Acadia Parish Louisiana Archives History..... Pioneer Deputy Experienced Many Tense Moments January 1, 1949 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: James Ojerholm James@ojerholm.com April 24, 2006, 4:24 pm Crowley Daily Signal January 1, 1949 Pioneer Deputy Experienced Many Tense Moments By Mrs. Charles F. Bruner First deputy sheriff and combined tax collector of Acadia Parish, in the Sheriff W.E. Lyons’ regime, William N. Milton was a native of Jackson, Mississippi, and came to Crowley in 1887 at the very start of the town’s development. He owned one of the first homes in Crowley which is still standing today on the west side of Avenue H between Third and Fourth streets. Here the future chief of police, Boyd C. Milton and Jennie Milton were born. Pioneer Tax Collecting In his official capacity, Mr. Milton drove over the parish behind two fiery and flighty bays, “Star” and “Fly”, gathering in tax money. There were, of course, no roads, no means of conveyance other than horse, mule and oxen, and scattered residents of the prairie never came in to the parish seat to pay their taxes as is the regular thing today. Deputy Collector Milton would frequently be gone six or seven days, returning with money bags full of silver and gold coins. And that, too, was a special problem, what with no bank, no vaults, no lock-boxes. Vivid in the memories of his family members today and stamped indelibly on their mental albums are those nights when, after supper, lamps alight, shades carefully drawn, heavy doors bolted, Mr. Milton would spread a thick tufted silence-pad, about six feet square, on the floor of his room. Two pistols were placed carefully beside him, one to his right, one to his left. Then the moment arrived when the money bags were opened and carefully and silently, their contents poured out. The rays of the lighted lamp caught the gleam of the heaps of silver and gold and it was a somewhat sinister and breath-taking sensation to see their father, note-book, pencil, tax roll names, tax receipts, all at hand, check the amount of the collections against those who had paid. After everything tallied to the penny the scene reversed, money being rebagged, stacked in his big desk which was Yale and pad-locked, pistols placed under his pillows, a Winchester rifle leaning against the nearby desk for his gentle wife’s weapon if need arose. Only then was the custodian of the new parish tax money ready for bed and a restless night’s repose. In those days of wild and woolly marauders, with miles of wasteland uninhabited, this former Captain of the Militia and 32nd degree Mason needed all his courage and grit. Early Election Anecdote Mr. Milton was not only a politician but a churchman, being a steward of the First Methodist Church. Brisco C. Carter was pastor of the Crowley church at that time. And, in those days, Negroes voted in every election. On the eve of election, secret private conferences were held with Sheriff Lyons, W.W. Duson, Michael Egan, Judge J.E. Barry, Reverend Carter, Tom Toler and Deputh Milton seated around the lamp-lit table. The result? Wooden kegs of “spirits” were loaded into a rude conveyance drawn by “Star” and “Fly”, bakery bread from Mrs. Guidry’s shop (where Faulk’s Jewelry Store now stands), pickled beef from J. Frankel’s store and other foodstuff and refreshment gathered for the Negro voters, who were congregated in one place around huge bonfires to pass the night awaiting opening of the polls in the early morn. Election day results of the secret conference and big feed? The election was won! The contriving party was swept into power, one might say these many years later, on spirits, buns and beef! Apprehension of Trapper Another oft-told tale in connection with Milton’s Acadia Parish experiences is the story of a dangerous trapping suspect on the Mermentau River where not only truly wild animals were trapped but domestic ones as well. Suspicion fell strongly on one man although none dared voice their doubts of his honesty because of his reputation as a dangerous character. Evidence proved insufficient time and again until one day when a call came in from Mermentau section that a prize imported Duroc Jersey calf bought for commercial purposes had been trapped. The irate owner, with a tuft of registered red hair-from his stolen Duroc Jersey-clutched in hand, stalked into headquarters, demanding this suspect be investigated without evidence, threatening to take the law into his own hands of such were not done. So Deputy Sheriff Milton, with conquering look in eye, warrant in hand, assumed his most impressive official militant look and mien and entered the trapping abode on the Mermentau. A hand was held up by the trapper invoking silence, his other hand busily engaged in rocking a large hand-fashioned cradle. He admonished the deputy and his aides to silence explaining quietly that his infant was desperately ill. He continued the anxious rocking while his abode was being searched in vain. No imported Duroc Jersey red hair was in evidence, nor any calf, domestic of imported! Deputy Sheriff Milton stood pondering and, wise in the devious ways of the wily wrong-doers of that primitive time, noted that no murmur of distress emanated from under the voluminous covers; no peering of anxious solicitous father into the cradle of the sick child; no ascertaining of the warmth of the babe’s brow; no outcry from the ailing infant. Then, pondering done with, the officer stepped forward and gently raised the covers from the cradle. And there the registered Duroc reposed, devoid of every prized red registered hair! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Comments: I retyped this article from the "Golden Anniversay Edition" 1899-1949 edition of the Crowley Daily Signal. "An Album of Acadia Parish and Neighboring Communities" The publication has 176 pages to it. Most of the articles have photos accompanying them (as did this one) but wasn't sure if you'd accept a .jpeg attachment. There are many photos that aren't associated with articles, just pictures of the early residents, pioneers, buildings, etc. It is rather large in size, about 24 inches high x 12 inches wide so I can't scan anything in its entireity and have to retype it but I can scan the photos. Of course they are not of a very high quality as its on newspaper print and most of the photos when printed in the paper were already old; taken from collections etc. I chose this particular article for the human interest value but there are many others with historical and genealogical content i.e "How Acadia Parish Was Born" which runs several pages. Being a genealogist, I'm concerned the historical content of this publication might become lost and hence I'm forwarding it to you for preservation and to make it available to others who are interested. If you agree, I'd like to send on further copies of articles in the future and if you're interested in photos let me know. PS. I'm not sure of the exact date of publication as it doesn't specify. It only says golden anniversay edition so it was sometime in 1949.