Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-04
Half-Blood Negroes Confesses Sc
riea Of Mysterious Murders
Performed by Cult.
SEVEN FAMILIES WIPED OUT
Axe Used in Each Case and Sun
posed That Bloody Orgy Fol
lowed-Hoodoo to Ward
Off the Law.

Lafayette, La. April . a mulatto negro
girl. 10 years old. told tho police here
to-day that she, as high priestess Of a
negro cult, tho "Churrh OF tho sarr,ace.'
had killed with her own hands Il Of the
% negroes myaterously murdered in
southwestern Louisiana and Texas towns
during the last il months. Two other
women ami two men, she said members
Of the cult had participated in these
'sacrihccs' which she Clementlne
Barnabct, had directed
She gave the police names she said
were those of the women but would not
identify the men and Tonight the ar
thorities 81 this Part Of the state ara
seeking corroborative evidence. The Jury
Is In session but is not expected to return
indictments until confirmation Of the re-
rnerkahie story is obtained.
Seven nero fanilia- were cxterm!na.ed.
tho axe being tho nst-umer, IN ever.
case and used as thet slep, The negroes
of the country side have been te-rorized
for months Othor families had been
marked for death the rir said. and
would nay the sacrifice"
Clementine IS strong and robust and
does not appear demeuted in spite -
the story she tells Systematic search
will he made for the women .ho
named.
Included in tho murders were tho-a
of two families If four each. negroes
here. family Of five at Rav1e a
family Of four at Crowley, and a Lake
Charles family.
HAD CONVICTED HER FATHER.
In the case of the Andrus family
murdered here IN February. inl1 the
woman appeared as CHIEF witness
against her father. Raymond Barnabet
who was convicted and sentenced n
be hanged though later he was grant
ed new trial. She now declares her
father was innocent
The police declare Clenentine toll
her story of wholesale slaughter with
no apparent appreciation that the TAX
ing Of human life was q crime. With
out reservation she told her part IN
'he 30 transformations. but declined to
reveal the names of the mer1be-s M.
the mysterious cult that helped her
The murders have been committed in
the last year. As one series of killing
was added to another In different towns
OF southwestern Louisiana and southeast
ern Texas, the authorities concluded one
mind directed them. To-day the negroes
confessed she was the directing head Of
the cult that IL known os the Church Of
the Sacrifice which has for It's featura
creed the belief that by life sacrifice aloha
! may person gain immortality.
| Before enga ging in any Of these crimes.
| Clementine armed herself with a hoo
! doo' which she got from a preacher and
which she and other members of hoy
band were assured would protect them
from the law
BELIEVE ALL DEciENERATES.
While the exact reason for the murder,
authorities, IL is believed that Clomentina
and her companions wero degenerates au!
that their weakened brains evidently vers
Effected by the exhortations they had
heard in the Church OF Che Sacrifice
The police to-day determined frcv,
Clementine story that the rclgioul
fanatics took possession of Gotta e:
owned by person marked for slaughter,
and that a bloody orgy followed
So far as can he determined. none q!
the cult suffered death in any of the
ceremonies Of sacrifice.
The mysterious series Of killings in
stlled terror In the breast Of every H. -rG
In southwestern Louisiana am Texas. IN
many communities blacks would not stir
from their homes AZ night ana doors o.
their cabins that never before had known
n lock were barred