St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-07-22

This parish was greatly shocked on be-
ing awaken Monday morning to learn
that Sheriff Marion u. Swords, one OF the
bestknown politicians in Louisiana, had
been murdered in the Mallet Woods
neighborhood, by Hilaire Carriere, fugi-
tive from justice. The news was flashed
over the wires at six o'clock, an hour and
a half after the tragedy, and by eight
o'clock posse of several hundred men,
armed with rifles, shot guns and pistols
made its way from seven parishes towards
the scene Of the killing, swearing ven
gence. Sheriffs from the contiguous
parishes together with several OF their
deputies rushed in automobiles to Mallet,
in an endeavor to assist in the capturing
of the desperate.
Sheriff Swords, with his deputy,
Charles Chachere, left Opelousas late
Sunday night, for the Pot Cove section OF
Mallet; before arriving at the house, in
which Carriere was located, Sheriff
Swords was joined by Paul Durousseau
and Bruno st. Andre, two negroes who
went along as guides. The party kept
close watch on the house during the en-
tire night and as morning arrived each
man was assigned post.
At break of day some one came on the
gallery Of the little cabin, in which Car
riere had spent the night, and deputy
Charles Chachere being the first one to
notice that there was an object on the gal
lery followed t1hands up!" Not being
sure that the person on the gallery was
Carriere Mr.. Chachere decided it was
best to halt the party, but instead of see
ing a pair Of hands going up, Mr. Cha
chere was very impolitely greeted with q
pair Of bullets from "A WINCHESTER,
which passed close to his head. Mr..
Chachere quickly answered fire, and
was followed by one of the negroes; when
the fugitive saw that he was being fired
from two different angles he began to
make his retreat, whereupon Sheriff
Swords rushed into corn field on the
side of the house to 3.head him off Mr..
Swords beckoned to the two negroes to
follow him into the corn patch, while Car
riere was quickly passing through two
barbed wire fences; the sheriff thought
that Carriere would surrender as soon as
he would be confronted with rifle.
While giving instructions to his men
Sheriff Swords and the two negroes were
nrenaring to enter the corn patch, with
4 view Of forcing the desperate into the
omen. several shots were interchanged
Carriere evidently located the sheriff by
his voice and came in a furrow directly
in front of Mr.. Swords; it was thought
that the Mallet fugitive was about thirty
five wards from the headland, on winch
Swords was standing, when he fired,
the bullet entering the body right above
the sheriff's heart and piercing the heart
in a downward course causing instant
death.
All this time Charley Chachere was adj
vancing on the corn patch, from the front
of the house, where he was when ne flrst
opened fire; the deputy sheriff was una
ware of the sheriff's death, but heard
when Bruno st. Andre yelled that he
had been nlortally wounded; a few sec
onds after that Paul Durousseau fell TO
the ground yelling that he had been shot
to death. also. Mr.. Chachere saw Car
riere in the corn patch and fired, cutting
4 corn stalk right above the dodglng
criminal: Carriere, while running in every
direction, was answering the fire, and at
one time, according to Mr.. Chachere,
when the deputy sheriff had a clear shot
at him and was about to crack down upon
the fugitive, Carriere fired, striking the
end Of the rife barrel, causing pieces OF
bullets to fly into Mr.. Chachere's face;
at the same time Carriere took advantage
Of the opportunity and made quick get
away.
Durousseau claims that he could have
easily shot down the criminal had ne had
a double barrel shot gun, only three rows
separated him and Carriere, when the
ex-eonvict spied the negro and fired. Du-
rousseau had an automatic gun and at
tempted to fire, but not being fam1llar
with that kind of fire-arm was unable to
shoot the desperate.
The two negroes who had gone out 10
search of Carriere with Sheriff Swords
and Mr.. Chachere were given all the med
ical aid in reach, and were hurried to the
st. Landry Sanitarium in this city. where
they are being carefully and efficiently
taken care Of It is thought that they
have a slight chance of recovery, al
though both of them were very seriously
wounded.
Opelousas was panic stricken as soon
as the news was made known by DR.. +.
M. Littell, coroner and acting sheriff,