Stanley Shelton

> "*Believe it or not, but there's more to this cesspool than it's overcompensating flair, and it's charming debonair.*"
> ― Stanley describing New Orleans[source]
>
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## Information

### Aliases

Stanley LaPedite (Birthname)Stanley Shelton (Valentine Mob)

The Devil of New Orleans (Louisiana)

Still Eyes (Pawnee)

### Relatives

Maximilien LaPedite (Father)Analise LaPedite (Mother)

Gaspard LaPedite (Grandfather)

Emogene LaPedite (Grandmother)

Donavan LaPedite (Brother)

## Personality

### Friends

Victor KrochovskyLouisa Beaudine

Julio de la Sol

### Enemies

Juaquin Juarrez

Stanley Robespierre LaPedite (6 November 1874 - 28 September 1901) better known as Stanley Shelton was an American outlaw who operated as the second-in-command of The Valentine Mob during the years 1895 - 1901.

## Biography

### Childhood

Stanley Robespierre LaPedite was born on the 6th of November in 1874 in The LaPedite Manor in Saint Denis, Louisiana. He was born the youngest of 3 children to Maximilien and Analise LaPedite, two incredibly wealthy socialites that restored their family fortune after financial turmoil resulting from the American Civil War. As a child, Stanley attended a private school in an effort to raise him to be a businessman, and hopefully help to grow the family fortune. After showing little interest in such matters, however, Stanley was quickly neglected, especially as his older brothers proved far more interested in the family's status quo. As a result, Stanley's uncle Clyde Shelton was charged with caring for the boy, and he was moved into Shady Belle Plantation. Clyde was a former cavalry officer in the Confederate army who was well respected in his local community, but had since turned to alcohol after the loss of his position and lands. Despite this, he taught Stanley how to ride horses, prepare food in the wilderness, and how to clean guns, skills that would come in handy during Stanley's later life.

### Adolescence

Clyde, though still young at the age of 33 when Stanley was born, had since been weakened by his alcoholism and neglected self-care. He was often sick as a result, and when Stanley was about 17 Clyde's mental and physical health took a turn for the worse. Clyde was cut off by the rest of the family due to the way he affected their public perception. Stanley would later say it was this act that finally killed Clyde, as he couldn't bear the final disgrace of estrangement. He would remain bedridden for nearly 2 years until he finally died in 1892. He had willed all of his money and possessions to Stanley, the only LaPedite who did not abandon him. Stanley was ravaged by grief. He had lost his father figure, and was unsure what to do without him. His parents demanded he go back to live in LaPedite Manor, but Stanley was thoroughly disinterested. After realizing he could not live his own life without the reputation of his last name lording over him, he began going by "Shelton".

LaPedite manor in 1895.

#### Start of Criminal Career

In the winter of 1894 Louisa Beaudine and a former slave by the name of Abraham LeMieux attempted to approach the family for assistance. Louisa had recently killed her husband and was fleeing police forces and Abraham, a friend of Louisa's who had formerly been owned by Stanley's grandfather Gaspard, thought to ask the LaPedites for help. He went so far as to cite a promise from Gaspard that he would help Abraham if ever he should need it, though this was unsuccessful. In response to this, Stanley's parents summoned the police to arrest the two. Stanley attempted to help the two and was caught by the police and forced to flee along side them. The group decided to flee west toward the small town of Rhodes while Abraham would ride East back home. Upon arriving to the town, Stanley would try to steal a few loaves of bread to feed the two, and was almost immediately caught. He punched the police officer that tried to stop him, causing a 10$ bounty to be put on his head for assaulting a Rhodes Police Officer. The two fled further west and set up a small camp in an abandoned shack on the outskirts of town, but were found less than 3 days into their hiding by Victor Krochovsky, Don Julio, and Juaquin Juarrez, who were similarly on the run from the law for their own unrelated reasons. The group, hesitant to trust each other at first, attempted to organize a plan to work together out of their predicaments, but this effort was fruitless. At Victor's suggestion the group would illegally hop onto a freight train headed north on the Lannahechee Line, where they eventually found themselves in Valentine, South Dakota.

## Stanley in New Orleans

Stanley alongside Don Julio and Juaquin Juarrez in front of the Equestrian Statue of Quincy Harris

### South Dakota

After arriving in the small town the group would begin to organise their first major crime. While renting out a room at the local hotel the group planned to steal some fine horses that were being stabled outside of town, and then to ride North to a farm owned by Victor's brother Igor. In early 1895, the group put their plan into motion, though the amateur nature of their gang meant that they only made away with 3 horses. After stealing them, the gang set up camp on the Krochovsky Estate and sold the horses to neighboring farms, using the money to buy poor quality horses that ensured everyone would receive a mount. For almost half a year the group stayed on the farm planning their next moves, and due to the frequent harassment by investigators the members of the group began developing false identities. In late 1895 the group relocated to Blackwater, Texas to meet with an associate of Don Julio that he had met in the past.

### Texas

Stanley moved with the group in 1895 to Blackwater, Texas, a small town on the Gulf of Mexico. This is where the group would be introduced to a long-time associate of Don Julio, a man named Dr. Klaus Gardner. Gardner was an out-of-practice Doctor who was known in the local community to treat wanted criminals in exchange for money, though he also had a side business forging documents for cattle rustlers.

Stanley suggested the group set up camp in Shady Belle, which had since fallen into disrepair, with overgrowth and decaying wood taking over the walls of the mansion. . The group arrived in January of 1897, but stayed for a month due to the harsh winter blocking the trails with snow. Many of the scenic photos that are part of Stanley's album were taken during this short venture. When the snow finally melted and the rails were operational again, the group decided to leave, and made their way back to Valentine and in early March the group was reunited in Louisiana. Upon arriving, it was revealed the gang had not been idle while Stanley was away, and there was a large heist that was planned as soon as everyone was together again. This resulted in the 1898 Rhodes Bank Robbery, where the gang made off with 5000$ and the robbery of a police rail car that netted them a further 1000$ within the span of a single week. The group would continue robberies on a smaller scale until late 1899. According to Stanley's journal around this time, he attempted to reunite with his family after learning about the death of his older brother in a local newspaper. Its unknown how successful this attempt was, but its known he attended the public funeral in march of 1900.

### Death

Early 1901 was a silent year for the gang, there were no major heists and the locals suspected they had moved on or gone into hiding, but police knew this was not the case. In September the gang decided to make its final and largest heist yet in an attempt to get enough money to change their identities and leave for Canada like they had originally planned. They attempted a robbery of the New Orleans National Bank with inside knowledge telling them there would only be two guards on the day they had chosen. This knowledge was incorrect, however, and there was in fact 8 standing and waiting for the gang to show up. An arrest was attempted, but it resulted in a shoot-out and the killing of the officers. Stanley was shot as the group attempted to escape, with his body being abandoned at the scene of the crime. After the battle was over, his body was buried outside of the city in a poorly marked grave, though in 1910 his body was reinterred by Don Julio. He was laid to rest outside of Shady Belle under the same peach tree that Clyde was buried at.

## Stanley Shelton

Shady Belle after The Valentine Mob had converted it to their hideout. Photo taken in 1899

## Relationships

Clyde Shelton

Julio de la Sol

Victor Krochovsky