St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-07-13
Brutal Assault
On A WHITE WOMAN.
Negro Promptly Arrested
and Fully Identified
Quick Action of the Law
Officers Prevents
d Lynching
Promptly Tried and Sem
fenced to be Hanged

@
name Of Montgomery had entered
the home OF Dir. Maurice Lacrolx.
in Claiborne, early Sunday morn
ing, shortly after Mr.. Lacroix had
LETT the house to come 10 his butcher
shop in Covington, ard brutally
assaulted bis wife; but Mrs La.
croix proved match for him, and
he was frightened away before ac-
complishing bis purpose.
Mrs. Lacroix was asleep in bed,
but was suddenly awakened and
saw negro standing by the bed
side, She demanded what he want
ed, and he replied, II want you,"
and lcaped through the mosquito
bar and grabbed hold of her. She
scufled with nim, and when they
got out on the floor he grabbed her
with both hands around the neck.
The lady screamed at the top If
her voice, and her two children
came to her assistance, when the
fend became scared and left the
house, but not before he was rec
ognizsd. Mrs. Lacroix's neck still
bears purple marks caused by the
clutch of the negroes hands.
When Montgomery entered the
house he was armed with two knives
and razor. One of the knives he
had stolen, together with a pair of
pants, short time before from the
residence OF Mr.. Willie Cooper.
After he left, one knife and cuff
button were found on the floor by
the side OF the bed, and pair of
suspenders, which he had alao stolen
from Mr.. Cooper. were found on
the spot where be jumped the fence
in his flight. The negro claimed
after his arrest, and before he knew
the nature of the charge against
him, that the knife and suspenders
belonged to him.
The neighborhood was quickly
aroused and a search instituted.
He was employed by Mr.. Harvey
L. Ellis as stable boy, Deputy
Sheriffs Walter Galatas and A. A.
Parker, Town Marshal Dulion and
Alderman w. r. Badon proceeded
to Mr. Ellis place and found the
negro in bed in the barn He pro.
tested that he had not been out
during the night, but his shoes and
the bottom OF his pants were wet with
dew and had grass seed sticking to
them. He was promptly jailed,
and Mrs. Lacroix was summoned
and identified him among group
of other negro prisoners as being
the man who had assaulted her.
Other evidence fully fixed the crime
on the negro.
When the facts became generally
known, large crowds assembled in
the Courthouse yard; but owing to
the wise counsel of Judge Thos. NJ j..
Burns, Sheriff 7. E. Brewster, Dis
trict Attorney Jos. b. Lancaster,
E. Richard and others, assuring the
large crowd that the fiend would be
promptly tried and swift justice
melted out to him, tine crowd con-
cluded it would be best to let the
law take its course.
The Grand jury met IN special
session Monday, and brought in an
indictment for entering house
in the night time armed with a dam
gerous weapon, with intent to com
nit rape.
A special jury was summoned the
same Gay to try the case and Judge
Burns fixed the date Of Trial fol
Thursday.
Messrs. Fred. j. Heintz. Jr., and
Fl. l.. Garland. Jr.. were appointed
by the Judge to represent the pris'
oner.
i Court convened at 10 O'Clock
Thursday morning, and after a few
preliminary proceedings the tria
| proceeded. The Courthouse was
packed with spectators from al
parts OF the parish.
Mrs. Lacroix, the fist witness
fully identified the prisoner as tn
one who assaulted her; also tn
the kuife and cuff button found il
her bedroom and the susDender
found in the yard,
/ The other witnesses testified il
accordance with the facts above re
i lated.
Messrs. Heintz and Garland ar
gued the case for the prisoner, AM
did the best they could under th
circumstances.
4 District Attorney Jos. Is. Ian
caster made an able and forclbl
arguement in behalf of the State.
About four o'clock the case wa
| given to the jury, who retired T.
their room, and in seven minute
they returned with 8 verdict O
. guilty as charged
Shortly after the prisoner va
called TO the bar, and Judge Burn
sentenced him to be hanged BY ID
narlx until he waa dead.