NEGROES HANGED

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 October 1931, Page 12

NEGROES HANGED

AFTER PROMISE OF REPRIEVE MONTREAL, October 16. A message from Baton, Rouge states that Louisiana’s gubernatorial difficulties, which had been regarded humorously as a surplus Governor troubling a State already battling against the over-production of cotton, assumed a tragic aspect to-night, with the hanging of three negro convicts, to whom reprieves had been promised by Mr. Cyr if he was able to assume the Governorship in time to save them. At first it seemed possible that he could, and the negroes hoped to be saved, but at the last moment Mr. Cyr announced: “I won’t inject myself into the affairs of the State now.” So the convicts were hanged at the parish gaols. Meanwhile a third aspirant to the Governor’s chair appeared in Mr. Walter Aldrich, an unemployed bill collector, who asserted: “Anyone can take possession of abandoned property.” He claimed that the Governorship had been abandoned, and took the oath of office. Mr. Long, Mr. Cyr, and Mr. Aldrich have all filed ouster suits against each other, and maybe more Governors are still in the offing. (Mr. Huey Long, a picturesque political leader, had been Governor, but had been elected to the United States Senate. Mr. Cyr, who had been Lieu-tenant-Governor claimed the right to assume the Governorship but -Mr. Long insisted that he would remain as Governor until the Senate session opened. On Mr Long leaving the city. Mr. Cyr took the oath of office as Governor. Mr. Long, hearing the news, rushed to the scene, and ordered lhe State militia to prevent. Mr. Cyr from entering the Capitol. Mr. Long also appointed a new Lieutenant-Governor, arguing that Mr. Cyr had automatically forfeited tho post. Mr. Cyr thereupon ordered the troops to retire. The commandant of the militia refused, deciding to obey the orders first given).