Lemuel "Lemme" Earle was the son of E.S. and Mary Earle. He had four brothers, Fred, Ward, Fay, and John, and one sister, Maud; all his siblings were older than him. His family had moved from Eagle Grove, Iowa, to Welsh, Louisiana, around 1880. The Earles lived on a rice farm in Welsh; they kept to themselves and were quite isolated from their neighbors, many of whom spoke only Cajun French, a language that the Earles didn't know.
On February 12, 1902, Lemuel, his parents, and three of his brothers (Ward, Fay, and John) were all murdered in their home. Lemuel was 13-years-old. Their bodies were discovered by Maud Earle on February 28. They were buried on March 10 in one large grave in Oaklawn Cemetery in Welsh. Nettie Redeke, Lemuel and John's teacher, later said of them, "The Earle boys never missed a day of school until the 12th of February of this year. When all the kids exchanged Valentines, I noticed that Lemuel and John Earle were not present."
The Earle family's farm hand, Albert Batson, was found guilty of their murders and was executed by hanging on August 21, 1903.∼At the time of his death, L.S. Earl (some documents have his last name spelled Earll, others Earle)was a prosperous southwest Louisiana planter with a large family. Sometime in late February, the Earl's hired hand, Alfred Edwin "Ed" Batson would slaughter every member of the Earl family present on the farm. Only L.S.'s grown children, Fred and Maude would escape because they lived away from the homestead. The murder, trial and subsequent hanging of Batson would send shockwaves throughout Louisiana and St. Louis, where Batson came from.
The Jennings Daily Record.
Jennings, Louisiana
February 25, 1901
Page 1
WHOLESALE MURDER IN WELSH VICINITY
Six Members of the Earll Family Found Dead at the Home of Ward Earll
Murderer Failing to Get Money Steals Team of Mules and Makes His Escape
(Special Report to the Record).
No more horrible tragedy was ever enacted than occured about two miles southwest of Welsh on the farm of Ward Earll, son of L. S. Earll, living about a mile distant. This terrible affair, while the perpetrator is in all probablitity Ed Batson, who has been in the employ of Ward Earll, yet the matter is in a way a mystery, as the mother and four boys were found at the home of Ward Earll with their
THROATS CUT,
either with an ax or some other sharp instrument, on the floor, all in a radius of ten feet whild Ward laid in bed, apparently in a very comfortable position - showing conclusively that there was no struggle, either in the case of the bodies found on the floor, or of the one found in the bed.
The only reasonable conclusion to arrive at under the circumstances is that the entire family was in some manner, first drugged, and then
FINISHED UP WITH AN AX,
or some other instrument, as there was practically no blood on the floor where the boides laid which is the case where the bodies have been so dealt with.
After having dispatched the mother and four sons, this inhuman monster must have gone to the home of L. S. Earll and meeting him some two hundred yeards from the house, killed him also.
The dead are:
Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Earll.
Ward Earll, aged 25.
Fay Earll, aged 19.
John Earll, aged 17, and
Lionel [Lemuell, Jr.] Earll, aged 12.
The awful deed must have occurred sometime on Wednesday of last week, for, on Thursday, a neighbor went to the home of Ward Earll on business and noticed a large placard on the door:
"GONE FROM HOME - BE BACK MONDAY OR TUESDAY."
There is very little doubt that the hired man, Ed Batson, is the demon who is the author of this tragedy, as he took Mr. Earll's mules to Lake Charles, offered them for sale for $275 - not getting a buyer at once he dropped down the price till he was offering them for $150. This caused suspicion, and the party who was thinking of making the purchase told Batson, who had been claiming he was Ward Earll, that if he would get some one to identify him, he would take the mules at the price mentioned.
This man Batson not showing up, no great thought was given the matter by the Lake Charles parties till yesterday afternoon, when a phone was sent to Paul Daniels, of Welsh, making enquiry [sic] as to the whereabouts of the suppposed Earll, telling Mr. Daniels that his horses were in his barn. Miss Maude Earll, who is in the employ of Mr. Daniels was made known these facts; and she, thinking soemthing wrong that her brother should be in Lake Charles with his mules, secured a hackman and immediately drove out to her father's to make enquiry; having to pass her brother's place she suggested to the hackman that they stop and see if Ward was at home. When the
HORRIBLE SPECTACLE
met her gaze the grief of the young lady can only be imagined. To make matter worse her poor mother's face was entirely eaten away by cats that were in the house with the bodies. Her grief is of the most poignant kind the silent grief with no tears to shed. It is thought the young lady will lose her mind. She and one brother, who resides in Iowa, are the only survivors of this family.
Up to the time of going to press no trace has been found of the Hellion incarnate.
Papers would report Ed Batson captured in Lawrence, MO and returned to Calcasieu parish (where Welsh was located in 1902). He would be found guilty and convicted to death, however that trial was thrown out on appeal. His second trial would be in Calcasieu Parish starting on March 3, 1903. The trial was highly dramatic, with Batson's mother, Mrs. Joseph Payne fainting at the reading of Batson's second guilty verdict of first degree murder. Batson would be lavished with attention and gifts from women all over the U.S. Efforts were made petition as well as the attorney general to sway then governor William Wright Heard to commute the death penalty to a life sentence, which he refused. Ed Batson was hanged on Friday, August 14, 1903 and over a thousand people stood vigil at the jail. The tragedy didn't end for the discoverer of her family's bodies, Maud Earl (Mrs. C. K. Ingram). She would wind up suing her only surviving brother, Fred Earl, for her share of the estates of her father and brother in 1904.
On February 12, 1902, Lemuel, his parents, and three of his brothers (Ward, Fay, and John) were all murdered in their home. Lemuel was 13-years-old. Their bodies were discovered by Maud Earle on February 28. They were buried on March 10 in one large grave in Oaklawn Cemetery in Welsh. Nettie Redeke, Lemuel and John's teacher, later said of them, "The Earle boys never missed a day of school until the 12th of February of this year. When all the kids exchanged Valentines, I noticed that Lemuel and John Earle were not present."
The Earle family's farm hand, Albert Batson, was found guilty of their murders and was executed by hanging on August 21, 1903.∼At the time of his death, L.S. Earl (some documents have his last name spelled Earll, others Earle)was a prosperous southwest Louisiana planter with a large family. Sometime in late February, the Earl's hired hand, Alfred Edwin "Ed" Batson would slaughter every member of the Earl family present on the farm. Only L.S.'s grown children, Fred and Maude would escape because they lived away from the homestead. The murder, trial and subsequent hanging of Batson would send shockwaves throughout Louisiana and St. Louis, where Batson came from.
The Jennings Daily Record.
Jennings, Louisiana
February 25, 1901
Page 1
WHOLESALE MURDER IN WELSH VICINITY
Six Members of the Earll Family Found Dead at the Home of Ward Earll
Murderer Failing to Get Money Steals Team of Mules and Makes His Escape
(Special Report to the Record).
No more horrible tragedy was ever enacted than occured about two miles southwest of Welsh on the farm of Ward Earll, son of L. S. Earll, living about a mile distant. This terrible affair, while the perpetrator is in all probablitity Ed Batson, who has been in the employ of Ward Earll, yet the matter is in a way a mystery, as the mother and four boys were found at the home of Ward Earll with their
THROATS CUT,
either with an ax or some other sharp instrument, on the floor, all in a radius of ten feet whild Ward laid in bed, apparently in a very comfortable position - showing conclusively that there was no struggle, either in the case of the bodies found on the floor, or of the one found in the bed.
The only reasonable conclusion to arrive at under the circumstances is that the entire family was in some manner, first drugged, and then
FINISHED UP WITH AN AX,
or some other instrument, as there was practically no blood on the floor where the boides laid which is the case where the bodies have been so dealt with.
After having dispatched the mother and four sons, this inhuman monster must have gone to the home of L. S. Earll and meeting him some two hundred yeards from the house, killed him also.
The dead are:
Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Earll.
Ward Earll, aged 25.
Fay Earll, aged 19.
John Earll, aged 17, and
Lionel [Lemuell, Jr.] Earll, aged 12.
The awful deed must have occurred sometime on Wednesday of last week, for, on Thursday, a neighbor went to the home of Ward Earll on business and noticed a large placard on the door:
"GONE FROM HOME - BE BACK MONDAY OR TUESDAY."
There is very little doubt that the hired man, Ed Batson, is the demon who is the author of this tragedy, as he took Mr. Earll's mules to Lake Charles, offered them for sale for $275 - not getting a buyer at once he dropped down the price till he was offering them for $150. This caused suspicion, and the party who was thinking of making the purchase told Batson, who had been claiming he was Ward Earll, that if he would get some one to identify him, he would take the mules at the price mentioned.
This man Batson not showing up, no great thought was given the matter by the Lake Charles parties till yesterday afternoon, when a phone was sent to Paul Daniels, of Welsh, making enquiry [sic] as to the whereabouts of the suppposed Earll, telling Mr. Daniels that his horses were in his barn. Miss Maude Earll, who is in the employ of Mr. Daniels was made known these facts; and she, thinking soemthing wrong that her brother should be in Lake Charles with his mules, secured a hackman and immediately drove out to her father's to make enquiry; having to pass her brother's place she suggested to the hackman that they stop and see if Ward was at home. When the
HORRIBLE SPECTACLE
met her gaze the grief of the young lady can only be imagined. To make matter worse her poor mother's face was entirely eaten away by cats that were in the house with the bodies. Her grief is of the most poignant kind the silent grief with no tears to shed. It is thought the young lady will lose her mind. She and one brother, who resides in Iowa, are the only survivors of this family.
Up to the time of going to press no trace has been found of the Hellion incarnate.
Papers would report Ed Batson captured in Lawrence, MO and returned to Calcasieu parish (where Welsh was located in 1902). He would be found guilty and convicted to death, however that trial was thrown out on appeal. His second trial would be in Calcasieu Parish starting on March 3, 1903. The trial was highly dramatic, with Batson's mother, Mrs. Joseph Payne fainting at the reading of Batson's second guilty verdict of first degree murder. Batson would be lavished with attention and gifts from women all over the U.S. Efforts were made petition as well as the attorney general to sway then governor William Wright Heard to commute the death penalty to a life sentence, which he refused. Ed Batson was hanged on Friday, August 14, 1903 and over a thousand people stood vigil at the jail. The tragedy didn't end for the discoverer of her family's bodies, Maud Earl (Mrs. C. K. Ingram). She would wind up suing her only surviving brother, Fred Earl, for her share of the estates of her father and brother in 1904.
Lemuel "Lemme" Earle was the son of E.S. and Mary Earle. He had four brothers, Fred, Ward, Fay, and John, and one sister, Maud; all his siblings were older than him. His family had moved from Eagle Grove, Iowa, to Welsh, Louisiana, around 1880. The Earles lived on a rice farm in Welsh; they kept to themselves and were quite isolated from their neighbors, many of whom spoke only Cajun French, a language that the Earles didn't know.
On February 12, 1902, Lemuel, his parents, and three of his brothers (Ward, Fay, and John) were all murdered in their home. Lemuel was 13-years-old. Their bodies were discovered by Maud Earle on February 28. They were buried on March 10 in one large grave in Oaklawn Cemetery in Welsh. Nettie Redeke, Lemuel and John's teacher, later said of them, "The Earle boys never missed a day of school until the 12th of February of this year. When all the kids exchanged Valentines, I noticed that Lemuel and John Earle were not present."
The Earle family's farm hand, Albert Batson, was found guilty of their murders and was executed by hanging on August 21, 1903.∼At the time of his death, L.S. Earl (some documents have his last name spelled Earll, others Earle)was a prosperous southwest Louisiana planter with a large family. Sometime in late February, the Earl's hired hand, Alfred Edwin "Ed" Batson would slaughter every member of the Earl family present on the farm. Only L.S.'s grown children, Fred and Maude would escape because they lived away from the homestead. The murder, trial and subsequent hanging of Batson would send shockwaves throughout Louisiana and St. Louis, where Batson came from.
The Jennings Daily Record.
Jennings, Louisiana
February 25, 1901
Page 1
WHOLESALE MURDER IN WELSH VICINITY
Six Members of the Earll Family Found Dead at the Home of Ward Earll
Murderer Failing to Get Money Steals Team of Mules and Makes His Escape
(Special Report to the Record).
No more horrible tragedy was ever enacted than occured about two miles southwest of Welsh on the farm of Ward Earll, son of L. S. Earll, living about a mile distant. This terrible affair, while the perpetrator is in all probablitity Ed Batson, who has been in the employ of Ward Earll, yet the matter is in a way a mystery, as the mother and four boys were found at the home of Ward Earll with their
THROATS CUT,
either with an ax or some other sharp instrument, on the floor, all in a radius of ten feet whild Ward laid in bed, apparently in a very comfortable position - showing conclusively that there was no struggle, either in the case of the bodies found on the floor, or of the one found in the bed.
The only reasonable conclusion to arrive at under the circumstances is that the entire family was in some manner, first drugged, and then
FINISHED UP WITH AN AX,
or some other instrument, as there was practically no blood on the floor where the boides laid which is the case where the bodies have been so dealt with.
After having dispatched the mother and four sons, this inhuman monster must have gone to the home of L. S. Earll and meeting him some two hundred yeards from the house, killed him also.
The dead are:
Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Earll.
Ward Earll, aged 25.
Fay Earll, aged 19.
John Earll, aged 17, and
Lionel [Lemuell, Jr.] Earll, aged 12.
The awful deed must have occurred sometime on Wednesday of last week, for, on Thursday, a neighbor went to the home of Ward Earll on business and noticed a large placard on the door:
"GONE FROM HOME - BE BACK MONDAY OR TUESDAY."
There is very little doubt that the hired man, Ed Batson, is the demon who is the author of this tragedy, as he took Mr. Earll's mules to Lake Charles, offered them for sale for $275 - not getting a buyer at once he dropped down the price till he was offering them for $150. This caused suspicion, and the party who was thinking of making the purchase told Batson, who had been claiming he was Ward Earll, that if he would get some one to identify him, he would take the mules at the price mentioned.
This man Batson not showing up, no great thought was given the matter by the Lake Charles parties till yesterday afternoon, when a phone was sent to Paul Daniels, of Welsh, making enquiry [sic] as to the whereabouts of the suppposed Earll, telling Mr. Daniels that his horses were in his barn. Miss Maude Earll, who is in the employ of Mr. Daniels was made known these facts; and she, thinking soemthing wrong that her brother should be in Lake Charles with his mules, secured a hackman and immediately drove out to her father's to make enquiry; having to pass her brother's place she suggested to the hackman that they stop and see if Ward was at home. When the
HORRIBLE SPECTACLE
met her gaze the grief of the young lady can only be imagined. To make matter worse her poor mother's face was entirely eaten away by cats that were in the house with the bodies. Her grief is of the most poignant kind the silent grief with no tears to shed. It is thought the young lady will lose her mind. She and one brother, who resides in Iowa, are the only survivors of this family.
Up to the time of going to press no trace has been found of the Hellion incarnate.
Papers would report Ed Batson captured in Lawrence, MO and returned to Calcasieu parish (where Welsh was located in 1902). He would be found guilty and convicted to death, however that trial was thrown out on appeal. His second trial would be in Calcasieu Parish starting on March 3, 1903. The trial was highly dramatic, with Batson's mother, Mrs. Joseph Payne fainting at the reading of Batson's second guilty verdict of first degree murder. Batson would be lavished with attention and gifts from women all over the U.S. Efforts were made petition as well as the attorney general to sway then governor William Wright Heard to commute the death penalty to a life sentence, which he refused. Ed Batson was hanged on Friday, August 14, 1903 and over a thousand people stood vigil at the jail. The tragedy didn't end for the discoverer of her family's bodies, Maud Earl (Mrs. C. K. Ingram). She would wind up suing her only surviving brother, Fred Earl, for her share of the estates of her father and brother in 1904.
On February 12, 1902, Lemuel, his parents, and three of his brothers (Ward, Fay, and John) were all murdered in their home. Lemuel was 13-years-old. Their bodies were discovered by Maud Earle on February 28. They were buried on March 10 in one large grave in Oaklawn Cemetery in Welsh. Nettie Redeke, Lemuel and John's teacher, later said of them, "The Earle boys never missed a day of school until the 12th of February of this year. When all the kids exchanged Valentines, I noticed that Lemuel and John Earle were not present."
The Earle family's farm hand, Albert Batson, was found guilty of their murders and was executed by hanging on August 21, 1903.∼At the time of his death, L.S. Earl (some documents have his last name spelled Earll, others Earle)was a prosperous southwest Louisiana planter with a large family. Sometime in late February, the Earl's hired hand, Alfred Edwin "Ed" Batson would slaughter every member of the Earl family present on the farm. Only L.S.'s grown children, Fred and Maude would escape because they lived away from the homestead. The murder, trial and subsequent hanging of Batson would send shockwaves throughout Louisiana and St. Louis, where Batson came from.
The Jennings Daily Record.
Jennings, Louisiana
February 25, 1901
Page 1
WHOLESALE MURDER IN WELSH VICINITY
Six Members of the Earll Family Found Dead at the Home of Ward Earll
Murderer Failing to Get Money Steals Team of Mules and Makes His Escape
(Special Report to the Record).
No more horrible tragedy was ever enacted than occured about two miles southwest of Welsh on the farm of Ward Earll, son of L. S. Earll, living about a mile distant. This terrible affair, while the perpetrator is in all probablitity Ed Batson, who has been in the employ of Ward Earll, yet the matter is in a way a mystery, as the mother and four boys were found at the home of Ward Earll with their
THROATS CUT,
either with an ax or some other sharp instrument, on the floor, all in a radius of ten feet whild Ward laid in bed, apparently in a very comfortable position - showing conclusively that there was no struggle, either in the case of the bodies found on the floor, or of the one found in the bed.
The only reasonable conclusion to arrive at under the circumstances is that the entire family was in some manner, first drugged, and then
FINISHED UP WITH AN AX,
or some other instrument, as there was practically no blood on the floor where the boides laid which is the case where the bodies have been so dealt with.
After having dispatched the mother and four sons, this inhuman monster must have gone to the home of L. S. Earll and meeting him some two hundred yeards from the house, killed him also.
The dead are:
Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Earll.
Ward Earll, aged 25.
Fay Earll, aged 19.
John Earll, aged 17, and
Lionel [Lemuell, Jr.] Earll, aged 12.
The awful deed must have occurred sometime on Wednesday of last week, for, on Thursday, a neighbor went to the home of Ward Earll on business and noticed a large placard on the door:
"GONE FROM HOME - BE BACK MONDAY OR TUESDAY."
There is very little doubt that the hired man, Ed Batson, is the demon who is the author of this tragedy, as he took Mr. Earll's mules to Lake Charles, offered them for sale for $275 - not getting a buyer at once he dropped down the price till he was offering them for $150. This caused suspicion, and the party who was thinking of making the purchase told Batson, who had been claiming he was Ward Earll, that if he would get some one to identify him, he would take the mules at the price mentioned.
This man Batson not showing up, no great thought was given the matter by the Lake Charles parties till yesterday afternoon, when a phone was sent to Paul Daniels, of Welsh, making enquiry [sic] as to the whereabouts of the suppposed Earll, telling Mr. Daniels that his horses were in his barn. Miss Maude Earll, who is in the employ of Mr. Daniels was made known these facts; and she, thinking soemthing wrong that her brother should be in Lake Charles with his mules, secured a hackman and immediately drove out to her father's to make enquiry; having to pass her brother's place she suggested to the hackman that they stop and see if Ward was at home. When the
HORRIBLE SPECTACLE
met her gaze the grief of the young lady can only be imagined. To make matter worse her poor mother's face was entirely eaten away by cats that were in the house with the bodies. Her grief is of the most poignant kind the silent grief with no tears to shed. It is thought the young lady will lose her mind. She and one brother, who resides in Iowa, are the only survivors of this family.
Up to the time of going to press no trace has been found of the Hellion incarnate.
Papers would report Ed Batson captured in Lawrence, MO and returned to Calcasieu parish (where Welsh was located in 1902). He would be found guilty and convicted to death, however that trial was thrown out on appeal. His second trial would be in Calcasieu Parish starting on March 3, 1903. The trial was highly dramatic, with Batson's mother, Mrs. Joseph Payne fainting at the reading of Batson's second guilty verdict of first degree murder. Batson would be lavished with attention and gifts from women all over the U.S. Efforts were made petition as well as the attorney general to sway then governor William Wright Heard to commute the death penalty to a life sentence, which he refused. Ed Batson was hanged on Friday, August 14, 1903 and over a thousand people stood vigil at the jail. The tragedy didn't end for the discoverer of her family's bodies, Maud Earl (Mrs. C. K. Ingram). She would wind up suing her only surviving brother, Fred Earl, for her share of the estates of her father and brother in 1904.
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