When I lived in a one floor ranch home, I was always paranoid about leaving my bedroom window open at night. It was only when I had a bedroom on the second floor that I was able to do this. Of course, having three dogs in the house at the time also helped because they would bark at any bump in the night.
The tragic incident below happened in 1904.
DEFENSELESS WOMAN MURDERED
Dastardly Crime of a Midnight Assassin near Rayne Sunday Night
A cold blooded murder was committed about three miles northeast of Rayne last Sunday night about one o’clock. Mrs. Celestine Gautreaux, an excellent woman, was murdered in bed by some man whose identity is unknown thus far.
Mrs. Gautreaux was a neighbor of Mr. and Mrs. Leoval Meche, and had been invited by Mrs. Meche to keep her company while her husband, Mr. Meche, was away on a trip. Mrs. Gautreaux occupied a room next to Mrs. Meche, and had her little boy and girl sleeping with her.
About one o’clock Mrs. Meche was awakened by a scream from Mrs. Gautreaux, who declared that she had been shot to death. On going into the next room Mrs. Meche found her guest speechless, and she died in about ten minutes.
Dr. Mouton, the coroner, held an inquest, but could get very little evidence. The assassin used a pistol, and shot the woman through an open window, which was beside the bed. He placed a tub under the window, on which he stood to do the murder. His tracks were plainly visible on the ground, and, could bloodhounds have been procured, the trail could have easily been followed.
Mrs. Gautreaux’s little boy, who is nine years of age, testified at the inquest that he was awakened by the pistol shot, and found the room full of smoke. No arrest has been made. [Source (1904, June 24). Defenseless woman murdered. The Rice Belt Journal, p. 1.]
