The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-02
JOSEPH GOUAUX MURDERED
Prominent Internal Revenue Officer Slain by Span
iard---Tragedy Sequel to Encounter at Dis
orderly House in Restricted District
MURDERER AT LARGE.

Joseph S. Gouaux, a prominent res.
luent Of this city, holding the of
flee of deputy United States Collector
| Of Internal Revenue, was murdered
at about 1890 o'clock last Sunday
morning by Spaniard named Rafael
Dom1nquez Velanti, the tragedy oc-
curing on the sidewalk at the cor
ner OF st. Vincent and Albert streets,
| IN the restricted district. The MUIR
derer attacked Mr.. Gouaux with a
razor or a keen-bladed stiletto. cut
ting his victims throat and sever
Ing the jugular vein. The cash ex-
tended from the nape of the neck
TO a point under the chin, and was
very deep. Mr.. Gouaux was a stout
man and had a thick neck, otherwise
It is likely that his head would have
been almost entirely severed from
the body, SO furious was the attack
OF his assailant. Mr.. Gouaux lived
ABOUT three quarters of an hour
after being cut, death resulting from
hemorrhage.
According to the current report
of the tragedy. Mr.. Gouaux and a
party of friends, all Of whom had
been drinking at an uptown saloon
during the earlier part of the eve
hlhg, went to the restricted dis
trlct some time before midnight Sat
urday and entered the baWdy house
Kept by Ella Wise, a white prosti-
tute, where they went into room
and closed the door. Shortly after
ward the Spaniard, Rafael Dominquez
Velanti-or Rafael Doming, as he is
generally knoWn-came along and at
tempted to force an entrance into
the room occupied by Mr.. Gouaux
and his friends. The intruder was
told that the room was occupied by
party of gentlemen and that he
could not enter, but he replied that
the house was a public place and he
dld not propose to be excluded from
any part of it. So saying, he either
pushed open the door or broke it
open, some reports being to the eff
feet that the door was locked, while
others indicate that it was merely
closed. He advanced into the room
IN a belllgerent manner, and after
brief interval was violently eject
ed. Here the reports vary. One
version is that when the Spaniard
entered the room one of the men
in the apartment, Whiskey drum
mer, walked up to him and searched. /
him, and announced to the crowd
that the intruder was unarmed; that
thereupon the Spaniard was set up
on and belabored, It, being, alleged
that Mr.. Gouaux took a prominent
part in these proceedings and bran
dished his revolver, 32-caIibre, six
chambered Smith e Wesson, which
weapon he carried habituaI1y BY virr
tue of being United States officer
The presumption is that the Span
lard, after being elected from the
house, went to his home short dis |
lance away and armed himself, either
with a razor or a very sharp stiletto
It is known that the man then
walked into Paul Fontano's saloon,
one square away from where the /
tragedy was enacted, and that while /
there he made a remark to the eff
feet that They put me out, but I'm
going back all right; I'll get 'em."
It is also reported that while being
elected from the Wise brothel Velan-
ii cried out, 'I know you, Mr..
Gouaux; I'll get even with you for
this
Leaving the Fontano saloon at
about 1880 O'Clock, Velanti walked
out Albert street in the direction of
the redlight district, and at the cor
ner of st. Vincent street encountered
the Gouaux party making their way
up town. The whiskey drummer was
in the lead. and it is said that. Vel
anti walked up to him and, placing
MS hand on the drummer's Shout
der, turned the man about in such
4 way as to bring his face into the
light, evidently with a view to as
whether or not he was
Mr.. Gouaux. Seeing that he wasn't,
the Spaniard passed on. Just behind
The drummer was a young saloon
man of this city, partner in the
firm which owns the uptown saloon
from which the party had started
0ut several hours earlier, and this
nan, seeing a knife or razor in the
5paniard's hand, called out to Mr.
4ouaux, who was next in line, Look
out, Joe, he has a knife: shoot him,
shoot him, quick!' Quicker than it
,akes to tell it, the Infatuated Span
ard threw himself upon Mr.. Gouaux
Ind made one lunge at the latter's
neck, the attack being SO sudden
Ind unexpected that the victim had
10 time to defend himself Or TO /,
ward off the blow. After .inflicting
he fatal wound the murderer
stepped back, and then ran off down
st. Vincent street in the direction of
he Texas and Pacific Railroad
racks.
Crying out, "He got me- Mr..
1ouaux fell on the bridge which II
spans the gutter at that corner, first
pulling out his pistol and firing three {
shots at his assailant. His aim was |
,ad, however. and the fugitive ess {
;aped unhurt. An examination Of MFR. !
souaux's revolver disclosed the fact t
hat he pulled the trigger six times, /
hree of the cartridges failing to 4
explode. I
Mr.. Gouaux was picked up by one
# his companions, the saloon man, {
md carried into the house of Mary 9
Miller, a negro prostitute, "a few /
items away where he was made as 4