The herald., 1913-06-05
STATEMENT Of
RUDOLPH ENG[ER
An Angel in the Parish Jail at Gretna

An Angel in the Parish Jail at Gretna.
In last Sundays edition of the Item
there appeared a front page article un-
der the caption Prisoner Says He Is
Victim of Political Vengeance"
| want TO deny all the statements
that were printed in that sheet. First
of ALL in reference 10 politics. This
man Dwyer was asked by an admins
tration supporter how he stood pollt-
ically, and Dwyer made answer saying,
personally | have nothing against
them (Marreros), but politically am
just the opposite" ! was an anti-ad
ministration man myself, and | am no
longer a voter in the parish of Jeffer-
son, having moved to Algiers; l con-
tributed literally TO the Good Govern
ment League forces and | was one of
the Signers of the petition to impeach
the Marreros.
Now if there was any favoritism
shown, Dwyer should have gotten it.
But there was no favoritism; justice
and justice only prevailed, and justice
is just what Dwyer can't stand
AS for the alleged insult offered by
me to Mrs. Dwyer, my answer is that
there was no attempt to prove any in
suit whatsoever at the trial of the case.
Mrs. Dwyer states that l shook my
hand roughly in her face; this | en-
phatically deny. asked Mrs. Dwyer to
produce her receipt and show that she
had paid for the badge. She said, 81
have a receipt in my satchel." l then
told her that if she would show me a
receipt, | would make her a present of
so, to which she replied, You haven't
got $1,000 to your name"
About four weeks before | was stab
bed, Dwyer remarked to a fellow engi-
neer that he would kill me if did not
apologize to his wife; l paid no atten-
ton TO this. Again about a week later
/ he made a similar threat and | again
disregarded it, feeling that I had no
apology to offer, since had at no time
insulted his wife. Dwyer came up to
me at Waggaman and again threatened
my life. | placed my hand on his arm
and said, Jack, | can explain this
thing to you in two minutes" Dwyel
replied, Il don't want any explanation
when | get in will lay off and I'll fl,
YOU | then decided that the bes
thing for me to do was to have hin
placed under a peace bond. l swor'
out an affidavit against him for threats
and or Thursday, March 9Th, the tria
was called up before the justice of tn,
peace. Dwyer, not having any wit
nesses, asked the court to give hin
more time, so the case was put off t,
Saturday, March Sth.
On the day last mentioned, Dwye
boarded a car at about $40 a. m. to G,
to G-etna to face charges preferred
against him. left home at $3.50 a. m
accompanied by my wife, another lady
my daughter and Mr.. Goebel; we ais,
went TO Gretna. Mrs. Dwyer boarde,
the same car We were in. When w
arrived at Gretna, l noticed Dwye
standing at Boudreaux's corner abou
10 feet away but paid no attention t
him. l and those in my party pre-
ceeded Immediately towards the court
house, block away; We were walkin
: five abreast and at an ordinary gai
2 Mrs. Dwyer got out behind us an
: Dwyer walked towards her but did nc
e stop and quickening his step almost t
! a run, he pounced upon me from tn
q back and like a coward, without
4 word of warning, he slashed my fac
: from the nose around under the ca
s severing five arteries. Just as Dwye
o was in the act of cutting me, Mr. Go
# bel struck him with an umbrella an
r being angered at Goebel, he drew a 4
|. S. e w. Police Regulation revolve
n and pointing it at me, after | had faI
n en- through loss of blood, he exclaime
It Il told you would get you and I'll Fl
g ish you yet" My wife grabbed Dwye
e imploring him, Don't shoot, Dor
IS shoot" but he threw her to the grour
If with the exclamation "You!" and b
n fore he could finish he turned his q
s. at Goebel and said, "Ill get you yet
'p At this time the deputy sheriffs and {
IS ficers came up and disarmed this ma
lie who had come prepared to both sho
lie and cut. There was no fist fight befo
the cutting occurred.
e. Mrs. Dryer made the statement tn
E. she had no relatives within six hu
dred miles and that she had not t
heart to tell them of the trouble.
a matter Of fact her brother-in-law, \
Snead, was present at the Gret
court house the first time the ca
"a came up for trial.
o The Marreros, both the sheriff a
~ district attorney, have acted both ia
e' ly and squarely in the conduct of Il
" case. They are not what their Ell
- mics say they are, not what the tt
e would have the public believe. T
Marrcros did their duty and Dwyer {