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February 13, 1946 ~ September 22, 2021

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of William "Billy" Joseph Meaux, 75, who died peacefully on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at his residence. He will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Kevin Kern, Gil Meaux, Shane Meaux, Casey Cunningham, Nicholas Richards and Neal Hebert.
Billy was born to Aveneal and Lillian Meaux on February 13, 1946 in Abbeville, LA. A graduate of Mount Carmel (1965) and a United States Navy veteran.
He was a member of the Lions Club, Men’s Supper Club, Pony League baseball coach, and former owner of A. Meaux’s Grocery. He retired from Global/Santa Fe.
He loved his golf cart, cowboy western movies, fountain Diet Coke, and his daily scratch off lottery tickets. His hobbies were fishing at the river or pond, playing cards and woodworking.
Billy is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Dianna Milliman Meaux; four children, Kevin and his wife, Monique, Tammy and her husband, Casey, Gil and his wife, Cindy, and Shane and his wife, Ashley; one extended daughter, Tara and her husband, Nick; sister, Tina Hebert and her husband, Bobby Joe; ten grandchildren, Daine, Jabian, Katie, Samantha, Hannah, Kassidy, Brandt, Mia Paige, Lyla, and Conner; and five great grandchildren, Kailex, Jeri, Avery, Bristen, and baby Hebert.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Aveneal Meaux, Sr. and the former Lillian Sellers; and brother, Aveneal Meaux, Jr.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Friday, September 24, 2021 from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 6:00 PM; Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 8:00 AM until time of services.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

VERMILION PARISH – On Sept. 21, 2021, shortly after 2 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I was notified of a two-vehicle fatality crash involving a motorcycle on Louisiana Highway 343 at Louisiana Highway 697 in Vermilion Parish.
The crash claimed the life of 37-year-old Gerry John Lasseigne of Carencro.
The initial investigation revealed Lasseigne was operating a 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycle north on LA 343. At the same time a southbound 2011 Peterbilt 18-wheeler, driven Michael Kagle of Orange, Texas, turned left onto LA 697 in front of Lasseigne causing the motorcycle to strike rear right wheels of the cab portion of the 18-wheeler.
Despite wearing a DOT approved helmet, Lasseigne was pronounced dead on the scene by the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office. A toxicology sample was obtained from Lasseigne for analysis. Kagle was properly restrained and was not injured. He showed no signs of impairment and did submit a voluntary breath sample which indicated no alcohol in his system.
This crash remains under investigation.
Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and are more difficult to see. Drivers are asked to pay attention behind the wheel and to always watch for motorcycles. For more information on the Louisiana Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operator Training Program, visit http://www.lsp.org/motorcycle.html.
Troop I has investigated 40 fatal crashes resulting in 49 deaths in 2021.

It was sensational news when actress Julia Morrison walked onto the stage and shot her leading man dead.
She was the wife of Frederick James, who had been the druggist at Moss Pharmacy in Lafayette, “where his genial smile always bade you welcome,” but the couple stayed in Lafayette only a couple of months after they were married.
“It was known that she was inclined towards the stage,” according to the Lafayette Advertiser, and they “went up North” to pursue her career. She was touring with a comedy troupe in Chattanooga on Friday night, Sept. 22, 1899, when she killed leading man Frank Leiden.
The orchestra had just finished the opening overture for “Mr. Plaster of Paris” and the “large and fashionable audience” gathered at Chattanooga’s Opera House thought the three gunshots were part of the show. They weren’t.
“The shots had been fired from a revolver in the hands of Mrs. Morrison-James,” according to the newspaper account. Julia, the leading lady in the play, had been involved in “a succession of bitter quarrels” with Leiden, and had slapped him and walked out of rehearsal that afternoon.
As the first act was about to begin that evening, she “came out of her dressing room with the revolver in her hand, walked deliberately up to Leiden … and fired twice.”
“At the second, he fell and then as he lay bleeding and dying, she fired the third shot, which struck him just below the eye.” He lived five minutes.
Both Julia and her husband were arrested and put in separate cells in the Chattanooga jail. She surrendered quietly, and “told a consistent, straight story, every word of which was corroborated by her husband.” She told police Leiden had made “improper proposals” and that he harassed and insulted her when she refused his advances Police were sympathetic, but she was still charged with murder.
Leiden was said to be popular with the rest of the cast. but at Julia’s first court hearing prosecutors found out that “the whole company had … slipped off … to New York rather than testify against Mrs. James.”
The troupe’s manager, a Mr. Harris, visited Julia’s cell before leaving town “and the scene … was touching and affecting,” according to the news account. “Both of them wept and after thirty minutes of conversation Mr. Harris came out fully convinced that Mrs. James was justified in the terrible act she had committed.”
He was not the only sympathizer. The actress was visited in her cell “by many influential ladies of Chattanooga” who brought baskets of flowers and fruit, and she was the recipient of “many attentions” from others, including the mayor of Chattanooga and his wife. Julia’s cell “was fixed up elegantly by the kind people of Chattanooga.”
“The motherless girl, charged with murder, sobbing out her remorse and grief on the bosom of the best women of the city . . . called tears to the eyes of all bystanders, men and women,” according to one account. Her visitors said “she has not the least remembrance of her act.” That amnesia was the basis of her plea of temporary insanity.
When the trial opened on Jan. 5, 1900, the Chattanooga Daily Times proclaimed that Julia was “on trial for her life.”
She did not dispute that she shot Leiden. A theater full of people were witnesses. But, as the Jan. 6 headline proclaimed, she told her story in “all its sensational details,” claiming that Leiden came to her dressing room and made an advance, that she pushed him away, and that the next thing she remembered was a policeman arresting her. The newspaper implied that she used her acting skills to add drama to her testimony.
Prosecutors claimed it was premeditated murder, pure and simple. They tangled her testimony under cross examination and cast considerable doubt on her alleged forgetfulness.
Her attorney made an impassioned argument that he was defending not only “this unhappy woman” but was arguing for “a vindication of all womanhood.”
“Great throngs” gathered to hear the verdict, and they didn’t have to wait long. It took the jury only two minutes to make a decision.
The big headline on Jan. 11 read: “Julia Morrison James A Free Woman.” The story said the verdict prompted “a remarkable scene” as her supporters celebrated.
The acquitted actress said she would go back on stage, but not as a performer. She planned a series of lectures on “The Other Side of Stage Life.”
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

September 5, 1930 ~ September 20, 2021

COW ISLAND — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 PM on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at St. Anne Catholic Church honoring the life of Shirley Stelly Rung, 91, who died Monday, September 20, 2021 surrounded by her family at her residence. She will be laid to rest at Immaculate Conception Cemetery with Reverend Matthew Barzare officiating the services. Serving as pallbearers will be Jason Rung, Corey Clostio, Hunter Fitch, Chet Simon, Blaise Trahan, Trayvn Hargrave and Caleb Rung.
Shirley better known as “Sis” loved the outdoors which she learned about at an early age driving tractors for her father. She loved sports but softball was her favorite. She actively played softball until her mid 50’s and coached many locals in youth softball. Like her father before she supported her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids in their endeavors whole heartedly. Family meant the most to her and she always put them first in her life.
She is survived by her children, Ralph Rung (Sandra), Sharon Clostio (Russell), Russel Rung (Angelle), Cindy Simon (Lynn), Darren Rung (Valerie), Patty Richard (Raphael) and Tina Hargrave (David); her 19 grandchildren; and her 24 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Rung; her daughter, Patty Rung; her parents, Rene and Edmay Stelly; her sister, Louella Gaspard; and her brothers, Carnes and Floyd Stelly.
The family would also like to thank Amedisys Hospice Care for the love and care extended to their mother during this time.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Kaplan, 300 N. Eleazar Ave., on Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 10:00 AM until the procession departs for the church at 1:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 11:00 AM.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276 [Service Information 225-5276]. Condolences may be sent to the Rung family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.