Inquest Records Book #1, March 1877-December 1886

Page 97.  Inquest was held on 22 Dec 1884 on the body of an unknown colored man found drowned in the Mississippi River in front of Price's Place. The juror's verdict is that he came to his death by some unknown cause drowning in the Mississippi River and no guilt attaches to any person, there being no marks of violence on the body. Jurors were Alfre Simmons, George Jackson, Frank Williams, Paul Jones, Alfred Carter and Clement Colly, Coroner. J. B. Martin, Clerk and J. C. Triche, Dy. Clerk.


Page 98.  Inquest was held on 13 Dec 1884 on the body of Isham Buchanan lying dead at Boutte Station, before J. B. Friedman, 4th Ward Justice of the Peace. The juror's verdict was that Isham Buchanan, colored, was found dead by being run over by a train of the Morgan Railroad, going east. The train was in charge of Mr. Casln?, Engineer, who is not blamed. Jurors were Achille Garner, Geo. Alick, James Taylor, Edmond Roberts, J. B. Butler, and J. B. Friedman, acting coroner. Approved by Clement Colly, Coroner, J. C. Triche, Dy. Clerk


Page 99.  Inquest was held on 24 Sept 1885 on the body of Isaac Williams, lying dead in the Tenny or Hills Place. The juror's verdict is that he came to his death by the visitation of God and not otherwise, there being no marks of violence upon his person. Therefore, no guilt attaches to any other person. Jurors were George Washington, Stephen Johnson, Thom Oscar, Charles Adam, Wm. Johnson, Clement Colly, Coroner.

Inquest Records Book 1, March 1877- December 1886

Page 64.  Inquest was held 7 Nov 1882 at Star Plantation, on the body of A. Williams by Coy Clinton, Justice of the Peace, 1st Ward. The jurors verdict is that he came to his death by Diarha(sic), caused by inseperance(sic). Jurors were Gus Stewart, Randall Hunt, Ginn Williams, Alex Gillerm, Rev. H. C. Johnson and Coy Clinton.

Page 65. Inquest was held on the 11 March 1883 on the body of Joseph Clendon at Ashton Plantation, before the 2nd Ward Justice of the Peace. Jurors verdict is that he was killed by two gunshot wounds inflicted in the head and in the right eye, wounds being about an inch and a half apart, one penetrating through the skull and emerging the top of the head, either one of which could be fatal. Wounds were inflicted by a 44 calabre(sic) British Bull Dog pistol in the hands of Morgan Flowers, who is now in custody of the Sheriff. Jurors were M. R. B(ene)?, Charles Gassen, Louis Thomas, John H. Bacehux, F. J. Casey,(Cele)?, A. Stephens, 2nd J.P.

Page 66.  Inquest was held on 26 Dec 1882 on the body of Paul Ben who was found dead in his bed on the Mary Plantation in the first ward. The verdict of the jurors was he died of penonumomia(sic) of the lungs. Jurors were Timothy Aikens, Eugene Mitchell, Joseph Lagnson, Felix Brown, Jos. Stein, Joseph B. Friedman, Dy. Coroner.

Inquest Records--Book 1, March 1877--December 1886

P58.  Inquest was held on 14 Apr 1882 on the body of Washington King, lying dead in an isolated cabin about three miles from the river near Waggamen, 4th Ward. The jurors' verdict is that he came to his death from an accidental bad fall, having struck his left chest causing the rupture of a chronic abces(sic) and active hemorhages(sic) and death in a few hours and we find that the vomiting of blood was produced by the above cause and that the fall was accidental as no one approached him until the time he was in agony and so we exonerate anyone to blame. Jurors were Adolph Mojonnier, E. Waggamen, Edward Bull, Jos. Streger, Louis Edward and J. F. Martin, Coroner.

P59.  Inquest was held on 27 June 1882 on the body of an unknown man in front of the Davis Place. Apparantly(sic) a Chinaman fished out of the Mississippi River by Mathews Antoine. The jurors verdict is that the man came to his death by drowning. Jurors were Clairborne Stainly, J. M. Bailer, Jos. M. Ward, Jos. Newell, Jos. Thomas, and Joseph B. Friedman, Dy. Coroner.

P60.  Inquest was held on 27 June 1882 on the body of a colored man found in the Mississippi River in front of the Alice Plantation. The said body,  from all appearance, having been in the water about three months. No marks of violence or injury could be seen. The body was brought to shore by Ursin Zeringue. Jurors were J. M. Bailer, Clairborne Stanily, Marshall Bennett, Louis Thomas, D. K. Lewis and Jos. B. Friedman, Dy. Coroner.

Inquest Records Book 1, Mar 1877-Dec 1886

P 53.   Inquest was held on the body of Joseph Fils on 13 Apr 1881, lying dead at Lone Star Place, 2nd Ward. Jurors' verdisct was that he came to his death being killed by the falling of a large structure, new roof covered an old dilapidated, rotten, and cracked brick wall which the constructor, a certain Bell of New Orleans, failed and criminally neglected to make proper repair to the wall to protect the structure of falling on a first blow, which did no damage to others old and rotten shantie (sic) structure but a few yards distance and so we blame the said Bell, constructor, of criminal neglect and recommend the District Attorney to ascertain the extent of constructor or architect responsibility before the grand jury. Jurors were Valentine Antoine, Harry McNervey, Bernard Paul Fabares, Adolph Mojonnier, and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

P 54.  Inquest was held on the body of James Sims 23 August 1881. The verdict of the jurors is that he died from the effect of his wounds the 1st day of August 1881. The said wound has been made with a razor in the hands of John Diamond, now in custody, Saturday night about 7 o' clock, the 30th of July. The autopsy showed the wound was made by a sharp instrument having severed and cut all the abdominal muscles from the median line above the ombilic (sic) to the left side of the lumbar region cutting the abdominal muscles, the Periboncurn (sic) Pancreas, causing inflamation of intestines, peritonitis, hemorhagie (sic), and death, and so we charge the said John Diamond of the crime of murder. Jurors were Coy Clinton, Wyler Davis, Alexander Clinton, John Wound, Horace Barrett, and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

P 55.  Inquest was held on the body of Rodney Jones on 29 August 1881. The jurors' verdict on the 2nd day of inquest, 30 August 1881, conclude by saying Rodney Jones died 29 August at 2 o'clock a.m. from the effect of a gunshot wound, to wit, a pistol ball in the hand and fired by Gustave Blumish, now at large, the night of Saturday 27, about 8 o'clock p.m. The ball having penetrated the lumbar region between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra perforating twice the small intesstine, cut the cervical vein producing death in about 30 hours and we charge Gustave Blumish of the crime of murder. Jurors were Joseph B. Friedman, Joseph Marchand, William Freeway, John Willis, Henry Beerfees, and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

1883 Officials in St. Charles Parish

The following information comes from th St. Charles Herald, 21 July 1883

Parish officials were: District Judge, Michael Hahn, Hahnville; District Attorney, Gervais Leche, Edgard; Sheriff, Dr. J.F. Mojounier; Deputy, Joseph L. Martin; Clerk of Court, John B. Martin; Assessor, Theodule T. Baudouin; Treasurer, Arthur Robbins; Coroner, not filled.

School Board: Emile Rost, president; Leon Sarpy, T. T. Baudouin, H. L. Youngs, Owen McLeran, J. S. Brady; J. L. Boutte, members. School Superintendent, T. T. Baudouin.

Police Jury: J. L. Boutte, president; Arthur Brou, Leon Sarpy, E. Rost, J. S. Brady, and Lewis Ory, members.

Syndics: Ward 1, Arthur Brou; Ward 2, John Mongrue; Ward 3, Leon Sarpy; Ward 4, James Taylor; Ward 5, Emile Soniat.

Justice of the Peace: Ward 1, Coy Clinton; Ward 2, C.C. A. Stephens; Ward 3, George Scott; Ward 4, Joseph B. Friedman; Ward 5, Ruben B. Smith.

Comstable: Ward 1, Robert Pierre; Ward 2, Louis Thomas; Ward 3, Peter Brown; Ward 4 and 5, not filled.

1883 in St. Charles Parish, LA

St. Charles Herald, 30 June 1883
The courthouse road is getting worse every day. Cannot the police jury appropriate a few dollars and have the same repaired.

There are a few deep holes in the public road in front of Home Place, which are a serious inconvenience to travelers. It would take but a little labor to fill them and this would make the road in front of that plantation one of the best in the parish, and judging from the energy and public spirit of the owner and manager, we have no doubt this matter will be attended to cheerfully and without delay. The roads above and below Hahnville are in a very bad condition, also.

Mr. Charles A. Bourgeois of this parish, who was recently admitted to the bar, has accepted a clerkship in the appraiser's department of the New Orleans Custom House.

The great suit of J.B. Friedman vs Adler and Co., dismissed by Judge Hahn for want of jurisdiction and subsequently brought before Judge Monroe of the city, has been decided against the plaintiff who claimed $10,000 in damages resulting from an alleged illegal seizure of his store. He will appeal.

Henry Parker, Julius Hughes and Ceasar Thompson were arrested in Algiers and charged with petty larceny of a skiff belonging to Star Plantation. They were released on bond and have retained Charles A. Baquie, Esq. for their defense.

The river is falling.

Civil War in St. Charles Parish

There was a letter from a Civil War soldier on the blog Blind Pig and the Acorn today and this made me wonder how many of us stop to think of the small skirmishes that happened in Des Allemands, Boutte and Hahnville.


ST. CHARLES INQUEST RECORDS: BOOK #1 MARCH 1877-DEC 1886

PAGE 1: Inquest on the body of Charley Maze, held on 25 Feb 1877. The verdict was that he came to his death by accidentally drowning on the 25 Feb 1877, near Boutte Station, in a ditch on the Morgan Louisiana and Texas Railroad. Jurors were Joseph B. Friedman, J. B. Barter, Edmond Roberts, Steward Johnson, and J. E. Jho?anson. Coroner Clement Colly.

Page 2: Inquest on the body of Joseph Johnson, alias Joe Vick, held on 30 Mar 1877. Inquisition made at Boutte Station. The verdict was that he was killed this morning between 8 and 9 o'clock by means of a discharge of shot and slugs from a double-barrell shot gun in the hands of John Williams, of this parish, at the store of J. P. Friedman. He was shot in the back of the head from which he instantly died. Jurors were Michael Johnson, Edmond Roberts, James Taylor, Charles Pejurkam, Joseph ? Ellis, and Coroner Clement Colly.

Page 3: Inquest on the body of an unknown white man, held on 14 Apr 1877. The verdict was that he came to his death while lying upon the tracks of the Morgan Louisiana and Texas Railroad, on the morning of 6 Apr 1877, when he was run over by a freight train. Jurors were Joseph B. Friedman, Edmond Roberts, Edward Broward, James Taylor, Washington A. Johnson and Coroner Clement Colly.