The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1910-09-03
STORE BURNED.
Stock Lost Books Saved
Manager Tells Peculiar
Story Of his Experiences.


On last Monday morning th'
1 Delassus store. at the north end o
Spanish lake, was destroyed ~
fire. This store was located a.
the east end Of the long h,idg.
crossing bayou Tcrtne and was
under the management Of Guy De
lacroix The building and its con
tents were a total loss.
At an early hour in The morning
when the news spread Throughout
that section, that the store had
burned, it was also discovered that
the manager was missing. This
led to a careful search for some
evidence Of the whereabouts ol
the missing manager. During this
search it developed that a pirogne
belonging to Messfs. John and
Willie de Laloire, aud which had
been moored in the bayou near by.
was missing This latter fact gave
rise to apprehensions that the per
petratOrs Of the fire had used the
boat to make their escape in and
that they had possibly carried De
lacroix off with them for purposes
Of concealment.
The de Laloire brothers then
called mp bY phone TO Mr.. Gall
Pharr and after stating the situa
tion asked his corporation in
searching the lake for the missing
man or pirogue. Mr.. Phafr prompt.
ly responded to the call and met
the brothers IN his motor boat at
the montl, Of the bayou Tortue.
There was no sign Of the pi,ogue
Oh the lake, but they came across
Mr.. Walter Phatr who informed
them that he had seen man at
about daylight that morning go
ing in pirogue in the direction Of
the Keystone canal. As this canal
is uncertain of navigation for a
motor boat the searching party re
turned to the starting point The
lie Laloires stated that they would
drive over to the Keystone planta-
tiOn by buggy and try TO learn
something about the man seen go
ing in that direction. Upon re-
turning they reported no news.
Later 1t was reported that the
books Of the store had been found
concealed under some planks. |
This discovery gave rise to new
theories and new apprehensions. |
1t was feared that the unfortunate
man had during some spell Of
mental alteration sought self-de-
struction in the lake. Acting
upon this theory return to the
lake was made and Mr.. Duke, the
government engineer in charge Of
the improvements of the lake now
being made, became interested in
the mysteries Of the case to the
extent Of volunteering the services
Of his torce of men to assist in
thoroughly dragging the lake in a
search for the body. Before pre-
paratiOns could I've made To carry
Dnt these plans Mr.. Duke sighted
the lost pirogne. When it was
taken in charge it contained only
it's paddle and a pole. This seem
ed to accentnate the latter theory
Ut the drowning Of the man.
The lateness of the hour pre-.
vented anything further being
done that day, but 1t was planned
that an early start would be made
the next morning and the parties
returned to their respective homes.
Shortly after Mr.. Pharr had
,eached his home he was called up
~ phone and informed that the
Missing man had come In from the
woods Of the north shore Of the
AXE. He was stripped Of his
,lothlng. He explained that he
lad been overpowered by a couple
It men, who had chloroformed
lin. He was then carried off III q
,oat. When In the woods he had
'ucceeded in making his escape
Ind had returned home.