HOLY WEEK.
At St. John's Church - A Successful Mission Concluded.
Father Knapp's eloquent sermon at the Catholic church last Sunday was a fitting close of one of the most successful missions ever held in Lafayette. For two weeks the learned Dominican preached an average of two sermons a day and upon every occasion the church was literally packed with people. The reverend father has certainly done good work for the holy cause during his stay in Lafayette, and those who had the good fortune to hear him again.
Palm Sunday was celebrated with usual brilliancy at the Catholic church. As is customary the blessing of palms took place. The singing by the choir, under the direction of Miss E. Mouton, was particularly effective.
Every day of the Holy Week men, women and children could be seen wending their way toward St. John's church, where could be noticed at all hours a goodly number of persons in silent contemplation.
On the evening of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the chanting of the Tenebrae took place. This ceremony is so called on account of the darkness which prevailed over the earth when Christ was on the cross.
On Thursday morning at 9 o'clock solemn high mass was said.
On the morning of Good Friday there was no real sacrifice of the mess and no consecration of host wine. At this service the clergy in bare feet kiss the feet of the uncovered crucifix. During the day until late in the evening a concourse of people could be noticed coming and going to kiss the feet of the Crucified Savior. A very instructive sermon on the passion by the erudite Jesuit, Father DeStockalber, concluded the exercises of Good Friday.
Saturday there will be services at 8 o'clock in the morning. The last portion of the day will be devoted by the priests to the hearing of confessions. To-morrow, Easter, the ceremonies will be performed with usual solemnity. High mass will be said at 9 o'clock. A collection for the seminary will be made, and after the religious ceremonies the sale of pews will take place. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
THE BONDS.
The Supreme Court Decides the Act of the Legislature is not Legal.
An Amendment to the Charter of the Town Necessary.
The Supreme Court has decided that the town of Lafayette to issue bonds is unconstitutional. This decision will naturally cause delay in the building of the waterworks and electric light plants. When the act was passed by the Legislature and Contractor Ferguson's attorneys questioned its validity some eminent lawyers expressed the opinion that it was unconstitutional while other attorneys of equal prominence did not think it would stand the judicial test. But the City Council wisely concluded to appeal to the courts for light. Now that it is settled that the Legislature had no constitutional power to confer upon the town the authority to issue bonds, it will be in order to adopt other means by which the desired end can be attained. There seems to be no doubt that the people can amend the charter of the town, authorizing the City Council to issue bonds. Should this be done it will not be necessary to apply to the Legislature or to any other body for permission or authority. The town of Franklin being confronted with the same condition of affairs that exists here, held an election at which an amendment to the charter was submitted to a popular vote. The decision of the Supreme Court having established the illegality of the bonds the best way out of the temporary embarrassment seems to be an amendment to the charter, by which the town will be clothed with the authority to issue bonds for the purpose of building the proposed plants. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
PAID HER FARE.
The Railroad Agent at New Iberia Went to the Assistance of a Little Orphan Girl.
While it may be said with good reason that railroad corporations have no souls it must not be inferred from that generally accepted truth that railroad men have no hope of a future existence. Employes of railway companies are very often wrongfully accused of being unkind and discourteous. While this charge is well-founded in some cases it is absolutely unjust and undeserved.
Last Monday when the westbound train stopped at New Iberia a small crowd of people was noticed standing near the gate-man who was handed the following paper by a little girl who was accompanied by an elderly looking lady:
To Conductors, Trainmen and Station Agents:
This is Lena Story, an orphan child from Abbeville, La. She is coming to this station (Arcadia, La.) via Alexandria and Shreveport, La. Please give her special care and attention on train and at transfer points, and oblige yours truly, etc. S. G. BOYD,
Arcadia, La.
As the poor little girl had no ticket and depended upon this paper to carry her through, she was denied admission by the gate-man who was only performing his duty as he understood it, and the unfortunate child was about to be left at New Iberia. Some good-hearted man offered to take charge of her and was walking away with her, but when Mr. A. C. Pickett, the railroad agent at New Iberia, was told of the inability of the friendless little stranger to continue her journey to where she expected to meet some relatives, he immediately bought a ticket for her. The face of the little girl brightened up and the two tears which had moistened her ruby cheeks soon gave place to a smile of contentment and happiness.
The child was helped aboard the car and when the train left the station she was in charge of the lady who had kindly consented to take care of her and see no harm befell her.
To the Gazette reporter the lady said that Lena Story was from Abbeville where her mother died a few days ago.
Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
A BASE BALL CLUB
Will be Organized and Interesting Games Will be Played this Season.
Quite a number of base ball amateurs and players assembled at the Oak Avenue Park Sunday evening. A very interesting practice game was played by two picked nines, the score standing 14 to 9, according to Scorer Ambroise Mouton's tallies and Umpire Lee Walker's decisions. Some of the old players showed up in good form and the younger ones gave promise to develop near to the professional mark. Another practice game will be played next Sunday at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when a club will be organized. No admission will be charged to see this game and an invitation is extended to everyone. The following young men have signed the roll and will do all they can to make the Lafayette Club a winner during the season: William McPherson, John Sirey, William Graser, Lewis McBride, Jim Alpha, Andrew McBride, Jake Weigle, Andrew Prudhomme, Jim Marsh, Derrick Palmer, Davis Church, Sterling Mudd, Jos. Boudier, Frank Perry, Alley Sprole, Alick Duhon, Ovey Herpin, August Vigneaux, John T. Broussard. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
New Buildings.
Several new buildings are going up in Lafayette. Mr. W. H. Daily of New Iberia has begun the erection of two pretty residences for Messrs. S. R. Parkerson and Chas. M. Parkerson and Contractor F. B. Anderson is supervising the building of a handsome dwelling for Mr. Antoine Deffez. Mr. E. M. Thompson, of Duson, will soon begin work on an office for Dr. Percy M. Girard. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
The Blanc Brothers.
Send us your address, accompanied by 25 cents and you will receive a copy of "La Vie, le Crime et les Confessions des Freres Blanc." This pamphlet was written by the young murderers who gave the manuscript to Mr. Thomas Mouton after having attached their signatures to it. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
Improvements at Biossat's.
Changes and improvements on every side, and T. M. Biossat is behind in none. He has recently seen fit to make a change in this repair department and has secured the services of Mr. D. Gordon Hall, late of Houston, Texas, who is a capable and skilled workman. So if any one in this town or surrounding country has any watches that fails to give satisfaction, T. M. Biossat is the place to call. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
Will Lecture.
Hon. Chas. A. Badeaux, president of the State Council of Catholic Knights of America, will deliver a lecture at Falk's hall, at 8 o'clock p. m., on Wednesday, April 25, 1897. No admission will be charged, and a cordial invitation is extended to all to be present, particularly the ladies. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
NOT SO BAD AFTER ALL.
The people of Lafayette, who had learned to admire Catherine Cole's talent, were surprised and pained in reading last Sunday's Times-Democrat to find an article written and signed by the gifted writer, who seems to take especial pleasure in speaking disparagingly of those, who, in the past, were glad to extend her that open-handed hospitality for which they are justly famous. Since the talented lady has visited the unpretentious villages of Louisiana, she has had the occasion to spend some time in the highly cultured society of American and European cities, and she may have become a trifle to aesthetic, but it appears to us that she could afford to be a little more lenient toward the people of her own State, even though they have not attained the dazzling eminence in the intellectual world enjoyed by their distinguished censor.
Not many years ago, Catherine Cole exerted her facile pen in eulogizing the people of South Louisiana; now she out-Cables Cable in an attempt to belittle them in the eyes of the world. Her dismal picture of the Louisiana town would do credit to the most malignant and malevolent South-haters of the North.
Nothing has ever been more exaggerated than the reports sent to the daily papers by their representatives at the execution of the Blanc brothers. The crowd, though a very large one, was exceedingly quiet and orderly. There was not a disturbance of the peace and not a single arrest was made by the police on that day. The fence was torn down only after the execution, and the "woman who took an active part and was one of the first to reach the awful altar" is not a native of this country, but is of imported stock, being one of that class who always serve their apprenticeship on the foul-smelling streets of New Orleans before venturing into the rural districts of the State. This, in a measure, accounts for their toughness.
Everything connected with the crime, the trial and conviction of the Blancs made this case a very sensational one, and the people of this section were naturally interested in their execution; but to say that they displayed any blood-thirsty disposition is to say that which is not true. It is doing a grave injustice to people who have shown themselves to be law-abiding, peaceable and humane citizens.
The Blanc brothers were the self-confessed perpetrators of as foul and fiendish a crime as ever darkened the criminal annals of any country. They were arrested, tried, and, after being defended by the best legal talent of the land, were convicted and sentenced to the hanged.
During their imprisonment they made a murderous assault on the sheriff, but despite this attack on his life the sheriff treated them with unremitting kindness. This fact was attested by the murderers themselves when the fatal noose was about to be adjusted around their necks. Even the family of the man they murdered sympathized with them in their unfortunate predicament and tried by several beneficent acts to lessen the horridness of the gibbet. A benevolent clergyman attended them in their last hours and accompanied them to the scaffold. Men condemned to die were never better and more humanely treated.
It was a quiet, well-managed execution, and there was nothing in the conduct of the vast throng which showed the existence of a blood-thirsty sentiment. If there was an inhuman feeling it existed only in the vivid minds of the newspaper reporters and Catherine Cole. After the execution the bodies of the brothers were taken to the Catholic church and given Christian burial. And it might please Catherine Cole to know that since the interment some good-hearted women have caused a requiem mass to be said for the souls of the unfortunate young men.
Before holding up a community to public view as an aggregation of semi-civilized brutes and "blood-thirsty leeches," the distinguished member of the Times-Democrat's staff should have first have inquired into the the truthfulness of the reports spread broad-cast over the country by men whose business it is to deal in sensational rot.
It is to be hoped that some day the laws will be administered in New Orleans as they are in Lafayette parish. Although "more or less remote from the contagion of the great city's civilization," the people of Lafayette have never found it necessary to kill innocent men in their cells by shooting them down as if they were mad dogs; and, too, after they had been vindicated by the courts.
It is true that there is not a free circulating library in Lafayette, but thank God our local government has not been in the hands of blacklegs and boodlers and our criminal courts are free from the contaminating influence of jury-fixers and corruptionists of the blackest type.
The fact that a few unthinking men scrambled for pieces of the rope is pictured in ghastly colors by Mrs. Fields, who would create the impression that the people of Lafayette behaved in a manner that would shed lustre upon the unenviable fame of New Orleans' petted and favored hoodlums. If this action of a few over-grown boys is to be taken as evidence that the people of Lafayette have a murderous taste, will Catherine Cole please use her great descriptive powers to tell of the cruelty of the people of the city of New Orleans, who tore down the doors of the old parish prison and butchered eleven defenseless Italians and hung one to a lamp post and swung another to a tree ? The morbidly inclined did not only "cut the hemp in small bits," but proceeded to cut the three in little pieces which they carried away as trophies of their ugly work. And this exhibit of what Catherine Cole would call a "taste for murder" did not take place in a "railroadless, theaterless, streetcerless, libraryless" country settlement. It was on a beautiful, sunlit day in the very heart of the great Southern metropolis which claims the brainy Catherine Cole as one its brightest lights and the Times-Democrat as its greatest journal.
Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
School Board Proceedings.
Lafayette, La., April 5, 1897. - The School Board met with the following members present: A. Delhomme, W. G. Bailey, T. B. Hopkins, Baxter Clegg, H. M. Durke, A. Olivier, V. E. Dupuis, J. O. Broussard. Absent: J. S. Whittington,
The appointing committee reported the appointment of Miss M. S. Bagnal, teacher of Isle des Cannes School, vice Miss Lucy Hart, resigned.
Moved and carried that the action of the appointing committee in the appointment of Miss Bagnal be sustained.
Moved and seconded that the above motion be reconsidered: Yeas: Clegg and Bailey.
Nays: Delhomme, Durke, Dupuis, Broussard and Olivier.
The appointing committee also reported the appointment of Prof. J. W. Rutherford to the new school established in the second ward.
The committee appointed to investigate the sheriff's collection of poll taxes asked for an extension of time as being Mr. I. A. Broussard has been kept very busy through the prolonged term of the court and has not been able to prepare an itemized statement of his account with the School Board.
The committee on investigation of bond forfeitures reported as follows: A. Olivier, one forfeiture of money turned over by Justice Malagary to the treasurer; Broussard, Dupuis, Bailey and Clegg. none in their respective wards; Messrs. Delhomme and Durke to report at the next meeting. All public schools in this parish are to close on the 28th of May so as to allow the teachers and pupils an opportunity to attend the Summer Normal, which will open on the last Monday in May.
A resolution was passed requesting all the teachers in the parish are to close on the 28th of May so as to allow the teachers and pupils an opportunity to attend the Summer Normal, which will open on the last Monday in May.
A resolution was passed requesting all the teachers in the parish to attend the Summer Normal.
The following committee was appointed by the Board to help the superintendent in selecting sub-committees for the arrangements for the holding of the Summer Normal: Wm. Clegg, C. F. Triay, E. G. Voorhies, Dr. N. P. Moss and Chas. O. Mouton. The committee is requested to meet at an early date.
Moved and seconded that the petition of Mr. Broussard for an assistant in the Pilette School be laid on the table. Mr. Broussard offered as a substitute that an assistant be appointed at once. Yeas: Olivier and Broussard Nays: Durke, Clegg, Bailey, Delhomme, Dupuis. The original motion was then carried.
Mr. Clegg moved that Mr. R. C. Greig return to the superintendent the heater ordered by the Board at its last meeting to be taken to some other school. Motion carried.
On motion of Mr. Olivier, seconded by Mr. Clegg, the superintendent was authorized to make such changes in the Lafayette Public School as he may think beneficial to the school.
Mr. Olivier was appointed a committee of one to confer with Mr. Billeaud concerning the Police Jury appropriation of $50 for the Broussardville school and to make such repairs as he may deem proper.
Moved and seconded that Mr. Bailey be authorized to make necessary repairs on Indian Bayou and Ridge School.
Moved and carried that Mr. Greig be authorized to have necessary incidental repairs and cleaning done on Lafayette School House. At is next regular meeting the School Board will consider applications for positions as teachers for session 1887-1898.
Following the treasurer's report:
To the President and Members of School Board Parish Lafayette, La: Gentlemen - Following is the statement of receipts and disbursements of Parish School funds since my last report:
----------------------p. 3------------------
Respectfully submitted,
J. E. MARTIN, Treasurer.
Lafayette, La., April 5, 1897.
The following accounts were
approved:
-----------------------p. 3------------------
Board then adjourned to its next regular meeting.
C. F. LATIOLAIS, Secretary.
Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
Selected News Notes (Gazette) 4/17/1897.
G. Gordon Hall of Houston, Texas, has accepted a position in the jewelry establishment of Mr. T. M. Biossat. The Gazette welcomes Mr. Hall to Lafayette.
A. L. Ogden who had been employed here as operator at the Southern Pacific depot and who left some time ago, was in Lafayette this week on a visit to his friends.
The marriage of Mr. F. Hanegan of Hope, Ark., and Miss Mary T. McFaddin, daughter of our townsman, Judge T. A. McFaddin, will take place at the Presbyterian church in Lafayette, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, on Wednesday, April 21.
Judge McFaddin's office is now neatly painted and every inducement is offered to the prospective law-seeker by the genial judge and the courteous attaches of his court.
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Mouton has been recuperating at his home near Carencro. During his absence Deputy Marius Roger was in charge.
The board of assessors of railway, telegraph and telephone lines for this district will meet in Lafayette on Thursday, May 6.
The Hook and Ladder Fire Company of Franklin will give an excursion to Opelousas on Sunday, April 25. The round trip fare from Lafayette is 50 cents. Lafayette Gazette 4/17/1897.
From the Lafayette Advertiser of April 17th, 1869:
Lafayette Parish Needs A Country Fair.
We must call attention to the fact that at 11 a. m. to-day there will be a public meeting at the Court House in Vermilionville, for the purpose of organizing a country fair in our section of country. The importance of county fairs can be estimated but by the beneficial results there from in all other portions of the world and of the East, West, North of our own country. War has deprived us of our wealth and fortunes but our lands and energies and minds are left to us, and them we must use to the utmost advantage. The mission of communities as well as of men, is not stationary in the great work of life, but on the contrary, to go a head. Finite beings we must march towards the infinite, imperfect, we must toil towards perfection as much as in our power lies. There is our noble mission and duty. Let us then get together and compare notes ; and by a general interchange of ideas arouse a noble spirit of emulation in the way of progress and improvement which will soon defy all oppression.
Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1869.
Parish Politics in 1869:
All whither are we tending, whither are traveling these were the first expressions that escaped our lips, when we read the pamphlet containing the Testimony and papers in the case of C. H. Darral vs. Adolphe Bailey, 3rd Congressional District, Louisiana. These questions were spontaneous under the impression of the lecture of such a document, and after some reflection we came to the conclusion; what safety is there for life or lib, property, home, honor, when, all these, the sacred rights of a member of a community are left to the tender mercies of low intrigue and perjural scoundrel-ism ; and that without any redress, says the strong arm and undeniable right of self defence. Without referring to what transpired in our sister Parishes and which is spoken of in the document alluded to, we will for the time being, notice what testimony has been elicited from certain parties under oath, some residing in our Parish and some strangers to our community, but who were in our midst in the various occupations of Registrars, Freedmen Bureau officers, etc., and who should still be grateful to our community for kind treatment and protection. We will notice the "trooly loil" affiants serial-ism ; first is Mr. Michael Casey once a candidate for a seat in the State Legislature, Mr. Casey knows well that when he came to this Parish to procure testimony in the matter of Mr. Judice's seat, there was no intimidation used to prevent a fair hearing. He was not driven away from the Parish and no well behaved citizen white or black was ever known to have been molested or interfered with here. The reign of terror he speaks of, if any there ever existed and (we deny the fact) was brought about by his own infernal and diabolical machinations and hellish workings upon the minds of an ignorant and not badly disposed people ; had it not been for him, the low grovelling well digger and some other Radical leaders our Parish would never have witnessed the scenes that occurred within its limits. Six prominent republicans were killed ? will the gentlemen from Erin, inform us who they were, those six lights of republicanism ? really Mr. Casey, you had better return to our working colored population the money you got from them, and finally in a spirit of Christian forgiveness would give you a piece of advice never to return to the Parish or your colored brethren will be sure to be after you for that money and there is no telling but that you would be the seventh prominent republican good up.
Then comes Mr. Pierre Toussin, colored, we'll let him pass by.
Then we have the affidavit of Alexander Raymond Francois Jr., who under oath does swear that republicans could not hold meetings in the last Presidential Canvass, we ourselves have attended a meeting of their party in this very Parish, where the exquisite Mr. ---------- and the portly Hon. O. J. Dunn, addressed the crowd without any disturbance. He was not driven off, no threats were made to Mr. Raymond, and nothing but a harrowed conscience could have led him away from the place where his own petty ambitions and wickedness of heart had fomented strife and broils and worked destruction to his own color.
Next is Mr. Roman Andrez, you stand aside, in the dark with Mr. Toussin. We had intended to notice these different affidavits seriatim but we will for a while pass over that of Mr. Edward C. Wilkins and refer to that of the hon. Fortune Richard, the polite, the exquisite revolution naive from Hayti. This colored gent has the audacity of speaking of secret organization when he himself was the President of a secret organization known as the Loyal League Grand army of the Republic or whatever other name we know not; the distinguished individual must not speak of buckshot as he does on his affidavit, he is now in our midst and is certainly not interfered with, we wish him to know that he owes his existence, but to the generosity of our people.
We have got through with the colored gents. Now comes the affidavit of the noble member of the Caucasian race Edward C. Wilkins, this document certainly contains the most flagrant and unheard of falsehoods. You, sir, speak of a reign of terror. There were frequent patrols we will admit, dictated by the law of self-preservation; and were you not the constant attendant of those patrols ? were you not the nightly and active companion, nay, instigator of what your affidavit comprises, would call secret armed organizations ? No Republican Tickets could be distributed or voted ? Who destroyed or concealed the thousands that were sent to your address ? We will certainly give you credit for telling the truth once in the course of your affidavit and that is when at its close you say that you would not feel safe to go to that Parish and give this evidence openly, and last though, but not least, Mr. Wilkins, when about leaving this place and when you were almost naked, who clothed you ? Who made you a present of a new suit of clothes on the eve of your departure ? that people whom you are slandering and abusing, and misrepresenting. Who advanced you money to pay your passage to the city ? that same people of violence and murder. We dismiss you Mr. Wilkins, you can retire. We shall pass now to the testimony of Mr. Oscar A. Rice, now in New Orleans, the little Freedmen Bureau office man. If memory serves us right you were a regularly initiated K. W. C. during your stay in our Parish ; if there is a spark of manly feeling left in your competition, let it mantle and fire your cheek with the blush of eternal shame. We are really sorry that we have been compelled to notice this pamphlet, embodying an issue of lies unequalled in brass and audacity by any thing we have ever read ; but we could not refrain from expressing some of our feelings.
There were secret organizations in the Parish, they existed in both parties, the Democrats and Republicans. The object of the the republican secret society we do not judge of but by the insolent and overbearing conduct of the negro population and their repeated threats, which were of the most incendiary nature towards the democrats and white population; the secret democratic organization was organized for the purpose of protection to all and especially towards the blind and deluded negro. They were addressed from the stump by known and able orators, in the language of friendly admonition, but under the guidance of their leaders, there minds fired by the most glowing promises of distribution of lands, mules; social equality, some inevitably became the victims of their own presumption and impudence. We hear the question propounded ; was not the law there to protect your people from danger ? We will answer. No. There are certain periods in the affairs of communities as well as of men, where the written law cannot reach and give redress to the grievances of a people; there are cases of political peril not provided for by the statutes of the law given and where the citizen must fall back upon his reserved and unalienable rights of self protection. Those reserved right of all communities we did exercise and we must say with the greatest moderation. Parish contesting wish evidence to substantiate fraud and violence in the matter of the late election, which was conducted in the most orderly manner, and without intimidation towards any one ? We shall favor the gentleman from Brashear with a few affidavits in a few days, from a leading colored republican, more Honorable than Mr. Wilkins or Mr. Rice or the aspiring gent from Hayti ; leading colored Republicans who voluntarily joined the Democratic Party, and now bless the moment they did so, for now have they plenty and protection and the Democrat and white man has become his friend and protector. We cannot and will not put up with such vile and unwarranted calumny as is intended to be heaped upon us in the affidavits referred to. We have no time or space to do justice to the subject this week but "ce qui est defferie n'est pas perdu." Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1869.
IMMIGRATION. - We are glad to see that our ideas of immigration, long ago expressed and advocated in print by us are being considered in the Metropolis and that for the grand purposes of settling our vacant lands, a State Board of commissioners of Immigration where in, we are glad to notice the name of his Excellency Gov. H. C. Warmouth, has been established. We wish the board success, for immigration will again make our beloved land rich and independent. Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1869.
Dr. Plough's Burglarized. - On last Thursday evening, in our town Dr. A. L. Plough's room was entered by thieves; he was robbed of the sum of forty dollars in currency, a valuable diamond ring, and other small articles. The Dr. had left his lamp burning, but the audacity and shrewdness of the robbers, seem to have been equal to all emergencies. As we have before remarked, crime is too rife in our midst, and if the law cannot vindicate itself or protect our citizens, the community will take the matter in hand.
Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1869..
Joined Forces. - Mr. R. L. McBride, has just returned from the city with a new and complete assortment of material in the way of blacksmithing, wheelwrighting, etc., and is now ready in unison with his partner Mr. WILKERSON, to do all works and jobs appertaining to their different trades and callings, which have already been noticed in a previous number of our paper. It were useless to recommend them any more to the patronage of our people. They are known and appreciated by our community. Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1869.
From the Lafayette Advertiser of April 17th, 1914:
BEN GREET WOODLAND PLAYERS TO APPEAR IN LAFAYETTE.
What Prominent Home People Who Have Seen Them Say of These Shakespearean Players.
Here is what some home people say about the Ben Greet Woodland Players who will appear at Beau Sejour park Saturday, May 2, in the afternoon in "As You Like It" and in the evening in "Mid-summer Nights Dream." Eight pretty girls from the Industrial Institute will act as fairies at night.
Here is what they have to say:
H. M. Henshaw, Youngsville: "I saw Ben Greet and his Players at the University of Virginia. They are indeed great. I shall certainly be at Beausejour so see them again."
L. L. Judice, Scott: "Ben Greet will certainly be welcome. I think you are doing a 'great stunt' this time. I am sending you the names of 15 people in Scott who I think would like to go."
Miss Louise Taylor, New Iberia: I saw Ben Greet's Woodland Players at Columbia University, New York, and I never enjoyed any other play so much. I think you may count on a big attendance from New Iberia."
Dr. Roy Young: "Here's a list that ought to go from here. I shall be glad to help boost such a good thing."
Prof. Nash, of the High School: "I saw Ben Greet once, and I'd walk twenty miles if necessary to see him again."
James Caffery: "I saw them in Lexington, Va., with the Blue Ridge for a background, and, believe me, they're grand. You couldn't tie me away from Beausejour they come."
J. G. Haupt, Crowley: "I congratulate you on getting Ben Greet for Lafayette. A large number will go over from Crowley."
Harvey White, Alexandria: "Enclosed find my check for $5 for best seats for myself and wife for both performances. If you get that special excursion train returning on the Alexandria Branch, I'll get Mr. Parsons to let me run down and work it up for you in Opelousas and Washington." (Note: We got that train all right. Get to work, Harvey.)
Mrs. Walter Torian: "Here's $5 for two best seats for Mr. Torian and myself for both performances." (After all, this is the most eloquent line of talk we get!)
Mr. Davis, at Moss Pharmacy: "Look here, don't let that crowd of people jam up the store and smash any show cases. Have 'em come in one or two at a time. The best seats are nearly all gone."
Mr. Goodstadt, the New York Works: "We are shipping your advertising matter by express. I am sure Mr. Greet will consent to speak to your FORUM on Sunday afternoon following the plays."
Miss Caillouet, the Institute Stenographer: "I have addressed envelopes to every name checked off in the telephone directories of our fifteen neighboring towns in Southwest Louisiana."
Mr. Woodson: "I have arranged to get the electric lights, the chairs, and the cut branches down to Beausejour."
Frank Bacque, at Carencro: "Our Little Shakespeare Club is going to turn out en masse and go down to see Ben Greet."
Mr. Chevis, of the Southwest Louisiana Development Bureau: "I'll certainly have to boost this Ben Greet show in "Southwestern Notes" as a means of making country life more attractive. I refuse to accept any complimentary tickets, but hand you herewith $12.50 for five best seats in both performances for myself and family." (Note: He being an old newspaper man, we dropped dead upon receiving the above; but have revived.)
Push Miller: "I like your idea of having people bring their own basket dinners and having a picnic affair between the two plays. I notice there's going to be a good Moon on the job."
Bunch Jefferson: "I see you are, as usual, filling the blue vault of Heaven with hot air. When you have a real genuine attraction like Ben Greet, which is amply able to take care of itself, I should think you'd keep quiet!" "Well, we hadn't thought of that, it's a good idea. We'll stop a while, any way.)
Lafayette Advertiser 4/17/1914.
LAGNIAPPE:
Five Jacks Beat Four Aces.
During the session of the United States District Grand Jury, a witness was called before them, named Scipio Choteau, a half-breed Creek Indian and negro, bright sharp and intelligent. He was the last witness to be called before adjournment that day. After his examination, someone of the Grand Jury who knew him, asked if he was the man who had four aces beaten.
He answered: "Yes, sah, I's de man."
"Will you have any objection to telling it?"
"I's-afeared it will get me into trouble, but if the Judge is willing," appealing to the foreman, "I will tell it."
The Judge consented, when Scipio said:
"You see I lives on the cattle trail from Texas through the Creek country to Kansas, and I was out on the road one day, and I meets a gentleman ahead of a big drove of cattle.
"He says, 'Old man, do you live in dis country ?'
"Says I 'Yes, sah.'
"He says, 'It's a mighty poor country. How do you make a livin'?'
"I says, 'Sah, 'tis putty good country ; we has plenty of meat and bread, and I makes a good livin' a---------.'
"He says, 'Old man, do you ever play keerds ?'
"I says, 'Yes, sah ; I does, sometimes."
"He says, 'Would you have any objection to play a little draw ?'
"I says, 'No, sah.'
"So we gets off our horses along side de road, and sat down, and I pulls out de keerds. Well, in a short time I beat de gentleman out of sixty-two dollars and a half, and I t'ought I had him ; so I puts up a hand on him - for I is, do I say it myself, a mighty smart hand at keerds - and I know'd he would hab tree jacks and I would hab tree aces, and in de draw I would get the other ace. So he raises a bit and I raises back, till at last I put up all de money I had from de gemman and all de change I had, and I knowed I had him. Well, in the draw de gent got de odder jack and I got de oder ace. De gent wanted to bet, but I claimed a sight for de money, and told him I had an inwincible hand dat couldn't be beat.
"He says, 'Old man, dem is right good is right good bitches you got is on ; how much did day cost ?'
"I says, 'Yes, sah ; day cost me ten dollars.'
"He says, 'I puts up ten dollars agin' em.'
"I says, 'Bery well, sah, ; but I tells you I got an inwincible hand.'
"He puts up de money, and I holds up my legs and he pull off de britches and lays dem down.
" 'Now, sah,' I says, 'I told you I had a inwincible hand what can't be beat ; I's got fo' aces.'
"De gent says, 'Old man, did you ever hear of five jacks beatin' fo' aces ?'
"I says, 'I'se heard it, sah, but I never seed it ; and if you conwince me ob it, de money's yourn.'
" 'Berry well,' he says, laying down one keerd, 'ain't dat de jack ob clubs ?'
"He lays down anoder keerd ; 'Ain't dat de jack of spades ?'
" 'Yes, sah,' I says, 'dat is de jack ob spades.'
He lays down anoder ; 'ain't dat de jack ob diamonds !'
" ' Yes, sah, dat is de jack ob diamonds.'
"He puts down anoder, and says, 'Ain't dat de jack ob hearts ?'
"I says, 'yes sah, dat am de jack ob hearts.'
"Den he runs his hand in his bosom, and pulls out a great long pistol and points it at me, and says : 'Ain't dat jack haul !'
"I say : 'Yesm sah '
"And he says : 'Ain't dat five jacks ? and don't dat win de money !'
"And I says : 'Yes, sah, dat is Jack Haul, and dat is five jacks, and five jacks beats a inwincible hand.' "
"So he puts de money in his pocket and ties my britches on hind of his saddle and tells me to scatter, and I did.
"You see, it sarved me right, for 'I t'ought de man was a green Missourian when I put up the hand on him, but he was an Arkansaw chap, and I finds dem mighty sharp, judge."
The above is vouched for by the foreman and several members of the Grand Jury as fact - every word of it.
Original source unknown. In the Lafayette Advertiser of April 18th, 1874.
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