The Ouachita Telegraph - Jules Guidry Executed
Submitted by: Lora Peppers <lpeppers@ouachita.lib.la.us>
Date: Aug. 2000

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The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, August 3, 1877
Page 1, Column 6

GUIDRY’S EXECUTION.
       LAKE CHARLES, July 25. – Jules Guidry slept soundly and peaceably, 
last night.  At 10 a.m. to-day he was cheerful and composed, and consented to
hold an interview with two visitors, who desired to speak with him.  This
interview lasted for over a half hour during which Guidry talked calmly of
the murder of Beale, for which crime he dies.  He declared himself ready to
die, said that he expected nothing by telegraph from the Governor but the
worst, and that his only wish was that he could die a military death – be
shot, instead of hung.  If that were granted him, he would show the people
how a man could die.  He said that he stole the letters from Beale to his
wife, which were placed in evidence on the trial, from a postoffice on his
route while carrying the mail; that he knew Beale’s handwriting, and
recognized the envelope addressed to his wife as it was lying on the floor
of the post-office during the distribution of the mail.  He picked them up
and opened and read them.  He was maddened by the contents of the letters,
and by the reflection that Beale and his wife were using him to carry their
love letters.  Beale had taken advantage of him in his absence from home,
had given him no chance, was a coward, and he knew he would not fight him,
and, consequently, he gave Beale no chance for his life, and was not sorry
for the manner in which he had treated him.
        His wonderful composure eliciting a remark, he said:  “I am a man.  They
never make any better men than I am.”
        He said that he had no animosity against any one on earth, and that he did
not regret what he had done, and would do the same thing over again, if it
was to be done.
        Some time after this interview, at about 1:30 p.m., Sheriff Reid visited
the prisoner, and told him that he must come at once to the gallows.  He
expressed his willingness to have the job done at once, and went with the
Sheriff to the scaffold, which ws erected just back of the jail, boasting
continually of his courage and firmness.  When he had reached the scaffold,
the arrangements for his execution did not seem to suit him, and he insisted
on the Sheriff making certain changes.  This, the latter did.  He even tried
the nose and rope, to see that it was all right, declaring that he did not
want to have the thing badly done.
        When the sheriff pinioned his arms he discoursed to the crowd, declaring
that he did not regret the crime he had committed, and would do it again if
necessary.
        After the black cap had been adjusted and the rope was around his neck, he
turned to the sheriff and remarked in a pleasant, if not jocose manner, “The
cap is too thin, I can see through it, and see that you are about to cut the
rope.”
        The next moment, at 1:55 p.m., the rope was severed by the sheriff with one
blow of a hatchet, and Jules Guidry’s mortal career was ended.  He died
without the least struggle, his neck being broken by the fall, and his death
instantaneous.
        He was perfectly calm, fearless and composed to the end, and betrayed
neither regret for his crime nor fear of the awful fate he met.

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