Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1920-07-22
MEXICAN DEAD
SIX OTHERS
INJURED
Incendiary Sets Fire to La
borets' Boarding House in
Richardsontown Police
Are Looking for Negro
Suspect.

The Simpson boarding house, own
ed by L. T. Richardson and located
in Richardsontown, burned Monday
night, taking as its toll the life Of
one Mexican laborer and causing Sc
rious injury to six other Mexicans.
who are now in the hospital with
broken bones, serious burns and lac
erations. Two other Mexicans are
alleged to be missing, but whether
they were burned cannot now BE
said.
The fire, Of incendiarv origin. 4
supposed to be an aftercIap 6f the
gambling raid and shooting scrape
that TOOK place there on Sunday
week ago, when Simpson, the pro-
prletor, ordered the Seartain boys.
colored, to leave the house, and they
opened fire on him, shooting him
through the lungs.
On Monday night, Hessie Davis.
coiored cook, was in charge and re-
ports that strange colored man
came after midnight and engaged5a
room, paying for same and stating
at the time that he would be III and
out Of the room at his pleasure. Al
little later, after he had returned the
second time and left again, fire was
discovered and it was instantlv evi-
dent that gasoline had been freely
used.
About the time the fire alarm was
sounded q negro was seen running
~ the cresoting plant, headed south.
Officers are searching for a negro
meeting descriptions in hand.
One body, burned beyond identifi-
cation, was found in the smoldering
ruins Wednesday, The chafred heap
that was once a building Is being
raked in an attempt to find other
bodies. Il will be a difficult natter
to learn il any others died, because
the books Of the foreman. Emil
BOTHER, were burned with the builds
ing.
The fire was discovered bva Mex
lean on the second floor, who rushed
into the hall and screamed. The
Davis woman then ran out 81 her
room and saw great burst Of flame
coming from the room Of the negro
70 whom che had rented Il q short
tinle before she declares the oder
u Et44s8AaktE VIZ llHDsGE#
IN moment the entire hallway
was IN flames and escape Of those on
the second floor was cut off. The
Mexicans upstairs became panic-
stricken. Hysterieal, with the flames
rushing nearer, the house Silled with
smoke and the floors getting hot nm
their bare feet, they leaped from the
windows. In Jumping from the see
ond floor one Mexican sustained 3
broken arm and a broken leg. An
others hip was broken; still another
broke 8 leg, and the feet Of several
we're severely burned, Rother, the
foreman, Is thought 20 be injured IN
Within 90 minutes after the fire
vas discovered the building had prae-
.lcally burned to the ground. The
lire department responded immedi-
ltely, but the flames had gained too
much headway. The fire truck mired
Town and failed to reach the house,
but in spite Of the fact that the
building is outside the water limits.
! line Of hose was run for over 1000
leet. "A number Of volunteers tried
% help the firemen BY forming 8
)ucket brigade, but their work was
nefkectual The building was cons
,letely destroyed and q house next
o it was badly damaged. Efforts of
he firemen were directed mostly "a
,eeping the flames from spreading.
"A rigid Investigation IS being eon-
lucted and Representative BIZ the
tate fire marshalAs office in New
orleans Is expected here to continue
{. The negro suspect has disap-
'eared. The Davis woman, who SAYS
lie was a stranger to her, describes
lin as being yellow negro, tall and
veil dressed in q brown suit.
There were 26 Mexicans IA the
Iouse at the time Of the fire. All
heir belongings were lost.