent engineers to compare their
estimate with the bids submitted and
to determine wherein either themselves
or the bidders flew SO wide of the mark
il computing the cost OF the labor and
material requisite to the accomplish
ment of this work. If the estimate is
found to be erroneous it's mistakes
should be corrected before the next
bids are passed upon, in order that
the defective figures may not be used
as a pretext for again rejecting pro-
posals that may be fair and reason
able. By such tactics as this it may
be possible to defer interminably the
construction of the lock which the
levee boards promised to provide for
when they obtained permission from
the federal and state governments TO
dam the bayou, and which they have
been expressly directed by joint reso-
luton Of the general assembly to con-
struet.
Let there be no deadlock on the lock
question, gentlemen Of the levee and
engineer boards, and no excuse af-
forded for impugning your official in
tegrity by reason OF seeming I'M
willingness to perform your bounden
duty. There can be no honest differ
enee of opinion as TO what that duty
is, and no amount OF sophistry can
becloud the issue in that particular.
The Chief continues TO believe that
you will do the right thing, notWith-
standing the attempts Of pretended