St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-02-04
PREVENTED A LYNCHING.

Deputy Sheriff Ed. Lacroix, who
safely made his way through swamps,
clearings and thickets, and finally
landed his prisoner on board a
schooner in the lake, after having
received him at Slidell, has had a
thrilling experience of the kind that
makes stout hearts quake and strong
limbs tremble.
Sam Cooley, negro accused of
attempting to outrage little child
at Pearl River, after hiding for a
time in the woods gave himself W
to Deputy Coleman, who turned hiI
| over to Lacroix about two and !;
half miles north of Slidell, Sunda.
evening. In the meantime angr!
crowds began to gather with threats
| of lynching. After hiding in pine
thicket for a while Lacroix managed
to procure a buggy and drove back
of Slidell to the old Jail and slipped
| him in. Here the crowd became
threatening, and he took the prisoner
to a private residence about two
blocks from the Jail, where he lay
secure until 4 o'clock in the morn
ing Sunday. He then slipped him
into a buggy and took him to Bayou
Liberty, three miles from Slidell,
from where he made his way to
Todds Stop. He remained secreted
here but IS minutes when he was
warned of an approaching posse COM
ing down on the train. A trip of
two miles back towards Slidell fol-
lowed, and then in the direction OF
Bayou Lacombe, crossing the track
| two hundred yards from the Bayou
Lacombe bridge. Here his watch
full eyes spied another crowd on
the track and he turned due north
three miles and came back to Bayou
Lacombe river about two miles from
Bayou LacOmbe Station, where he
stayed until o'clock in the evening
Learning through Armand Cousin
the Waterman at Todd's mill, thai
Marshal White of Slidell was at the
home of Sam Cousin in Bayou La
combe, he took the negro over there
and left him with White, about
lp. M, while he went to Bayou La
combe and tried to get in communi
cation with Sheriff Brewster. Thi
he finally did, but there was N
! relief from the situation. The Gov
ington Jail was being watched close
than any other point, because tn
prisoner was expected to be jaile
there, and angry and determined
men were watching every avenue Q
approach. It was not safe to brin
him to Covington and there was moth
ing to do but to try to get him t
New Orleans. He made his way bac
to Counsin's place. He united the ne
: gro and kept him near the window
as being the best exit in case or emel
gency. He left the house with hi
prisoner at $3.50 o'clock in the morn
: ing, taking the road to Vaudeville
and had travelled but two miles Whe
he came across a crowd standing
: the road. 1t was just before day
) lipht. Again his watchfulness re
warded him by catching a glimps
, of them first. He plunged northwar
through the swamp for twelve mile
and then turned down Chinchub
| Branch to Madisonville and came int
the old Morris Hart brickyard. Her
he chained his prisoner down in a
: old house, and hiring motor boa
from Mr.. Boyles reached Covingto
| at o'clock. He had started at 1890
, Finding it useless to bring his prison
er to Covington, he returned at ga
and struggled him on board
schooner belonging to lobe Wheat
who covered them up in the hol
, with wood until they got into tn
, lake. West End was reached abou
; O'Clock that night where they lai
} over until 6 in the morning. Lacroi
{ landed his prisoner in the Paris
Prison about z o'clock Tuesda
morning. All this time he had ha
little sleep or rest.