St Landry County Louisiana Archives News.....Murder of Mr. Andre Prud'homme June 24, 1871
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Mary K. Creamer marykcreamer@yahoo.com December 16, 2013, 11:54 pm

The Opelousas Courier Vol. XVIII, NO. 41 June 24, 1871
The Opelousas Courier

VOL. XVIII Opelousas, Parish Of St. Landry, LA., June 24, 1874  NO. 41



MURDER OF MR. ANDRE PRUD'HOMME. An atrocious murder was committed last week in 
Prairie Mamou, in this Parish, Mr. Andre Prud'homme being the victim.



It appears that a Widow Saunier had a son, some 10 or 12 years of age, over 
whom she had already lost all control. She requested Mr. Prud'homme to take 
charge of this spoilt Child and to endeavor to inculcate in him a spirit of 
obedience and industry, with the aid of the birch, if necessary. One day the 
child committed some act for which he had been repeatedly reprimanded, and Mr. 
Prud'homme inflicted upon him a slight corporeal punishment.



The boy ran off and went and lodged complaint, not with his mother, but with 
his cousin, John Saunier, a young man of about 28 or 30 years of age.



On last Thursday week, the 15th just, at about 5 o'clock in the morning, John 
Saunier presented himself at Mr. Prud'homme's gate, armed with a revolver. He 
called Mr. Prud'homme, who had not risen, but who soon went out to see who this 
early caller might be. Arrived at the gate, he recognized John Saunier, armed 
as we have said with a revolver, and who addressed him about thus: "I have come 
to settle that affair about the little boy." "But," rejoined Mr. Prud'homme, 
this is not the way to do that. Hold on; let me prepare myself." Saunier then 
snapped his revolver twice at Mr. Prud'homme and as he turned to re-enter his 
house, Saunier fired upon him, the bullet striking him in the lower portion of 
the lack, and going through his body.



Mr. Prud'homme walked unassisted to his door, but at about 4 o'clock in the 
evening he was a corpse.



Upon being wounded, Mr. Prud'homme no doubt felt that his end was near, and he 
immediately sent for a physician and a Justice of the Peace, and it is from his 
dying declaration that we gather the facts as above stated.



Of course, noon after committing the fell decd Saunier fled, but we think that 
he will soon be in the hands of justice.



Mr. Prud'homme, was a man of some 62 years of age, respectable and generally 
esteemed, and father of numerous family, while Saunier had a very bad 
reputation.





Additional Comments:
Andre Prud'homme was the son of Michel Prud'home and Sidonie Darbonne



Andre married Virginie Gaberel 29 June 1829 (Opel. Ct. Hse.: Mar #45 and 30 
June 1829 (Opel. Ch.: v. 1, pg 543.



Virginie Gaberel, of Neuchatel, Switzerland, was the daughter of Jean Frederick 
Gaberel and Marie Reine

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