"THE LATEST NEWS IN ALL LOUISIANA"
Dublin Core
Title
"THE LATEST NEWS IN ALL LOUISIANA"
Subject
Lafayette, La., Jan 20 - Important developments may be expected in a few days regarding the wholesale butcheries of negro families that have taken place in the last year in Lafayette and adjoining parishes as Sheriff Lacoste and his assistants are working upon the clew offered by Prof. Metz's examination of the bloody clothing found on Clementine Bernabet, a young negress, accused of murdering the Randell family of six members on Nov. 6.
This morning Deputy Peck and Chief Chargois rearrested Zeperin Bernabet, who, with is sister, Clementine, attempted to swear away the life of his father, Raymond Bernabet, last October, when the latter was on trial for killing the Andrus family of five members in Lafayette last February. Sheriff Lacoste is looking for another negro implicated and will have him behind bars tomorrow. He also caused to be arrested at Jennings to-day Rev. King Harris, a negro preacher representing a new sect. known as the "Sacrifice Church," recently organized in several small towns in the section.
The officers believe that there is some religious fanaticism behind all this crime, and that while the organization may not inculcate any openly criminal practices yet they think that the negroes are so intensely moved and impressed by the teaching of the testament sacrificial ideas and ceremonies that they are incited to commit atrocious crimes.
On the night of the killing of the Randell family a religious meeting of the sacrifice order was held near the scene of the crime, and while Sheriff Lacoste suspicioned there was some connection between the two, he could obtain nothing to justify any arrests. He has, however, ever since kept several persons connected with the order or church under surveillance, and is now quite sure he has good grounds to apprehend them for the crime or some connection with it.
At present there are four held for the crime - Clementine and Zepherin Bernabet, Edward Charles and Rev. King - with one more to be arrested shortly. Raymond Bernabet, father of Clementine and Zepherin, is in jail at Crowley, awaiting his new trial at the next ter, of court in April, for the assassination of the Andrus family near the Lafayette Refinery last February.
An officer from Jennings is expected to-night with King, the latest arrest.
This morning Deputy Peck and Chief Chargois rearrested Zeperin Bernabet, who, with is sister, Clementine, attempted to swear away the life of his father, Raymond Bernabet, last October, when the latter was on trial for killing the Andrus family of five members in Lafayette last February. Sheriff Lacoste is looking for another negro implicated and will have him behind bars tomorrow. He also caused to be arrested at Jennings to-day Rev. King Harris, a negro preacher representing a new sect. known as the "Sacrifice Church," recently organized in several small towns in the section.
The officers believe that there is some religious fanaticism behind all this crime, and that while the organization may not inculcate any openly criminal practices yet they think that the negroes are so intensely moved and impressed by the teaching of the testament sacrificial ideas and ceremonies that they are incited to commit atrocious crimes.
On the night of the killing of the Randell family a religious meeting of the sacrifice order was held near the scene of the crime, and while Sheriff Lacoste suspicioned there was some connection between the two, he could obtain nothing to justify any arrests. He has, however, ever since kept several persons connected with the order or church under surveillance, and is now quite sure he has good grounds to apprehend them for the crime or some connection with it.
At present there are four held for the crime - Clementine and Zepherin Bernabet, Edward Charles and Rev. King - with one more to be arrested shortly. Raymond Bernabet, father of Clementine and Zepherin, is in jail at Crowley, awaiting his new trial at the next ter, of court in April, for the assassination of the Andrus family near the Lafayette Refinery last February.
An officer from Jennings is expected to-night with King, the latest arrest.
Description
Negro Preacher, Heading New Sect, Held in Slaughter Cases - Wholesale Murders Believed Due to Religious Fanaticism - Teachings of "Sacrifice Church" Inflame Minds of Members - Meeting of Order Held Night of Randell Killing Near Scene of the Crime.
Creator
The New Orleans Times Picayune
Source
James D. Wilson Personal Collection
Publisher
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Date
1-21-1912
Contributor
[no text]
Rights
[no text]
Relation
[no text]
Format
microfilm
Language
english
Type
newspaper
Identifier
[no text]
Coverage
New Orleans, Louisiana
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
[no text]
Physical Dimensions
[no text]
Files
Citation
The New Orleans Times Picayune, “"THE LATEST NEWS IN ALL LOUISIANA",” Who Did It?: Clementine Barnabet and the Louisiana-Texas Ritual Ax Murders, accessed May 14, 2024, https://whodidit.omeka.net/items/show/27.