St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-10-21
SHERIFF HENRY REID IS
CHARGED WITH
MURDER
CALCASIEIJ MEN ARRESTED FOL-
OWING TO THE KILLING
LEBLEU AT LAKE CHARLES

Lake Charles. La. Oct. f9.-Henry
A. Reid, sheriff of Calcasieu par
ish, and Calvin Harmon, deputy
sheriff, and Dallas Gross, local
business man, were arrested this
morning by Coroner w. Z. Fisher
in connection with the killing OF
Fred Lebleu on the night of June
% last. The arrests were made on
a warrant sworn out by Zepherin
Lebleu, father of the slain man,
which charges Sheriff Reid and
Calvin Harmon with the killing,
and Dallas Gross with being an
| accessory before the fact. The
warrant was sworn before City
Judge w. C. Braden this morning.
District Judge Winston Overton,
Coroner w. L. Fisher, the three
and U. A. Bell. who will defend
them. and a court deputy gathered
in the court room shortly after IL
o'clock. Coroner Fisher was COM
missioned by the Judge as active
sheriff. and then served the war
rant on the three men. Their at
torneys Immediately applied for a
preliminary hearing preparatory to
having them released on bail. The
hearing was fixed for 9 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
Three Placed In
Parish Jail
Sheriff Reid and the two men
We're then locked up in the parish
Jail by Coroner Fisher, who is now
in charge of the Sheriff's Office.
The Calcasieu Grand Jury was to
have convened next Monday in
special session to investigate the
Lebleu killing. What effect today's
action will have n lil.e SESSION is
unknown
Fred I.es,Ie,:. !. .iapl...y .t:r
and personal friend of Sheriff
Reid. and engaged in driving a
public car. was stabbed to death on
June %. at 10 o'clock in the even
ing. The killing occurred at the
cOrn0r of Common and Division
streets in the central part of the
city. an almost directly under
street light.
Although several people were in
the vicinity at the time no clue to
the murderer could be discovered.
Lebleu's dying statement was to
the effect that yellow negro did
it. John Doe proceedings were
instituted by the district attorney.
but were abandoned as fruitless af-
ter a number of the witnesses had
been heard.
Lebleu Member OF
Prominent Family
Lebleu is member of a prom
inent family. and it is said that
they have had private detectives at
work on the case since few days
after the murder. The warrant
sworn out this mornir- does not
disclose the basis of action against
the three men.
Sheriff Reid recently gained
statewide prominence by the cap
ture of Helaire Carriere, near Ell
ton a couple of months ago. He
was first elected in 1912. and was
reelected last January. He is
widely known throughout the state.
c. w. Harmon is one of the office
deputies. Dallas Gross is a we'll
known local business man, is ae-
tive in state politics.
Styles Charges
Outrage0usly False.
Sheriff Reid, when seen by a re-
porter. said that it was not neces-
sary for him to make any state
ment at this time. He added, how
ever:
Fred Lebleu was my intimate
personal and political friend. The
charge against me in connection
with his murder is outrageiusly
false. | have asked for an irnme-
diate preliminary hearing. and the
facts will at once be laid against
the public. No frame-up has. ever
succeeded against an innocent man
in Calcasieu parish. and tn; one
against me and my friends will be
torn to shreds when the truth
comes to light
Mr.. Gross and Mr.. Harmon said
that nothing need be added to this
statement and concurred in it.