MISC: 19 February 1890; DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER; Wednesday edition; Deadwood,
Lawrence County, South Dakota.
"The Elk Creek murder account of which was given exclusively in yesterday's PIONEER, will be made subject of a coroner's inquest today. No particulars further than those given yesterday, which indeed were full enough, have yet been learned."
MISC: 20 February 1890; DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER; Thursday edition; Deadwood,
Lawrence County, South Dakota.
"THE CORONER'S INQUEST."
"Coroner Cheney summoned a jury yesterday and held an inquest at Sturgis over
the remains of C. Carter, who died Monday morning from the effects of a blow
received at the hands of N. La Flamme. The verdict was in accordance with the
facts as published in the PIONEER. La Flamme is still in jail, and will have his
preliminary examination before Justice Jewett on Monday next."
MISC: 20 February 1890; STURDIS ADVERTISER; Thursday edition; Sturgis, Meade
County, South Dakota; page 3, column 1.
"During the latter part of November Constant Cartier, killed by Nazarre La Flamme last Friday, sent up his last will and testament to the register's office
to be recorded, where it now is. It is supposed to be made out in favor of a
nephew, living in another part of the country. Cartier had no relatives in the
hills.
MISC: 20 February 1890; STURGIS ADVERTISER; Thursday edition; Sturgis, Meade
County, South Dakota; page 3, column 2-3.
"A SAD AFFAIR"
"Last Friday afternoon a feud of long standing between certain settlers on
Upper Elk creek was brought to a sudden and sad termination by the killing of
one of the active participants in the case. For several years past Constant
Cartier and Nazarre La Flamme have lived as neighbors to each other, but without
any of that mneighborly love for each other that is generally found among those
who have struggled hard and labored early and late for many years in trying to
settle up and develop a new country. For a long time pastthey have been bitter
enemies on account of differences araising over the possession of certain lands.
Many and many times have they passed hard words back and forth, and many times
have ugly threats been made by each. Both had their friend, and as a
consequence, the French settlement of which they were a part has been in a state
of unrest on account of the enmity. The trouble culminated Friday afternoon.
There are always two sides to every question and this is no exception. From the
friends of Cartier we learn that the two men met had a very loud and angry
discussion, in the French language. Hard words and threats passed back and
forth. Cartier stood with an axe over his shoulder. Suddenly LaFlamme picked up
a heavy stone and hurled it at Cartier missing him. When he saw he had missed
his man, he through a short billet of wood. This also missed the mark. Grabbing
another heavy club he rushed toward Cartier and threw the weapon with all his
force. This was more effective, as it caught Cartier alongside of the head, on
the right side, cutting through the ear and crushing in the skull. La Flamme, on
seeing what he had done walked away leaving Cartier laying on the ground, where
he laid until his friends removed him to his cabin. Saturday morning. Sheriff
Souter and Coroner Cheney went down to the settlement and removed Cartier--who
was still alive but insensible--to this city and brought up LaFlamme and
committed him to jail. The latter was placed under $5,000 bonds to await the
result of the injuries of Cartier. During Sunday night Cartier died at the
Sheridan house, never having regained consciousness. Sheriff Sonter immediately
took charge of LaFlamme and confined him. Coroner Cheney and Dr. Smith held a
post-mortem examination Monday afternoon, in the presence of the coroner's jury,
and the skull was found to have been terribly crushed and broken and large clots
of blood resting upon the brain, enough to have caused death almost
instantaneously. After the post-mortem the body was turned over to Undertaker
Cornwell who interred it yesterday afternoon. There is another sied to the
story, told by the friends of La Flamme, and others. It is to the effect that
the two men met and had an angry dispute. Cartier, having an axe, advanced
toward La Flamme in a threating manner. La Flamme warned him not to approach. He
kept on coming, when La Flamme threw a rock to stop him, but it had no effect.
Another stone thrown did not stop the angry man. As a last resort LaFlamme threw
the club of wood, which, in the end, resulted in the death of Cartier.
Eye-witnesses claim La Flamme guiltless as he was compelled to do as he did to
save himself. Other witnesses claim he could have escaped without committing the
act he did. Between the two stories the court will have to decide. The coroner's
jury, composed of H. C. Ash, Charles French, and John Woods, met yesterday
afternoon and, after a full investigation, brought in a verdict to the effect
that Cartier met his death from wounds received from a club thrown by the hands
of Nazarre LaFlamme. The case at the best is a very sad one. Both were men near
the end of life, Cartier 72 years of age and LaFlamme about 65 or 68. LaFlamme
is a man of family while Carter was a bachelor or widower. Both were old timers
in the Hills, having come here in 1877-8. The cause of the whole trouble was the
avariciousness of both men, each wanting what the other had. The killing is the
result. It should be a lasting lesson to the balance of the settlers of that
section, who by it ought to learn to settle their troubles in some other way
than by taking life."
MISC: 20 February 1890; DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER; Thursday edition; Deadwood,
Lawrence County, South Dakota.
"THE CORONER'S INQUEST"
"Coroner Cheney summoned a jury yesterday and held an inquest at Sturgis over
the remains of C. Carter, who died Monday morning from the effects of a blow
received at the hands of N. LaFlamme. The verdict was in accordance with the
facts as published in the PIONEER. LaFlamme is still in jail, and will have his
preliminary examination before Justice Jewett on Monday next.
MISC: 20 February 1890; BLACK HILLS DAILY TIMES; Thursday edition.
"THE CITY"
"Henry Frawley went to Sturgis last evening to prepare for the examination of
LaFlemme on Monday."
MISC: 21 February 1890; BLACK HILLS WEEKLY; Friday edition; Rapid City,
Pennington County, South Dakota.
"From Tuesday's Daily:"
"A TRAGEDY"
_____
MISC: "ONE ELK CREEK FARMER INFLICTS INJURIES UPON ANOTHER WHICH RESULTS
FATALLY."
"Last Friday afternoon C. Carter, better known as "OLD FRENCHY," an Elk Creek
farmer, met N. La Flamme, another farmer living on the stream, in front of the
farm house of Rock Poirier. Both men stopped and commenced an animated
conversation in the French language. They had been talking very long, according
to an eye witness, before LaFlamme stooped down and picked up a rock and threw
it at Carter, who had an ax on his shoulder. The rock missed its mark, and
LaFlamme catching up a billet of wood, threw it at Carter. This also missed him,
Carter not having moved from his tracks or made a hostile demonstration.
LaFlamme, after throwing the billet of wood, picked up another, and, going
closer hurled it with great force at the old man. This time the aim was true and
it struck Carter on the side of the head, cutting his ear in two and fracturing
his skull. Bystanders who had witnessed the commencement of the trouble at this
juncture reached the men in time to interfere with LaFlamme before he could
inflict further injury on his victim. Carter was picked up and carried to his
home. He regained consciousness for a few moments and then relapsed into
insensibility. He died yesterday morning about ten o'clock from the effects of
his injuries. La Flamme, when he saw how badly he had hurt Carter, expressed
great sorrow that his anger had led him to such an extent and pleaded that he
was forced to it by the injured man, who was of a quarrelsome disposition, and
who had repeatedly tried his temper. The trouble which led to the sad fatality
had been engendered over some land matters. LaFlamme and Carter both old time
settlers in the Black Hills, and have always been considered good citizens and
well liked. La Flamme, when he heard the result of his blow, proceded to Sturgis
and gave himself up, and is now in jail at that place.
MISC: 22 February 1890; BLACK HILLS DAILY TIMES; Saturday edition.
"Henry Frawley retained as counsel for LaFlemme, charged with the murder of
Carter, the Elk Creek Ranchman, appeared with his client before the committing
magistrate at Sturgis, yesterday. Examination will take place next Monday. The
plea will be self defense, accused stating that Carter attacked him with an ax,
when he knocked him down with a billet, fracturing the skull for a distance of
five inches."
MISC: 25 February 1890; DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER; Tuesday edition; Deadwood,
Lawrence County, South Dakota.
"Preliminary examination of N. LaFlamme, for murder of C. Carter, commenced
before Justice Jewett, yesterday. H. Frawley for the defense, and District
Attorney Harvey for the state. The examination will be continued and probably
concluded today.
MISC: 25 February 1890; STURGIS WEEKLY RECORD; Tuesday edition; Sturgis,
Meade County, South Dakota; page 2, column 4.
"THE LAFLAMME-CARTIER CASE.'
"The local officers of the land office have been notified that the
commissioner had ordered a rehearing of the old case of Nazarre LaFlamme verse
Constance Cartier. The case was ordered reopened by the commissioner because of
an affidavid made by Cartier before his death that LaFlamme was trying to get a
patent on the land, not for himself, but for other parties to whom he had some
time ago disposed of all his right, title, and interest in and to the land in
dispute, and the case will now be tried on that issue. The case involves title
to but forty acres of land, and has been before the land office for a number of
years. Both parties to it have expended a great deal of money in the contest,
and it has been instrumental to the killing of one of the contestants by the
other. The land involved in the dispute is not worth the trouble it has caused,
certainly not worth the life which was given up in the struggle for its
possession.
MISC: 27 February 1891[0]; BLACK HILLS WEEKLY, Friday edition; Rapid City,
Pennington County, South Dakota; page 3, column 2.
"LAND OFFICE"
"CARIER-LAFLAMME CASE AGAIN DECIDED."
"The following business was trans acted before the United States land office
in this city yesterday. Word was received at the local land office yesterday
that the celebrated case of Cartier versus LaFlamm, about which columns have
appeared in the different Black Hills papers, has again been decided. The
commissioner of the general landoffice affirms the decision of the local
landoffice in favor of LaFlamme. It is still possible to appeal the case to the
secretary of the interior but it is not thought that it will be done. If it is
not this is probably the last appearance in public of a case which has been
tried and retried a number of times in the last ten years. in the local and
general landoffice; a case out of which has resulted a more than lifelong feud
among the families directly interested as well as arraying former against each
other in the neighborhood in which the forty acres in dispute is situated; and a
case which caused the killing of one and the confinement in the penitentiary of
the other principal is it."
MISC: 28 February 1890; STURGIS RECORD; Friday edition; Sturgis, Pennington
County, South Dakota; page 3, column 4.
"THE LAFLAMME CASE."
"The preliminary examination of N. LaFlamme for the killing of Cartier on Elk
Creek occured Monday. Henry Frawley appearing for the defense. The trial
occupied the entire day, and was concluded until about nine o'clock that night
when defendant was held without bail to the grand jury which meets in May.
District Attorney Harvey prosecuted with his usual vigor, and even then didn't
turn loose all the evidence he has in hand. The defendant, through counsel,
indicated that an application for bail would be made to the circuit judge, but
it is hardly probable any action will be taken."
MISC: 30 May 1890; THE JOURNAL; Friday edition; Rapid City, Pennington
County, South Dakota.
"--The grand jury for Meade county in session at Sturgis, has found an
indictment for murder against LaFlamme for the killing of Cartier, on Elk creek
a short time ago."
MISC: 6 June 1890; THE STURGIS WEEKLY RECORD; Friday edition; Page 2, column
1; Sturgis, Pennington County, South Dakota.
"CIRCUIT COURT."
"HON.C. M. THOMAS,--PRESIDING."
"Sessions of circuit court have been badly broken up during the past week by a legal holiday, absent witnesses, delayed trains, etc. It is no fault of Judge Thomas' or State's Attorney Harvey, but a combination of circumstances
impossible to avoid. The LaFlamme case occupied the attention of the court for
three days. The jury went out about 6 o'clock Monday evening and, until Thursday
morning, were not heard from. Yesterday morning it appeared in court and
reported a verdict of manslaughter but naming no degree. The court could not
accept this and sent the jury back again."
MISC: 8 June 1890; BLACK HILLS DAILY TIMES; Sunday edition; Meade County,
South Dakota.
"CIRCUIT COURT."
"THE TERM FOR MEADE COUNTY CASES."
"The first term of the Eighth circuit court in and for Meade county closed
yesterday, all business having been disposed of. The most important case tried
was that of Nazarre LaFlamme, charged with the
murder of a neighbor named Carter. A family feud had long existed and
encounters occured whenever the parties met. During one of the melees, LaFlamme
threw a heavy stick of wood striking and crushing in Carter's skull. At trial,
accused interposed a-p--a of self-defense, but without avail.After a retirement
of ninety-six hours, forty-eight of which were on bread and water diet, the jury
returned a verdict of manslaughter in the first degree. LaFlamme was sentenced
to five years imprisonment. A stay of execution for ten days was granted. Henry
Frawley conducted the defense for all there was in it, while Tom Harvey
displayed great force and ability as states attorney."
MISC: 13 June 1890; DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER; Tuesday edition; Deadwood,
Lawrence County, South Dakota.
"Nazarre La Flamme, convicted of manslaughter at Sturgis and sentenced to
five years in the pen, was taken down the road Sunday. He was well satisfied
with the result of the trial and thanked his attorneys, Mr. Frawley, of Deadwood
and Mr. Gardner, of Rapid, for their efforts in his behalf. It is said by those
who witnessed the trial that the defense was very ably conducted, otherwise the
verdict would have been
murder in the first or second degree."
MISC: 13 June 1890; THE STURGIS WEEKLY RECORD; Friday edition; page 2, column
4; Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota.
"MEADE COUNTY'S FIRST"
"Sheriff Souter left Sunday afternoon for Sioux Falls with the first
contingent ever sent from Meade county to the state penitentiary. Three
unfortunate men were taken, for crimes of the worst degrees.Nazarre LaFlamme,
whom everybody pitied, went down for five years for murder;.....Joseph Smythe,
deputy, went along to assist Sheriff Souter."
MISC: 13 June 1890; BLACK HILLS WEEKLY; Friday edition; Rapid City,
Pennington County, South Dakota.
"FOR THE PENITENTIARY."
"Among passengers on the east bond express Sunday evening was Sheriff Souter,
of Meade county, having in his charge three prisoners sentenced to terms of
confinement in the state penitentiary at Sioux Falls. Among the prisoners was
Desire LaFlamme, who will have to serve a five years' sentence for the killing
of Carter on Elk creek a short time ago. The judge had allowed him twenty days
in which to arrange his business affairs before he entered upon his term of
imprisonment, but Mr. La Flamme thought that the sooner he commenced upon it,
the sooner he would have it served out, and at his request the sheriff took him
along with the other prisoners, but unlike the other, he was not manacled or
shackled, and had the freedom of the car. The sheriff did not at first wish to
take him with him, but La Flamme insisted that if the county would pay his fare he would go to the penitentiary and give
himself up to the warden, and everyone acquainted with the man believes it would
have been perfectly safe to have allowed him to have done so. He was met at the
depot by his attorney and a large number of Rapid City friends."