WHOLESALE ARREST ON SERIOUS CHARGE
Crowley Signal October 17, 1903
News Article from Adadia Parish
Submitted by Winston Boudreaux, 2006

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WHOLESALE ARREST ON SERIOUS CHARGE
Crowley Signal October 17, 1903
Fifteen young Creoles residing in the vicinity of Eunice and Iota arrived here 
Wednesday in custody of Deputy Sheriff A.D. LeBlanc, who had been gone 
since Monday morning, locating and arresting them, Theodule Roy, a brother 
of Arthur Roy who was stabbed and killed at a ball in that section on Saturday, 
October 3, having sworn out an affidavit, charging them with being accessory 
to the killing.
Mr. LeBlanc, assisted by Chas Brown, a farmer of that section, arrived here 
Wednesday with his prisoners, all of whom were typical French-speaking 
country people, and they represented an unusual sight as they crowded abut 
the jail door, talking with Doreslies Fruge, the young man who admits to 
having killed Roy.  It is not believed that the charge against will hold good, but 
it will have to be answered nevertheless. Hon. P.S. Pugh has been retained for 
the defense of these cases as well as for that of Fruge, and left for Lafayette 
Wednesday to make application for bail before Judge Deballion on behalf of 
the men charged with being accessory before and after the fact being a capital 
offense, it was deemed probable that this should have some bearing in the 
influencing the Judge’s opinion as to the propriety of admitting the prisoners 
to bail.
The names of the prisoners are:
Michel Richard 
Alcee Richard 
Lawrence Ardoin 
Eras Ardoin 
Deuse Ardoin 
Arthur Ardoin 
Evan Ardoin 
Leveime Brown 
Mac Brown 
Theogene Ortego 
Louis Sonnier 
Gabriel Fournerat 
Romain Fournerat 
Noah Fournearat 
Gerard Miller
They were also accompanied by several relatives and friends, but seemed not 
to be the least concerned about their fate. Noah Fournerat is but a lad, being 
apparently aged no more than about fourteen years. When he was arrested Mr. 
LeBlanc asked him whether he was not afraid, and the youngster replied, “Ah 
no; you could not frighten me. Maybe if I was to see the rope about my neck I 
might tremble a little bit, but I would not be afraid.” At the jail Wednesday he 
was eating cakes and inspecting the premises as though he enjoyed the 
prospect of making them his domicile for some time.
Fruge’s stepfather, Jesse Young, was also among the crowd. He is anxious to 
have his stepson released on bond, but has not yet succeeded. He is a sturdy 
farmer, held in high esteem in his neighborhood.
RELEASED ON BAIL
Crowley Signal October 17, 1903
The fifteen young Creoles arrested Monday and Tuesday for complicity in the 
killing of Athur Roy at a ball near Eunice were released from custody 
Wednesday afternoon, furnishing bond in the sum of $1000 each to appear for 
trial.
As soon as the prisoners were brought to the parish jail Wednesday morning, 
they retained Hon. P.S. Pugh as their attorney. Having looked over the charge 
against them, Mr. Pugh left for Lafayette to make application for bond for his 
clients. Judge Debaillon fixed the amount of bail at $1000 each, an aggregate 
of $15,000, and bondsmen for this amount were readily found by the prisoners 
among their friends and relatives from their section of the country. They are 
all rice farmers, the majority of them owning their own tracts of land, and are 
good for several times that amount. As soon as they were told they were at 
liberty, the young men left town for their homes in the vicinity of Eunice and 
Iota.