St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-04-24
JURORS DISAGREE IN
CONSPIRITORS' CASE
Eight for Conviction and Four for.
Acquittal of Lafleur and Manuel
DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO
BRING UP CASE AGAIN
Trial of Achille Manuel and Lewis
Lafleur, Charged of Conspiring
Murder of Ardoin, Interesting

| One of the most unique cases, a
well as one of the most interesting
ever tried in the criminal distric
court of st. Landry, which con.
sumed the attention of the court fol
three long days, was that of Achillt
Manuel and Lewis Lafeur, two
Evangeline parish young men
charged with conspiring with Ar
mand Green to murder Alexandra
Ardoin, their father-in-law. A large
number of the residents of Chataig-
nier section Of Evangeline parish, as
well as scores of interested parties
from this parish, attended the trial
during Monday, Tuesday, Wednes-
day and part of Thursday morn
ing.
The state, represented by District
Attorney Garland and Hon. Edward
b. Dubuisson, attempted to prove
that Achille Manuel and Lewis La
fleur, on the night of Tuesday,
March 10th, planned and concocted
a scheme, by which Alexandra Ar
doin. prominent and wealthy cit
lzen of Chataignier, was to be mur-
dered .on the following night by a
negro Armand Green, who resides on
syniac Laheur's plantation, in this
parish. The principal state witness
was Ortere pitre, at whose home,
on the William Reed plantation,
about five miles from this city, the
conspiracy is supposed to have been
formulated and agreed upon.
Otere Pitre testified that the two
accused had arrived at his home at
about ten o'clock that Tuesday night
and after aWaking him (Otere) and
his wife they came into his home.
The two had been drinking and
still had some liquor, which they
offered Otere, After the liquor was
consumed Armand Green, who re-
sides on an adjoining plantation
was summoned to go to C. N. Ber-
trand's for some more, which he did
not get. Pitre claimed that the two
son-in-laws of Mr.. Ardoin first ask
ed him to perform the deed, Offer
ing him one hundred dollars cash
and five hundred dollars after the
murder of Alexandra Ardoin had
been accomplished. He elaine that
ne refused, whereupon they made
the same proposition to the negro,
who accepted to go to the home of
Mr. Ardoin and murder him on the
mcknight, after which the two ac-
cused departed for their home in
lhataignier.
PItre stated that on the fateful
Wednesday night, Green came to his
home and stated that he was pre-
pairing to go to the Ardoin home for
the execution of his promise. He
testified that he prevailed upon the
negro not OF commit the crime.
threatening to declare the plot.
On the following morning Pitre in
formed Ambrose Yidrine of the
alleged conspiracy, Immediately af-
ter which Mr.. Vidrine rushed to
Opelousas and laid the whole thing
before William ARDEN, brother
of Alexandra Ardoin. The negro
was Immediately imprisoned and
when the case came up before the
court testified to nearly the same
facts that Pitre told the jury.
The state sought to prove that the
accused wanted to do away with
Mr.. Ardoin in order to receive the
money their wives are to inherit
from the succession, while the de-
tense attempted to show that the
accused are being prosecuted, by
Otere Pitre and Armand Green, the
negro, in an attempt, either to get
hush-money from Manuel and La
fleur, or to receive reward from
the Ardoin family.
The case was submitted to the
jury at about 10 o'clock Wednes-
day night. The first ballot result
ed in seyenfor conviction and five
for acquittal, but before the jury
was told to retire to the hotel for
the night, one of the jurors who be-
lieyed that the accused were inno-
cent, was converted by those who
stood for conviction. On Thursday
the ballot stood the same,
as upon retiring the night before.
The eight jurors who stood for con-
vietion were as firm as those who
thought that Manuel and Lafleur
should be acquitted and the Judge
consequently pronounced the at
tempt of the jury to arrive at de-
cision a mistrial.
District Attorney Garland stated
that the case will be tried next Fri.
day.